Addressing Underperformance - Managers
What is Underperformance?
Underperformance occurs when an employee performs their duties below the required level that has been set and is expected of them. The following points underline some of the many examples that would classify as underperformance:
- Failing to perform duties to a high standard, or not performing their tasks at all (e.g. submitting a report with blatant errors or not submitting it at all);
- Non-compliance of work policies and procedures (e.g. repeatedly not logging their time properly);
- Poor behavior that negatively impacts others in the workplace or team (e.g. showing up to meetings late, not communicating with their team if they'll miss a deadline, leaving them in a tough position).
Why this Moment Matters
Raising the bar in Syensqo's performance culture requires courageous conversations such as addressing underperformance. Misalignment in the understanding about expected results can bring tensions and frustrations from both sides. How can you, constructively and with authenticity, enable the dialogue to address underperformance and help the individual grow?
What to do as a Manager
Determining how to address underperformance requires the Manager to understand its root causes. Use the following questions to explore the possibilities :
- Is the employee's underperformance related to the job or to a behavioral issue?
- Has the employee received the proper training to succeed? A leave of absence or other time off may have resulted in missed training or informative meetings that were not later made available to the employee. Additional training may be warranted to correct the oversight.
- Have you set clear expectations and achievable deadlines?
- Is there a known personal issue that may be affecting the employee's performance? Perhaps there is an underlying root cause associated with the negative trend in their job performance. Have they recently undergone a family bereavement or divorce?
- Is there something troubling them in their professional life – do they want a greater challenge? Are they in the right job?
- Is the individual typically a good employee but showing a recent anomalous trend in poor performance?
- Does the employee show poor performance in a small number of areas, but high performance in most other areas?
Addressing underperformance doesn’t always result in the employee’s termination. The employee’s Site HR Partner is your resource for guidance when determining the appropriate course of action, considering local legislation and other guidelines. In general, your HR Partner can support you best when you can be specific about the employee’s performance deficiencies, including dates, specific data or detailed explanations, and any previous guidance given to the employee.
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