Manager’s guide to managing low performance
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If you’re wondering how to manage an employee who is underperforming, this guide is for you.
What is underperformance?
Underperformance is the failure to perform the duties of your job or to perform it at a level considered acceptable by @company.name. It usually doesn’t happen overnight, and there are three main types of underperformance:
- Craft - the person has some critical technical skills gap or knowledge gaps which stops them from delivering at the level required of them.
- Personal leadership - the person struggles to get things done or work productively in our environment. Examples might include not being adaptable, low resilience, not being proactive, unable to work with ambiguity.
- Behaviors / Values - a person doesn’t work well with others, is a poor communicator, is not a team player, etc.
Addressing underperformance
Identify the issue: Which type of underperformance is your employee experiencing? It is important to find and flag performance issues early.
Provide feedback: Once you identify signs of underperformance, you should provide feedback (either in person or over video) to your employee right away. Your next one-on-one is a good time to have this conversation, or set up a separate meeting.
When providing feedback about underperformance:
- Be clear about the observed issue by providing specific examples
- Explain the impact on the team/projects
- Provide guidance on how they can improve
- Check for understanding / ask questions
- Offer support and agree on action items
- Summarize your feedback in an email or shared doc, and continue to provide ongoing feedback
When to create a formal performance improvement plan
Is there a difference between “poor” or “very poor” performance? A performance lapse becomes ‘very’ poor as time passes. For most, the extent of underperformance is not as clear. What helps is understanding the time period that someone has not been meeting expectations.
Temporary performance lapse (< 4 wks)
Everyone has had a short period of poor performance at some time. Great managers provide great feedback and coaching to help employees out of these slumps. Discuss in your next one-on-one and help them win (again). It’s important to rebuild their confidence early on. If needed, help them re-focus by (temporarily) reducing the breadth/scope of their work.
Performance issue persists (4 - 8 wks)
Nothing out of the ordinary - it happens to the best! But don’t ignore this. Take the time to coach your employee and review the patterns in performance issues. Some people respond best to metrics or written down communications.
Continue to discuss the performance issue in your one-on-one and document your feedback and agreed actions in an email, shared document, or in your Performance Management tool.
Longer-term performance issues (9+ weeks)
If performance has been a challenge for 2 (or more) months, you may want your next conversation to be discussing a formalized Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). Fill out the PIP yourself first and discuss it with your manager. (You can find a PIP template here). If you both agree, then schedule a meeting with your HR Business Partner before meeting with your report about it.
A PIP should be a genuine last opportunity to resolve underperformance. But a PIP is ineffective if you don’t believe your employee can improve. Therefore, only do a PIP if you are confident that the outcome could be successful. As a rule of thumb, approximately 40% of all PIPs in an organization are successful.
