Do you have a marginally performing employee? Not sure exactly what to do? Should you keep supporting them? When (in what circumstances) should you terminate their employment?
A friend of mine, a certified executive coach, gave a great example of how to simplify decisions when dealing with low-performing staff: Determine if your employee has the WILL to succeed, and if he/she has the SKILL to succeed.
Obviously, employees who already have both Will and Skill are likely doing just fine: it’s folks lacking one of these attributes that will be showing signs of failure in the job.
WILL = Attitude and positive motivation
If an individual has the technical job skill but not the WILL, you are dealing with attitude issues.
a) Your employee may be tired, frustrated, angry or depressed. You will need to use psychological approaches and motivation strategies to shift the attitude in a positive direction.
b) Decide on the best strategy to approach the employee, depending on the reason for lack of WILL at work. Note: there may be external factors impacting your employee (eg a personal situation, medical issues, etc). Tread carefully when dealing with your employee’s privacy – stay focused on performance behaviors in your discussions and approach.
c) Set a deadline and a measure of progress that could reasonably be expected under the circumstances.
d) Define a “line in the sand” status, where you would determine that the employee is not salvageable in the position. If, after a reasonable time period, you cannot see progress beyond this line in the sand, termination will be the last option.
In my experience, a line in the sand always includes two things: the employee exerts personal effort towards improvement, and external relationships are improved /damaged relationships are mended. If these elements are not evident, there may be reputation damage beyond repair, in which no amount of goodwill can salvage the situation.
SKILL = Technical ability to execute the job duties
Employees who have motivation but lack technical ability may simply need the right resources, training and support in their role.
a) Assess which skills are lacking in the individual. Are these gaps small enough that a training and support will ensure performance success? Does the individual have the aptitude to accomplish improvements with a training and support program?
b) If the answer above is “yes, the employee could bridge the current skill gap”, then have a frank chat regarding performance and confirm the employee’s willingness to upskill in the job.
c) Set a deadline and a measure of progress that could reasonably be expected under the circumstances.
d) Define a “line in the sand” status, where you would determine that the employee is not salvageable in the position. If, after a reasonable time period, you cannot see progress beyond this line in the sand (that is, despite effort the technical skills do not materialize), termination will be the last option.
The Last Resort: Termination
Termination is always the most difficult option because an employee’s livelihood is at stake. Good leaders do not take this alternative unless the situation is absolutely unsalvageable. Tips for terminating an employee:
a) Make sure you, as employer, have treated the employee fairly. Make sure you have made a solid effort to correctly identify the problem and support the employee /correct the situation
b) Focus on performance problems not personal traits; be respectful; do not make the issue personal or emotional with the employee
c) Where possible, offer a graceful exit for the employee. Take the high road and offer dignified options for your employee
