You’ve hired someone who had a great interview, seemed to fit as the right person for the job … but two months in, they’re missing deadlines and the quality of their work just isn’t good enough. How could you have figured this out before you spent time, energy and money attempting to train them? And what can you do about it now?
- Figure out which kind of problem it is. Performance problems tend to fall into two categories: Employee-based and workplace environment-based. If it’s the first, you may need to speak directly to the employee about their performance (trying not to make it feel like a personal attack). See if extenuating circumstances such as outside stress or even workplace harassment have affected the employee. This person may also have been promoted too soon or mismatched to their position. If workplace-based, you may need to address inadequate resources or workflow issues.
- Have systems in place. The best way to avoid performance problems? Stop them before they start. This includes having broad and specific performance targets that employees must meet. When they don’t meet these goals, you need to identify the reasons for that poor performance and discuss with supervisors and team leaders what course of action you need to take. This also goes for hiring practices: Specific job descriptions and careful vetting (phone interviews, references, etc.) can help to avoid a hiring mistake.
- Clarification is key. Sometimes poor job performance stems from a lack of communication on one or both sides. As an employer, have you made your expectations clear and manageable enough so employees can properly meet them? Did the job description match up with the duties the employee needs to perform? Do managers and teams work effectively together? Does the employee need to ask more questions or make changes on their own work to avoid confusion? Ask these questions regularly to avoid poor performance on any side.
Nobody wants to have employees who perform poorly. Take these steps to avoid such issues — and work with PrideStaff to get the best employees.
