Dealing With Underperformers

Performance reviews are the workforce equivalent of report cards, and not every employee is a grade-A student. Here’s some advice on how to get a positive result from giving a negative review.

by Stephanie Sparks

BREAK THE ANNUAL RULE
Performance reviews allow employees and managers an opportunity to realign on matters that affect the functioning of their workplaces. Although reviews are typically annual events for Alberta companies, Steve Fanjoy, partner at consulting firm Fanjoy & Associates, describes the timing as “next to useless.” Hype among employees develops about the reviews, and if negative reviews are imminent, a year is too long to wait to discuss it. To be most efficient, “performance reviews should be an ongoing conversation. I advocate three to four times a year,” he says.

BE PREPARED
The most common mistake managers can make is to be unprepared – not documenting problem incidents, waiting too long to discuss negative behaviour or providing vague comments. “If you’re going to do [performance reviews], you need a plan,” says Fanjoy. “Be prepared – power tends to be in the manager’s hands.” If managers choose to break the once-a-year rule, they will have less employee activity to document between reviews.

STAY ON TRACK
Not all employees will handle negative reviews gracefully. “In business they say, ‘It’s not personal,’” says Fanjoy. “If it’s about you, it’s personal.” When an employee gets upset, managers should remind themselves that they saw the employee in his or her worst moment and try to stay on track. Fanjoy advises following a script or outline of what needs to be covered. If the employee is too adversarial, the manager should reschedule the review for a later time. In such a situation, agitated employees are too emotional to listen to the review.

OFFER SUPPORT
A negative review is not meant to tear an employee down but, done properly, should encourage improvement and growth. “The big word is trust,” he says. Don’t hover over them, but let them know you’re concerned about their performance. Be willing to offer coaching, extra training, support and regular feedback. With the millennial generation, tie praise into specific examples of what they’ve done and offer more challenges. Pay attention. With negative reviews, managers’ ultimate goals should be to help people improve for the betterment of the company.

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