Performance issue? It’s an HR problem, right? Wrong!
The management of a poorly performing member of staff is something that anyone with supervisory or management responsibilities should be fully au fait with. As well as ensuring the fundamentals are addressed (identifying the issue, considering whether the company has done all it can to support the individual), it should not be discounted that poor performance could actually be a symptom of a bigger cultural issue, whereby nobody is taking ownership.
I have seen time and time again managers who either bury their heads in the sand and fail to address what are initially relatively minor issues or alternatively, automatically defer to HR. Neither of these options work. Clearly, the ostrich approach is never a good idea, however neither is passing the matter straight on to HR when it can successfully be managed informally by the line manager – the person paid to do precisely that. It is effectively passing the buck and more importantly, it completely undermines the managers own authority.
Why managers don’t manage
I believe the above reactions are usually because the manager is not equipped with the tools to manage minor issues and instead of tackling them head-on, hopefully nipping the problem in the bud, they panic. Especially if this means they might have to hold a mirror up to their own management style. I have seen this happen with recently promoted managers, where they used to be one of the team and then find it difficult to exert their authority in the right way in a management role. Also, some managers are great at getting results and operationally successful but have never had any support with the people side of their role, which when managing others is crucial to enable them to carry out their line management duties with optimum results. It can be a fear of getting it wrong, looking silly or a phobia of confrontation. Sometimes ‘people issues’ are just at the bottom of the list, with no time in the day to dedicate to ‘soft skills’.
Why is this important?
For a start, the successful management of all aspects of performance helps create and maintain a high performing culture, in many cases it can have a positive impact on the bottom line in helping to maintain external relationships with customers, uphold the company’s reputation and can reduce labour costs (in absence cases for example). It can help avoid costly litigation or settlement agreements by going through a fair process, preventing the escalation of conflict. For the manager, taking ownership of these issues helps them gain confidence and has a positive impact on their personal and career development.
As well as all this, the proper management of performance issues is essential in terms of best practice for equality, fairness, transparency and consistency purposes and helps ensure equality in the workplace.
What needs to be considered?
Some basic skills in identifying performance issues early on are required. Understanding the options available will help managers gain confidence in making informed decisions and manage their staff effectively, correcting poor performance or as a last resort, understanding how to exit poor performers where all other steps have been exhausted. Most importantly, managers need to know how they can properly take ownership.
In a nutshell, to successfully manage a poor performing member of staff my advice would be to take some time to look at the issue(s), consider the bigger picture, whether the management style is useful or might be hindering the matter and have some thought as to whether it might be a (mis)conduct or a capability issue. This doesn’t need to be defined immediately but it is useful to consider where it could be heading should things not improve. In general terms, conduct issues are those within employee’s control and capability issues are those beyond the control of the employee.
It is important to consider whether the poor performance could potentially have a medical explanation including poor mental health or learning difficulties. Have any conversations regarding the performance issue taken place to date? If so when? Are there records? What was agreed?
Effective informal management of these matters can prevent escalation, so for ‘low level’ performance issues (i.e. not one of potential Gross Misconduct, where a wholly different approach should be taken) a line in the sand conversation explaining the performance shortfall to the employee is required. In my opinion, this should be carried out by their manager, not HR.
Keep your eyes peeled for part 2 of my blog on this subject, which will give practical step by step tips for managers in dealing with performance issues.