It’s almost impossible for all employees to perform at their best all of the time, but dealing with regular or persistent underperformance is a problem that’s troubled employers for centuries.

In fact poor work performance is a far more common complaint than misconduct but its often overlooked rather than tackled head on.

This in itself is worrying, as poor performance can prove costly – not just for the business but the individual concerned.

However the ability to identify and tackle poor work performance in an effective, timely fashion is an essential management skill but it needn’t be difficult or complex.

In fact the key components of successful performance management can be broken down into three key elements:

▪ setting and communicating standards
▪ regular feedback
▪ correction where needed.

The first step, however, is to identify the cause of the problem. It’s easy to assume that performance problems arise because of an employee’s carelessness or lack of effort. Of course, some employees will be guilty of this, but this is not automatically the cause.

Once you have isolated the root cause of the unsatisfactory performance, the solution to the problem is often immediately apparent.

If you can remove or reduce the cause of the problem, the employee’s performance is likely to improve.

The third stage in the process is to create a performance improvement plan (PIP). Agree and set down precise performance targets that are capable of being measured.

Once this is in place it’s vitally important to monitor progress and provide regular feedback.

If performance improves this will provide encouragement for both manager and employee. Give accurate and targeted feedback. Try to focus on the positives as this will increase motivation and performance.

Lastly, give enough time for the employee to improve. Many experts believe this should be at least a month, but it does depend on the circumstances.

If the situation doesn’t improve after this informal approach you can move to a more formal process, which may include other sanctions in line with the company or organisation’s disciplinary procedure.