How to manage poor performance in 5 steps

By definition, poor work performance occurs when an employee fails to fulfill the expectations or responsibilities of their job. Employees may also be underperforming if they don’t reach their goals or hit specific milestones in a given period. 

Performance problems can also be related to how an employee engages with or behaves on their team. Basically, poor work performance can involve anything from consistently arriving late to forgetting crucial tasks to causing conflict with coworkers.

Examples of poor performance

Unsatisfactory performance at work can harm the productivity and morale of your entire team. Even if they’re unintentional, office mistakes must be addressed.  Here are a few examples to demonstrate what poor performance looks like in the workplace: 

• Never on time: whether it’s a meeting or a deadline, poorly performing employees can never meet expectations when it comes to time. 

• Negative attitude: instead of collaborating with team members and taking on new projects with a positive attitude, employees complain and cause conflict. 

• Failure to accomplish tasks: whether it’s because they lack ability or are just lazy, underperforming employees don’t get things done. 

• Unable to take feedback: when you share feedback to help your employees improve, they don’t take it into account and, ultimately, make the same mistakes repeatedly. 
• Lack of attention to detail: whether failing to reply to important emails or missing steps when completing projects, employees seem to have their heads in the clouds rather than focusing on their work.

Managing an employee’s poor performance: a real-world example 

Here’s an example of poor performance that I faced with one of my coaching clients. 

Imani was promoted to manager earlier this year. Her team of five has been doing really well, with one exception: Juliette. Juliette’s work doesn’t meet Imani’s expectations. It is rushed, filled with errors, and often submitted late. 

Imani has tried to give Juliette feedback, but while she fixes the performance issues Imani points out, she doesn’t seem to incorporate the feedback into the following assignments, which often have similar problems. Despite Imani's consistent feedback, Juliette’s work isn’t improving.

Imani has started thinking about letting her go, but she worries that she hasn’t done enough to help Juliette improve. She wants to be fair to Juliette and the rest of her team and succeed as a new manager. Imani needs to learn how to manage Juliette’s poor performance.

Understanding the root cause of performance problems is crucial before addressing them. Every employee is different, and poor performance can come from anywhere. 

That said, here are some of the most common causes of poor performance at work: 

• Problems in their personal life: We all know that whether you’re exhausted from taking care of your kids or suffering from medical problems, it can have a big impact on your work. If life is getting in the way, perhaps you and your employee can work together to find a temporary solution until the personal problem is resolved. 

• Burnout or other well-being problems: Maintaining a work-life balance can be challenging. If burnout is causing your employees to have performance issues, you’ll need a unique approach to coaching them through it while providing the support they need to recover. 

• Workplace conflict: Often, a conflict between coworkers is subtle — but even if it’s not obvious, it can create stress, distraction, and frustration for the individuals involved. That inevitably leads to poor performance. The good news? Conflict, if handled well, can actually be productive. 

• Skill gaps: Maybe your employee has been assigned a responsibility they have no idea how to handle, but they’re afraid to admit they need help. They try to figure it out on their own, but what they really need is a manager to provide training and guidance.
• Lack of motivation: Sometimes, employees just aren’t motivated enough to care about their work. Maybe they believe their work won’t make an impact, so why put in the effort? They could also feel overwhelmed, unclear about their responsibilities, or just plain bored, all of which can reduce their motivation to perform.

Chances are, you’ll recognize poor performance when you see it. That said, it may take some intentional observation to separate a pattern of poor performance from the occasional workplace mistake. 

No one can be perfect all the time, so here are a few questions to ask yourself when identifying poor performance among your team members: 

• Has an employee failed to accomplish their goals for a month or more at a time? Missing one goal makes sense, but if it’s consistent, that’s a red flag. 
• Is the quality of work they submit consistently subpar, or was it just one assignment? 
• Do they fail to finish tasks, meet deadlines, and communicate effectively? Are they consistently hindering your team’s ability to get work done by not fulfilling their own responsibilities?
• Do they have a pattern of conflict with their coworkers or leadership? Or did you just see one out-of-character disagreement? 
• Do they respond positively to feedback, making changes right away when you ask? Or do they become defensive and fail to implement constructive criticism?

How to tackle poor performance 

Starting a performance management process can be intimidating. It’s never fun to criticize someone or fire them if they can’t make the improvements you need. 

We’re here to help you with the ultimate step-by-step guide for tackling poor employee performance:

1. Prepare for an emotional response 
2. Address the problem face-to-face
3. Involve human resources early on 
4. Make a plan for success 
5. Follow up and make tough decisions when you need to

Now, let’s dive a little deeper into each of these steps. 

1. Prepare for an emotional response 

Before any difficult conversation, you should practice — and be prepared for anything.  

