In today’s challenging times, highly productive and motivated staff are key to business survival. More and more managers are tasked with improving standards of staff performance and behaviour and implementing good work practices. Managers throughout the UK have to cope with many challenges, whether improving poor performance or managing underperformers in the workplace.
Assess your problem employee
Score your problem employee in the following three main areas
Performance problems
Does the employee require constant supervision?
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
When the employee is given a new or different task, does the quality or quantity suffer?
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Does the employee use poor judgment?
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Does the employee tend to “pass the buck” on unpleasant tasks when problems occur?
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Does the employee miss work deadlines?
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Does the employee’s work ever need to be redone?
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Does the employee turn in work that is not complete?
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Does the employee create bottlenecks?
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Has the employee ever refused to do assigned work?
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Other:
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Behaviour problems
Has the employee been late beyond minimum standards?
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Is the employee absent beyond reasonable norms?
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Does the employee let family or personal problems interfere excessively with work?
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Does the employee take frequent or extended breaks?
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Does the employee use the telephone excessively for personal use?
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Does the employee cause personality conflicts with other workers?
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Is the employee insubordinate?
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Does the employee engage in malicious gossip?
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Other:
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Attitude problems
Does the employee frequently have a negative attitude?
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Does the employee tend to be a “know-it-all”?
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Does the employee feel unappreciated no matter what you do?
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Is the employee severely unmotivated?
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Does the employee complain excessively?
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Does the employee express contempt for the work, customers, management, or the organisation?
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Does the employee express an attitude of “the kind of job I do doesn’t really matter”?
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Other:
Rarely Often
1 2 3 4 5
Scores of 2 or 3 could be a sign of a potential problem. If an employee scores 4 or more on any one item, you need to take immediate action to correct the problem. When the employee scores on four or more items, it is likely that you may be dealing with a chronic problem. Analyse the problem carefully and review past efforts to address the problems before you set up your action plan.
