Poor performance can be frustrating for managers, colleagues and the employee themselves. When an employee is not meeting expectations, it can affect productivity, team morale and the overall performance of the business. However, simply telling someone to improve is not an effective performance management process.
Managing poor performance requires a fair, consistent and supportive approach. Employers need to understand what is going wrong, identify any underlying issues, set clear expectations and give employees a reasonable opportunity to improve.
It’s also important to recognise that poor performance isn’t always down to an employee’s ability or attitude. A lack of training, unclear expectations or personal circumstances can all contribute to performance concerns.
By addressing issues early and following a structured process, employers can support employees to improve while reducing the risk of formal action or employment disputes.
What is poor performance?
Poor performance generally means an employee is not meeting the standards reasonably expected in their role. Examples could include:
- Repeated mistakes
- Missing deadlines
- Poor quality work
- Failing to meet reasonable targets
- Difficulty completing core responsibilities
- Consistently needing more supervision than expected
Before taking action, make sure the issue is genuinely capability rather than conduct.
An employee who cannot achieve a standard may need to be managed differently from someone who can achieve it but deliberately refuses to do so.
Start with an informal conversation
Not every performance concern needs a formal meeting. Often, the best starting point is a clear conversation.
Explain what you have observed and ask the employee for their perspective. You may discover that expectations were unclear, training was inadequate or another issue is affecting performance.
Set clear expectations
Employees need to understand exactly what improvement looks like. Avoid telling someone simply to be more productive or improve their attitude.
Instead, use specific examples and measurable expectations wherever possible.
Agree what needs to change and when you will review progress.
Consider what support is needed
Performance management should give an employee a genuine opportunity to improve.
Depending on the circumstances, support might include:
- Additional training
- Coaching
- Clearer instructions
- More regular supervision
- Adjusted objectives
- Additional resources
You should also consider whether health or disability may be affecting performance and whether reasonable adjustments need to be explored.
Review progress
Do not set objectives and then forget about them until the review date. Regular conversations allow the manager to recognise improvement or address continuing concerns.
Keep appropriate records of these discussions.
When should performance management become formal?
If informal support does not result in sufficient improvement, a formal capability or performance management process may be appropriate.
The exact procedure will depend on your organisation’s policies and the circumstances.
Employees should understand the concerns, the improvement required, the support available and the potential consequences if sufficient improvement is not achieved.
Avoid storing up performance problems
One of the most difficult situations occurs when an employee has apparently performed well for years, but a new manager suddenly says their performance is unacceptable.
Sometimes performance has genuinely deteriorated.
In other cases, previous managers simply failed to address problems.
Regular feedback and good record keeping help avoid this.
Performance management and unfair dismissal changes
With the qualifying period for ordinary unfair dismissal due to reduce to six months from January 2027, employers should make sure performance concerns are addressed promptly and fairly.
Good performance management should not be driven solely by fear of an Employment Tribunal claim.
It should be part of good people management.
Supporting managers with performance
Managers often find performance conversations difficult because they worry about damaging relationships.
Practical training and access to HR advice can give managers confidence to address concerns earlier.
Need support managing poor performance?
Managing poor performance doesn’t have to be a difficult process. By addressing concerns early, setting clear expectations and providing the right support, employers can help employees improve while protecting their business.
However, we understand that performance conversations aren’t always straightforward, and managers may need guidance on how to approach them fairly and confidently.
At The HR Booth, we support employers with performance management, capability procedures and practical management training to help managers deal with difficult situations effectively.
If you’re struggling with an employee’s performance or want to give your managers the confidence to handle these conversations, get in touch with our team to find out how we can help.
