Poor performance at work is challenging to face. However, clear performance standards and a collaborative approach to improving performance seem to be the way forward.
Poor performance at work is hard to tackle, as it involves a high level of stress, as Rasha Moutada has pointed out in the July 22, 2010 issue of The Globe and Mail. However, clear HR defined performance standards and a collaborative philosophy to improving performance can be achieved, say recent reports.
Failure at Work is Unpopular to Both Sides
According to Marie Strebler, in a report from the IES Networks, the failing worker puts both their colleagues and managers under stress. Managers have to face the problem because it is one of the criteria of their HR performance. Yet all levels of organisations report that poor performance is itself poorly handled. A source of conflict, it is avoided. Research shows that managers don’t want to deal with poor performance, even though it hurts productivity and staff morale.
Poor HR Performance Defined
Poor performance impacts personal lifestyle and health on job design, output, or targets, leading to a habitual attitude that climaxes in misbehaviour. Yet if the pressure of work is too grave, as a Department of Trade and Industry report suggests, or aims are unclear, or objectives too ambitious, then progress in managing the work schedule would probably solve the problem. Absenteeism too can be a specialist health problem. Yet behaviour, attitude and misconduct do seem to be linked. Unethical performance should lead to the legally justified departure of the employee.
Poor Performance in the Law
Poor performance is defined as ” an employee’s behaviour or performance falling below the necessary standard” It should not be confused with misconduct, negligence or incapacity. Acceptable levels of HR performance need to be defined in such a way as to make it clear when performance is wanting. Line managers have an essential role in determining these standards cooperatively and making sense of targets that need to be achieved.
Poor Performance Appraisal
Poor performance must be dealt with immediately and should bear no relation to ongoing appraisal processes. Elaborate appraisal procedures can be counter-productive, as the Labour Relations Agency has pointed out. Managers often use informal “micromanaging” in which agreed objectives are set and progress recorded. Yet this personal approach can lead to relativity and forced ranking. Even Rachmaninov’sRachmaninov’s piano playing is relative, yet can absolute criteria be? Rating performance can yield a cut-off point below which calibration or standard monitoring can discern incapability and inappropriate conduct.
Poor HR Performance and Calibration
Creating just calibration is the heart of effective performance control. The boundaries of the day’s toil, the cultural nature of divergent attitudes and the motivation and self-control of the employee must all be considered. Research shows that campaigning to get rid of workers and the proper scope of processes involved are the commonest performance management drudgeries in the workplace.
Intervening in Poor Performance
More exceptionally, some firms sought to improve worker performance. “Micromanagement” was thus formalised into training. However, a consistently blurred dividing line between capability and disciplinary procedures continues to be reported. Timely and urgent intervention with appropriate management style in private transactions and specific performance should be referred to on a factual basis.
The selective dismissal of poor workers using agreed procedures has a marked effect on work motivation. It gets the team to attend to standards.
It must be radically distinguished from dropping the lowest performers every year. Low performance can still be well within the agreed standards. Someone has to come statistically last. Cranking up routine in this way causes scepticism over the constancy of standards.
Improving performance by collaboratively refining communication skills is emphasised. The involvement of all managerial levels is recommended.