Communicate clearly with struggling employees

Sidnee Peck, Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship, provides employers with guidelines on how to approach and constructively critique an employee that is performing at less than expected/optimal levels.

By Sidnee Peck  |  Director, Center for Entrepreneurship

Question: I have an employee I really like who just keeps making errors. What options do I have to improve the situation?

Answer: Employees are the key to our business prosperity (or doom) and should be treated as such. Hiring should not be taken lightly, and while it is too late in this case, please let me say to others that it is SO worth it to invest more time upfront during the hiring process to ensure a proper fit and aligned expectations. This is the best practice for both the company and the employee.

According to Gallup.com, between 60 and 70 percent of the U.S. workforce is not engaged at work. This is alarming, but not necessarily the fault of the workers. Employers should definitely own some of the burden. If you find yourself in the position where you've hired someone, and he or she is not performing as you had expected, then try to remember this may stem from poor engagement, not enough proper communication or them dealing with something challenging outside of the office. Here are some steps you can take:

Have a conversation.

We are all human, and poor communication may be at the core of the unwanted behavior. Talk to this person in a safe, comfortable environment. Show respect, listen and actively respond. Do not beat around the bush with the issue. Be straightforward and clear to avoid any further miscommunication. It may be painful for a minute, but the results will be more desirable.

Set goals.

Don't walk away from the conversation without a plan for action. This may include steps that both you and the employee must take (and perhaps will require input or action from others, as well). Identify how the goals will be measured, an agreed-upon deadline and a time to come back together to have a follow-up conversation. The ultimate goal here is to empower the employee and ensure that he or she has what's needed to meet expectations while becoming reengaged.

Provide training.

You may find that the employee is struggling because he or she is not properly trained or educated. Instead of punishing for that, provide the training needed to create the proper confidence and tenacity around the given task or role. Make sure it is a part of the workload and time paid.

Stick to your word at the end of a period of time.

You may need to identify incentives to motivate the employee based on your conversation and what he or she needs to be engaged (new desk space; more flexible schedule to accommodate family needs; access to a bigger, more challenging project; etc.).

If you do, then make sure you follow through on your promises, and make a plan to check back with the employee after a period of time to establish whether the efforts were successful. People are essential to our new and growing businesses. Remind yourself that they, too, are human, and they are often doing the best that they can with what they have.

First published in The Arizona Republic, February 23, 2015.