HR Essay Example: Method to Address Underperforming Employees

Date:  2021-04-20 19:55:07
2 pages  (566 words)
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Vanderbilt University
Type of paper: 

Underperforming employees are a responsibility of the manager and the entire organization. There are several methods that can be used to manage such employees. This is based on the need of the company to maintain standards and ensure that the exact achievements and operational objectives are accomplished. This is the reason why an agreement has to be reached between the management and administration. Some of the methods that I would use to manage underperforming employees include, communicating expectations, observing and documenting performance and providing feedback.

Communicating Expectations

In order to ensure the expected standards of the organization are upheld at all costs, there has to be clear cut information channels, motivation and the agreed upon objectives. By doing this, employees will be in a better position of directing their efforts towards a common direction. However, in case they fail to reach an agreement, then pieces of advice should be given from the relevant authorities. When this is done, the causes of underperformance and job related issues are likely to be identified.

Observing and Communicating Performance

Through observation, managers are able to spot the weak areas of an employee. The management cycle includes determining all the good and bad areas of performance of the employees. Therefore, in case of underperformance, the manager is able to identify the specific areas that are becoming a problem to each of the employees. For instance, the management can decide to initiate events whereby impacts, results and consequences are identified during their performance. At the point of participating in the planned events, supervisors are also able to come up with ways of identifying the underperformance. Along these lines, after the weak areas have been identified, managers and the supervisors can then have the chance of advising the affected employees on how well to improve on their delivery and help achieve the formal mandate of the company.

Providing Feedback

In order to keep the performance and the objectives of the company in line, performance feedback should be given to the administration within the financial period. Such feedback entails the weak and strong areas of performance of employees. After all of them are identified, harmonization is initiated and the right correctional measures established. Furthermore, the provision of feedback has to be immediate, specific, and precise. The time period between realization of the problem and the delivery of that particular issue to the executive is important. When this is done, the organization is able to find enough time to address the issue by finding the right way of improving the performance of the employees. This might be based on motivation and training. Another factor that becomes important when it comes to improving employee performance is the specificity. When the issue is brought forward becomes precise, the window of diagnosis and recommendations becomes lesser. This allows for effectiveness and quick response policies for the organization. In effect, affected employees get to improve on time and the objectives of the company are likely to be achieved. Lastly, the issue brought forward should relative to the desired expectations.


To conclude, I would consider applying three effective methods of managing underperforming employees. They include, the ability to communicate expectations; vision and mission of the firm, observing and documenting performance and providing specific, immediate and relation of the issue towards the expectations and outcome. Therefore, supervisors and managers have the responsibility of identifying problems that each employee face and address them in time.


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