Cambridge Business Association
Fails to Meet Expectations
Book

Fails to Meet Expectations

Performance Review Strategies for Underperforming Employees

Corey Sandler and Janice Keefe
Adams Media, 2007
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Editorial Rating

8

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Recommendation

Too many managers let poorly performing employees slip through regular reviews until a crisis occurs. If an employee’s written appraisals do not reflect his or her actual work, a sudden termination can result in costly legal action because the company’s paper trail will support the employee, not the firm. This useful handbook provides sound advice on how to handle such issues and deals with the nine most common areas of poor job performance.

Summary

Handling Underperforming Team Members

Please note that no matter what you read about employment laws and procedures, you must speak to your own attorney and human resources (HR) professionals before taking any action. Employment laws vary by area and have many nuances that can trigger costly legal action if not handled meticulously.

You hire people to get work done at specific times and in specific ways. Most employees work hard to accomplish their assignments and to do them well. Others fall short, but can be rehabilitated with extra training and caring supervision. However, a few employees require you to make it clear that they are not performing well. Document these interactions, and cite them during evaluations and appraisals. When you tell employees everything is fine and then suddenly fire them, you are asking them to challenge you. Without a solid paper trail, your company can face difficulties. Before firing comes up, give problem workers an escalating series of communications drawing attention to the problem and the actions you expect them to take to fix it, including:

  • Verbal statements explaining the nature of the deficiency.
  • Memos that...

About the Authors

Corey Sandler has written more than 150 books on a variety of topics. He has been an executive at several private-industry companies. Janice Keefe, a researcher, has co-written three books.

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