W

WAYS TO HELP THE L

C

UNDERPERFORMING O
M

EMPLOYEE. E

1
 WAYS TO HELP THE UNDERPERFORMING EMPLOYEE

01 02 03
Don’t ignore the Consider what’s causing the Ask others what you might
problem be missing
problem
04 05 06
Talk to the underperformer Make a plan Regularly monitor their
progress
07 08
If there isn’t improvement, Praise and reward positive
take action change

2
 Don’t ignore
the problem
Too often these issues go unaddressed. ”Most performance
problems aren’t dealt with directly,” says Weintraub. “More
often, instead of taking action, the manager will transfer the
person somewhere else or let him stay put without doing
anything.”

3
 Consider what’s
causing the
problem
Is the person a poor fit for the job? Does she lack the
necessary skills? Or is she just misunderstanding expectations?
There is very often a mismatch between what managers and
employees think is important when it comes to performance.

4
 Ask others what
you might be
missing
Before you act, make sure to look at the problem objectively.
You might talk to the person’s previous boss or someone
who’s worked with him, or conduct a 360 review.

5
 Talk to the
underperformer
Once you’ve checked in with others, talk to the employee
directly. Explain exactly what you’re observing, how the
team’s work is affected, and make clear that you want to help.

6
 Make a
plan
Create a concrete plan for what both you and the employee are
going to do differently, agreeing on measurable actions so you
can mark progress.

7
Regularly monitor
their progress
Follow up and ask the person to check in with you regularly,
or set up a time and date in the future to check progress.

8
 If there isn’t
improvement,
take action
If things don’t get better, change the tenor of the discussion.

9
Praise and reward
positive change
Make clear that you’re noticing the developments and reward
him accordingly.

10
 “You can have the best strategy and the best
building in the world, but if you don’t have the
hearts and minds of the people who work with
you, none of it comes to life”
― Renee West

11
 T
H
A
N
K

Thank you!
Y
O
U

12