Gerald Walsh - An Atlantic Canada Leader in Executive Search, Career Transition, Executive Coaching and Human Resources

Why Employees Under-Perform And What To Do About It

By Gerald Walsh

Most companies in Atlantic Canada run very lean and simply cannot afford a workforce that under-performs. Yet ironically many managers hesitate to deal with performance issues quickly, hoping these problems will somehow magically fix themselves. The outcome of this inaction can have serious consequences.

To help you deal with under-performing employees, here is a guide to nine reasons why employees under-perform and possible courses of actions for you to take.

Unclear targets and expectations Many employees do not know what they're supposed to do mainly because their bosses are vague and brief in their instructions. It's almost like these managers assume that employees can "read their minds." Likewise, employees can be fearful of admitting to their boss they don't understand. Be clear and precise in your directions. Identify expected outcomes and completion dates. Deliver instructions verbally and in writing if necessary. Always ask your employees if your instructions are clear and understood.

Poor 'fit' for the job or company Fit is one of the most difficult things to measure when interviewing a job candidate. Yet success or failure of the employee often rests with how well their behaviours, interests and preferences meld with others in the company. If a gap seems to exist, consider administering a personality assessment tool (like Myers-Briggs or EQI) and then having a frank discussion with the employee to determine jointly if the chemistry is right.

No rewards for doing a good job I'm not suggesting you have to pay your employees more money. Rewards, in the form of employee recognition, can be simple and very effective. Saying 'thank you' for a job well done, giving a couple of movie tickets, or writing a brief note of appreciation will go a long way to motivating employees.

Employees do not have the skills or knowledge to do the job The source of this problem is, again, the hiring interview. If a candidate presents himself confidently in an interview, it's easy to overlook gaps in his skills and qualifications. And it's no secret that candidates often embellish their qualifications to prospective employers. Regardless of the original cause, you have to quickly identify where the gaps exist and ensure the employee receives the necessary training to do the job properly.

Employees do not understand how their job fits in the big picture In other words, your employee doesn't know why she is doing the task. Take a few minutes at the beginning of a project to explain why you are asking her to do certain work. Let her know how you will use the output of her work. All jobs in any company are important, otherwise they wouldn't be there. Let employees know how valuable their role is.

Poor relationship with the boss Studies have shown this is the #1 reason why employees underperform. In my experience, one of the most common reasons for this poor relationship is the manager attempting to apply what I call a 'one-size-fits-all' approach to managing staff. They fail to recognize that each employee takes in information differently and responds in different ways. Every manager-employee relationship is unique and requires a custom approach. Taking the time to learn and understand each employee's preferred style will pay big dividends in improved communication and clarity about your expectations.

Family or health issues conflict with work Concerns over child care (or parent care) can be distracting and lead to increased absenteeism. Likewise, physical or mental illness (like stress) could cause employees to work at reduced capacity. Although these issues are becoming more open these days, employees will often hide these problems from their boss, fearing some kind of reprisal. An open, supportive workplace with a focus on health and wellness will help employees achieve a better balance between their work life and home life.

Employees feel they are under-paid Contrary to what most managers think, employees only want to be paid fairly and competitively. There is plenty of data by way of salary guides and statistical information available to determine if the wages you are paying are in line with your competitors and industry standards. Paying fair and competitive wages will greatly strengthen your recruitment and retention efforts.

Employees are uncomfortable in the workplace Factors such as poor lighting and uncomfortable chairs can impair performance. Once identified as a source of poor performance, consider conducting a workplace audit to assess office layout, ergonomics, lighting, temperature, air quality, safety, and noise. Employees will appreciate your interest in their surroundings and their performance should improve.

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Turning a blind eye to mediocre performance implies you are condoning sub-standard work. The best course of action is to identify and confront problems early. Meet with the employee to determine the reason for under-performance and take the necessary steps. However if improvement does not occur, be clear about the consequences. Whether it is no raise, demotion or dismissal, the employee must understand what will happen if performance does not improve.

Gerald Walsh, CMA, is the President and Founder of Gerald Walsh Associates Inc., an executive search, career transition and executive coaching firm.

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