Let’s return to the example of Imani and Juliette. As a manager approaching a performance conversation, Imani should be prepared for a strong reaction. Imani knows Juliette, but this kind of conversation is never easy.

• What will Imani do if Juliette denies all her performance problems?
• What if she starts to cry?
• What if she gets angry? Or doesn't show any emotion? 

If your direct report becomes too emotional to continue the conversation, take a break. However, always come back to the discussion. Don’t abandon the conversation because it is difficult. 

2. Address the problem face-to-face 

Once Imani has pinpointed exactly what Juliette’s performance problems are, she should meet with her face-to-face (even if it’s via a Zoom call). Imani must be upfront and factual when communicating that Juliette’s work is not meeting her expectations. 

Are you wondering where to begin? Try an opening statement like, “Juliette, we’ve had this conversation a number of times about [these specific errors], and we’re still seeing them. Help me understand what’s preventing you from doing this work in a way that meets expectations.”

Once you’ve started the conversation, here are some tips to make it as successful as possible: 

• Avoid the “compliment sandwich” technique. Some people try to soften the blow of negative feedback by doing this, but it can actually distract from your main message. People often choose to hear the good stuff and ignore the bad.
• Take on a coaching role. Ask questions to understand if performance issues go deeper than the surface level. The best managers coach employees — they don’t just expect employees to figure out a solution alone. 
• Listen actively. A frank conversation can reveal new information, so listen to your teammate closely. This will give them the space to voice their concerns, which can help you create a strategy to improve their performance. 

3. Involve human resources early

As a coach, I believe in getting an HR business partner involved early in performance problems. For example, Imani, a new manager, would need to understand the company’s policies to properly address poor performance. An HR partner can help here. 

If Juliette has all the skills and support she needs but is just not performing, Imani may have to implement a performance improvement plan. An HR partner will be invaluable in ensuring that this is done correctly. For instance, HR can help determine the appropriate time to correct the issue. Whatever the cause of non-performance, HR is an excellent source of support. 

4. Make a plan for success

It’s time to create a strategy to help your employees improve their performance. With the right plan and a good coach (you!), you can see underperforming workers begin to thrive again. 

Here are the most important components of a plan to improve poor performance: 

• Set clear expectations: Ensure that employees understand exactly what they’re supposed to be doing differently. Put this in writing so that they know what they’re striving towards. 
• Address skills gaps: Are there specific skills that the employee lacks? Do they need retraining? Is there a learning pathway that could help them upskill and improve their performance? Decide on concrete actions that your employees can take and ensure that they follow through. 
• Review overall job fit: If an employee doesn’t have the right technical skills for their current job description, how are their other skills? If they’re a great team player and a company culture fit, you might be able to find a better role for them within your organization.

• Evaluate your management style: Ask yourself, "Is there something I can do to refine my management style that would help in this situation?" This is a great time to ask your boss for feedback and mentoring so that you can become the best leader and manager you can be. 

5. Follow up and be ready to make a tough decision if needed

Once you’ve created a bulletproof strategy to help your employee improve their performance, check in regularly. If you don’t see changes, you must ask some tough questions. 

For example, does your employee have all the right skills but still struggles to excel? If so, additional training will not help improve performance, and it might be time to consider termination. That’s never the call you want to make as a manager, but the best leaders know how and when to make difficult decisions. 

In the long term, even if it comes down to termination, everyone will benefit — your employee will find a role better suited to their skill set, and your organization will be able to hire someone better for the team. 

Improving motivation by creating a sense of purpose 

So now you know how to manage poor performance with your team. Before we wrap up, though, we wanted to share one unique strategy for improving performance. Did you know that employees who feel a sense of purpose at work tend to be far more engaged and motivated to perform? 

Gallup research shows that when employees are connected to an organization’s mission or purpose, turnover is reduced, and profitability is improved. Employees need to feel a sense of ownership over their work and see how it impacts them beyond their day-to-day. 

So, how can you improve your team’s motivation and help them feel a greater sense of purpose at work? You need to make things personal: 

• Have conversations with your team about what matters to them, what they value personally, and how that connects to the company’s mission. 
• Help them see how their personal strengths and daily responsibilities can make a real difference in the world and the organization. 
• Connect team goals and individual projects to the company’s bigger purpose, and discuss how each drives real impact.

These actions can help you create a high-performance culture. Employees will feel a true sense of purpose and, as a result, will be motivated to do their best work. 

Improving poor performance

Managing poor performance is a critical skill to learn. It’s always tough, but it does get easier. If you can help a team member get on track and be successful in their role, you’ll feel an incredible sense of accomplishment. 

To do it well, you’ll need open and honest communication, a positive, empathetic attitude, patience, and courage to have difficult conversations.