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Underperforming employees have been around for as long as jobs and employment have been in existence. Whether they are genuinely trying to do their best but falling short, or they are deliberately slacking off, these workers can have a harmful effect on their employer.

The fallout can be significant.  A Harvard Business Review study found that poor team performance costs businesses an estimated $15.5 million per year on average. (1)

But rather than simply firing these employees, only to spend a fortune replacing them, there are measures you can take to help the workers who want to do well. It starts with understanding six of the main reasons why employees underperform – and solutions to remedy the problem.

1. MANAGEMENT IS MISSING IN ACTION

While it tends to be more common at large organizations, absentee bosses can exist at any size company. These are the directors or managers who:

  • Are perpetually “too busy” to answer questions or provide guidance.
  • Do not meet with their employers one-on-one regularly.
  • Have very little interaction with new employees during their initial training.
  • Are difficult to track down and are not responsive to employee outreach.
  • Neglect to give their staff/direct reports an outline of their role and responsibilities.
  • Act irritated when their employees ask them questions.

As you might imagine, it is virtually impossible for even the most driven worker to do their job well with an absentee manager. In addition, they often feel frustrated and discouraged about their future with the company. These employees might even start looking for a new job.

How to solve it:

Becoming more present as a manager or director does not have to eat up all your valuable time. However, it will require more investment on the part of management – an investment that is likely to yield great dividends.

Making yourself more available to your employees is as simple as scheduling regular one-on-one meetings with them (even monthly meetings are better than none), creating a plan of action specialized for each role on your team, and taking a little time to answer any questions they may have.

If you feel like this effort is not worthwhile, consider the following: A survey of 1,000 working adults showed that eight of the top nine complaints about leaders were about behaviors that were absent. In other words, employees were most concerned about what their bosses did not do. (2)

2. MANAGEMENT HOLDS THE REIGNS TOO TIGHTLY

At the opposite end of the spectrum, you will find the micromanager. This is the boss who does not entrust anything to their employees. They oversee every minute detail, second guess the work done, and are constantly (whether figuratively or literally) looking over their employees’ shoulders.  These managers are rarely pleased with results, regardless of how stellar they are.

Much like workers with an absentee boss, workers who report to micromanagers feel incompetent and powerless to perform at their best, albeit for different reasons. They might become uncharacteristically combative with their boss out of frustration or withdraw mentally from the job to cope.

How to solve it:

Leaders who have a natural inclination to take control of every situation will need to work on letting go a little. Remember, these employees were hired for a reason – theoretically, at least. You must allow them to do the job for which they were hired and trust them to do it well unless they consistently demonstrate otherwise.

And if you oversee a team of managers, you will need to keep an eye on their management style. If you notice them micromanaging, you will need to put a stop to it promptly. It is also imperative to take seriously any feedback from their employees you might get when it comes to holding the reigns too tightly.

3. TEAM MEMBERS NEVER WORK TOGETHER

While not all people enjoy working in groups, there should be some level of collaboration between team members. Further, if your line of business or industry requires it, employees should also work across teams and departments.

Unfortunately, especially in remote working environments, employees can easily get siloed off from each other. This isolated working style undermines the ability to bounce ideas off each other and get a fresh perspective that could elevate initiatives. It can also cause mistakes resulting from a lack of visibility into what others are doing on a shared project.

How to solve it:

You do not have to overload employees with group work. As with anything else in the workplace, balance is key. Find opportunities to have employees collaborate, even if it is only once or twice per week and for 20 to 30 minutes at a time. One excellent strategy is holding regular brainstorming sessions that can be done in different styles or include multiple departments.

Above all, encourage your workers to reach out to one another for insight or answers they might be well qualified to give. Doing so will not only bring them together but will also allow them to show off their expertise and skills.

4. TRAINING AND RESOURCES ARE LACKING

When it comes to training, many organizations mistakenly, and to the detriment of their employees, limit training to the first few weeks after an employee’s first day. Worse yet, the responsibility is often foisted onto coworkers who have their own jobs to do and are not amendable to acting as an educator for new hires.

This scenario causes two undesirable outcomes:

  • Onboarded employees lack sufficient knowledge to do their job well.
  • Without continuous training, workers are ill-prepared to get on a solid career trajectory at the company.

How to solve it:

Do not make the potentially costly error of approaching new hire training as an afterthought. Instead, create a robust training program that incorporates solid resources – human and digital – to ensure that workers have everything they need to succeed.

In addition, offer continuous education opportunities that empower employees to take charge of their career path and illuminate a bright future for them.

5. EXPECTATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES ARE UNCLEAR

One common issue at smaller organizations is workers wearing too many hats. However, an equally troubling situation at any size organization emerges when expectations and responsibilities are not made clear to employees.

If people do not know what the goals are or what responsibilities are included in their position, they are ill-prepared to perform well. There is no barometer against which they can measure their progress or the results of their efforts. It also leaves employees vulnerable to opportunistic coworkers who wish to dump some of their workload on their dedicated teammates.

How to solve it:

Put together a digital handbook of responsibilities and expectations for each role in your organization. You do not have to differentiate every single detail in the document but individualizing it for each position is key.

Managers should know exactly what each role entails and be able to answer any questions their employees might have about it. As roles evolve and new positions are created, leaders should familiarize themselves with these updates accordingly.

6. NOTHING EFFECTIVE IS DONE TO BOOST ENGAGEMENT

Employees who distance themselves from their workplace and job are highly subject to underperformance. After all, if their job has lost their attention, chances are slim they will make the effort to succeed in their role. Disengaged employees are not only a threat to company performance, but they are also among the first ones to find a new job.

Worse yet, they may “quiet quit” in the weeks or months leading up to their resignation. Quiet quitting refers to doing the bare minimum in their job while searching for a new opportunity.

How to solve it:

The foundation of strong employee engagement is a welcoming, encouraging, and nurturing company culture. Take measures to make each employee feel welcome regardless of their level in the organization’s hierarchy, working style, or personality traits.

Ask for feedback from your workforce. And take it seriously when you get it. Demonstrate that leadership is truly implementing thoughtful, knowledge-based employee feedback.

KEEP THE TRAIN ON THE TRACKS

Poor employee performance does not have to derail your entire organization. By incorporating the strategies above, leadership can seek employee engagement, and the success that results from good performance, firmly back on track. 

If you want to ensure that your next business event makes a positive impact on employee engagement, contact Gavel International! We have extensive experience planning corporate meetings that meet our clients’ goals. 

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SOURCE(S):

1 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/high-cost-underperformance-calculating-price-tag-marci/

2 https://productivityknowhow.com/drivers/absentee-leaders-worst/

Jim Bozzelli
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