Has the employee’s income fallen? Find out what to do in 7 steps
When an employee’s performance drops, the entire team suffers. This is because another employee may become overwhelmed, deadlines may be missed and a stressful atmosphere may set in at the workplace. It is up to the team leader to reverse this situation and, to do so, it is necessary to closely analyze what is happening and, therefore, take some actions.
Understanding the problem is important, as there are many reasons that can lead to an employee’s performance falling. It could be that he is going through a personal problem or it could be something related to his work routine. Before considering dismissal, it is necessary to try to resolve the issue and motivate that employee, this is the role of a leader. Here are some tips on how to do this.
How to improve employee performance?
1 – Talk to the employee
To understand what is happening, the first step is to call the employee for a frank conversation. Make it clear that you have noticed that his performance has dropped and say that you would like to understand what is happening to see if he can help. Listen to what he has to say before getting his attention.
If the employee is going through a personal problem, show empathy, this will make them feel welcomed. Remember that the idea is to try to motivate you. If the problem is within the company, propose some changes and say that you will talk again after a few weeks to see if anything has changed in practice.
2 – Start helping with the processes
For you to truly understand the employee, start participating in the processes they are involved in. Show that you want to understand what is happening. To do this, be a partner. A good leader is one who is not afraid to get his hands dirty.
Sit down with the employee to understand their routine and help them solve problems that may be disrupting their performance and daily life.
Showing that you are walking together with the employee can motivate them and, consequently, this will increase their performance. This will also help you better understand your team and what needs to be improved within it.
3 – Gather the team
In addition to individual conversations, it is interesting to bring the team together so that everyone can think together about how to solve a problem in question. Make it clear that the idea is not to “wash dirty linen”, but rather a meeting where you will propose changes that are beneficial to everyone, including the company.
Say, for example, that you sat down with an employee to understand the problems he was facing with a certain procedure and noticed that it really was something that needed improvement. Ask if other employees are going through the same thing and think together how you can try to resolve the issue.
4 – Set goals
Take advantage of the meeting to set goals. This is a way of proposing changes and, at the same time, being able to demand future results. This is because the proposed changes have to be good for both sides.
To avoid causing dissatisfaction within the team, it is important that you think about these goals together, so that it does not sound like an imposition. The idea is to motivate the team so that performance improves naturally and not forcedly.
5 – When necessary, draw attention
Leading a group is always a challenge. Each professional has a profile and personality and, sometimes, personal relationships can interfere with the team’s performance – be it nitpicking or an excess of jokes and conversations.
When necessary, a leader must draw the attention of an employee . Of course, this must happen in a professional and ethical manner. To do this, invite him for a conversation and explain that a certain behavior is affecting his performance.
In case of errors, explain why what happened is harmful to the team and the company. Then, ask the employee for more attention.
6 – Don’t forget feedback
After listening to the employee, helping with work processes, holding team meetings, setting goals and providing guidance, evaluate the changes in the employee’s behavior and, after a few weeks, call him for feedback .
It is important that in this conversation the areas that improved are recognized. Give the necessary recognition and congratulate the employee for making an effort. If not, explain that everything remains the same and ask why. In this second case, it is also worth evaluating whether or not you should keep this employee on the team.
7 – Improve your leadership skills
Leading a team is a big challenge, so it’s important to stay up to date in your area of expertise and also develop new skills. To do this, invest in free courses on leadership and a postgraduate course. This will help you expand your knowledge and, therefore, you will be able to help your team more precisely.