How to support employee improvement

Dealing with a difficult employee can be a challenging task. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help you navigate difficult or uncomfortable dynamics: 

1. Make a record of problem behavior and how it was handled;
2. Speak with the employee; and
3. Develop a plan for improvement. 

Why is it important to document problem behavior? 

Before you do anything, know exactly what behavior is causing trouble. This will help you fix the problem better. Write down the problem behavior and everything you do to fix it.

Examples of problem behavior with employees might be: often missing work, not following orders, bullying, often being late, or not doing the job well. When writing down the behavior, be very clear. Say exactly what you are worried about, give examples, and include dates, times, and people involved.

Your notes give you proof of what is happening. They help you and the employee understand the problem. They also help you make fair choices. If you need to punish the employee later, these notes will be helpful.

After you write down the problem behavior, take time to look at it closely. See if there are patterns, how bad the behavior is, and why it might be happening. Check the employee's contract or handbook to see if the behavior goes against the rules. This will help you know if you need to punish them, give them more training, or do something else to help. 

How should I structure the conversation with the employee? 

It is very important to plan how you will talk to an employee who is causing trouble. This will help you fix the problem in a good way. Here are seven tips on how to plan the conversation:

Tip 1: Begin on a positive note. Start the conversation by acknowledging the employee's strengths and contributions to the team. This can help to establish a positive tone for the conversation and make the employee more receptive to feedback. Be careful – you don’t want to overstate the positive if the employee isn’t demonstrating it. That could confuse the employee and make them wonder, “if I do everything well, what is the issue?”.  

Tip 2: Describe the behavior or issue. Be specific and clear about the behavior or issue that is causing the problem. Use objective language and avoid making assumptions or accusations. Be specific about when it happens and any circumstances you have seen that may contribute to it. For example, rather than saying “You use inappropriate language with families” you might say “Over the past two weeks, I noticed at child pick up that you’ve said a number of words to parents that are inappropriate.”  

Tip 3: Listen to the employee. Allow the employee to express their perspective and listen to their concerns. This can help you to understand the root cause of the problem and identify potential solutions. This can be very hard - it is likely that you will be anxious about the conversation, so you may need to make an extra effort to hear what they are saying. It can help to take notes while they talk since that can focus your concentration on their side of the story. 

Tip 4: Explain the impact. Describe how the behavior or issue is impacting the team or organization. Be specific about the consequences of the behavior and how it is affecting productivity or morale. Be careful about exaggeration. For example, if it is not true you would not want to say “everyone was upset by this action” when it was really a few people who approached you.  

Tip 5: Set expectations. Be clear about what you expect from the employee going forward. Provide specific examples of what behaviors or actions are acceptable and unacceptable. 

Tip 6: Offer support. If the behavior is due to personal or work-related issues, offer support and resources to help the employee address those issues. This can include counseling, training, or coaching.  

Tip 7: Follow up. Schedule a follow-up meeting to check in with the employee and monitor their progress. This can help to ensure that the behavior has improved and that the issue has been resolved. Though it may be difficult, be ready to help the employee get back on track as soon as possible if there is another issue. For example, if you are holding meetings every three weeks with them and there’s another issue, you may want to schedule a meeting that day rather than waiting for the next scheduled one. 

Remember to be professional, fair, and respectful during the whole talk. Do not get angry or upset. Focus on finding a way to fix the problem. 

What can I do if an employee reacts poorly to the conversation? 

When talked to by their boss, a difficult employee might get angry, say they did nothing wrong, argue, or get upset. You must stay calm and caring during the talk. Tell them that they must not do things that could hurt the company. Explain how what they did goes against the company rules and could hurt the company's good name. Offer to help them get better. Look at the employee handbook together to make sure you both know what is expected and what is not allowed. The most important thing is to protect your company's good name. You must act fast, be sure of yourself, and follow the company rules. This will help you protect your company's good name and success.

After you have talked, you can take action. Tell the employee clearly what you expect from now on. Think about what rules need to be set and what behaviors should be shown or not shown. This talk is about helping the employee grow. It should be the first step in helping them do better. If they do not do better, this meeting can be used as proof that they are getting worse. Keep a record of all talks and actions you take about the employee's behavior. This might be important if you need to do more later.

If the bad behavior is because of personal or work problems, try to offer help and ways to fix those problems, if you can. As you go through this, check in with the employee often. Make sure they are doing better and meeting the goals you set.

Helping employees do better is a never-ending job. You need to be focused and ready to tell them clearly what you expect. This makes sure employees know what they are supposed to do and how well they need to do it. You can do this by giving them a detailed job description, setting goals with them through a Personal Improvement Plan, and giving them feedback often. Talking to your employees often helps you understand how they are doing and see where they can get better.

You can also think about giving employees training and chances to learn more. This can include workshops, meetings, online classes, or mentors who can help them learn new skills. Giving them the tools and help they need, like computer help or HR, is important for your employees and your business to do well.

What should I include in a performance improvement plan? 

A performance improvement plan (PIP) is a tool that can be used to help a struggling employee improve their performance. Here are six elements that you should include in a PIP: 

1. Specific performance expectations: The Personal Improvement Plan (PIP) should clearly say what the employee needs to do. These things should be able to be measured and reached.
2. Timeline: The Personal Improvement Plan should have a schedule for the employee to meet the goals. This schedule should include time for training and resources. It should also have goals that can be reached in a good amount of time.
3. Support and resources: The Personal Improvement Plan should say what help or resources the employee will get. This can include training, coaching, or a mentor.
4. Consequences: The Personal Improvement Plan should clearly say what will happen if the employee does not meet the goals in the set time. This can include punishment, being fired, or other things.
5. Monitoring and feedback: The Personal Improvement Plan should include a way to watch the employee's progress and give them feedback. This can include checking in with them often, reviewing their work, or other ways to watch them.
6. Signatures: The PIP should be signed by both the employee and their supervisor. This ensures that both parties understand the expectations and consequences outlined in the PIP. 

It is important to remember that a Personal Improvement Plan should help the employee do better. It should not be used to punish them. The goal should be to help the employee do their best and meet the job's expectations.

Most of all, it is very important to make and keep a good workplace to help employees do better. This can include giving chances for them to spend time together, helping them balance work and life, and making a culture where they can talk and work together openly. You can also thank them for doing well. This can be done with formal programs, like "Employee of the Month", or by simply saying "thank you" or writing a note.

If these steps do not help, you might need to do more. This can be done in steps, from using a Personal Improvement Plan, to punishing them, or to firing them. This depends on how bad the behavior is and how little they improve. It is important to follow your business's own rules here. Keep in mind what rules are in your employee handbook to avoid a bigger HR problem.

Remember that helping employees do better takes effort and time. By setting clear expectations, giving feedback and help, and making a good workplace, you can help employees do their best. If you need to do more and there is no change in behavior, see Part 2 of this guide for how to punish employees correctly.

Disclaimer 

The information contained here is for educational purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal, tax, or financial advice.