There are several reasons why employees may underperform at work. Some of these relate to (and are in the direct control of) the individual themselves, whereas others may relate more to the organisation or its systems and processes. Employees may or may not have any control or influence over those matters relating to the organisation or their manager.
These are just a few of the main reasons that employees might underperform:
A failure of the recruitment process. The hiring process has led to the recruitment of someone who does not really have the skills, experience of qualifications to fully undertake the role. This is not necessarily a deliberate act on the part of the employee, it may be a misunderstanding or a lack of clarity in the job description or advert.
Induction or training. Problems with the induction or initial training period has meant that a new starter is not fully ready to undertake their job properly or is still lacking critical skills.
Personal problems. Outside issues from family problems to debt can lead to employees being distracted and unable to fully concentrate on their work.
Ill-health. As noted above, sometimes health issues will have a negative impact on an employee’s abilities to undertake their role to the necessary standard.
Change in business requirements. Organisations often undergo change, from introducing new technology to developing new products and services, many of these changes will have a knock-on impact on the work undertaken by employees. Some employees will find it easier than others to develop new necessary skills and adapt to new ways of working.
Attitude. From time to time people underperform because they don’t want to, are failing to put in the necessary effort or don’t care enough. There may be a fundamental lack of motivation. They just want to do the minimum possible work and get paid. Generally, these individuals are in the minority.
Poor management. Sometimes employees might underperform because they are being poorly managed. This could include a lack of clarity on what is expected, poor (or no) performance feedback, or a lack of support and training.
Bullying or harassment. Unfortunately, bulling and harassment occurs in many organisations. Where an individual is subjected to bullying, harassment or even discrimination, they may well be unable to perform at their best.
Lack of clarity. For a whole range of reasons, the individual in question may not fully understand what is expected of them. This may be related to recruitment and induction issues, poor job descriptions of a lack of communication or guidance from their manager.
Sometimes there is not one single reason and the underperformance might be related to several of these factors. Managers dealing with underperforming employees should give consideration as to the potential reason or reasons for underperformance. This helps to ensure the most appropriate response can be taken.
However, it will always be the best option to support good performance rather than address underperformance. Keep performance conversations continuous. This can help to ensure that:
- Objectives do not become stale and irrelevant.
- Development needs are addressed quickly.
- Feedback becomes part of regular activity rather than an annual event to be feared. A culture of feedback can be thus developed.
- There is an effective relationship between manager and employee – this helps to create the conditions for a feedback of culture and open discussion.
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