•
.why.it.is.important.poor.performance.is.addressed.early
•
..that.managing.poor.performance.is.a.core.managerial.
responsibility
•
..what.action.must.be.taken.for.severe.or.persistent.poor.
performance.
Home
Home
resPonsibilities
Line managers will:
•
address poor performance as soon as it becomes apparent in a timely, fair and unambiguous manner•
provide the individual with honest feedback on where the gaps are in their performance, backed up with examples•
agree an action plan which states what improvements are expected and by when•
provide the individual with reasonable support to help them improve their performance•
treat all cases of poor performance asconfidential and discuss only with their managers and Hr managers.
individuals will:
•
be receptive to constructive feedback on their performance•
contribute to identifying where there are gaps in their performance and to identifying strategies to improving their performance.Process
managing the early signs of poor performance
often managers do not address the early signs of poor performance because of the perceived risk of offending the individual and/or being seen as being over-zealous. the issues causing concern are then left until they become a significant performance problem.
Discussing areas of performance, which require improvement, should be seen as much an integral part of continuous dialogue as recognising and applauding success. if an individual is not meeting some expectations of the job this must be tackled. it should not be done in an atmosphere of reprimand but as part of the individual’s on-going development and learning. mistakes should be used as an
opportunity for learning (charles Handy, the age of unreason, 1989).
Both line managers and individuals have a responsibility to identify gaps in performance
and to work together on closing those gaps. it is therefore vital that when preparing for review meetings both the line manager and the individual take responsibility for identifying areas of the job which are not on track, or could have been tackled differently, and what corrective action is required. any action, which is agreed to help change attitudes or to develop skills and behaviours, should be done through partnership between the line manager and the individual. the individual will be expected to develop themselves alongside any additional guidance and coaching they will receive from their manager.
the performance improvement plan (pip) should be used even in the early stages of managing under performance as a tool to help improve performance. it is not an automatic precursor to formal
disciplinary action.
Conducting job reviews to discuss poor performance
these discussions will address the following:
•
in what way are the expectations and standards of the job not being met?•
are the expectations and standards reasonable and achievable?•
what are the consequences of deliverables/ standards not being met?•
what are the reasons for the poor performance (e.g. gaps in skills, knowledge, unclear or unreasonable expectations, personal difficulties etc)•
what improvement is expected and by when•
what measures will be put in place to help improve performance.the line manager should always prepare carefully for meetings where constructive feedback will be given. they are advised to read the section on giving and receiving feedback as part of their preparation and to consult either their line manager or an Hr manager for support and advice, if required.
managing severe or persistent poor performance
where an individual’s poor performance is not improving after a period of careful monitoring, or where there is a sudden and very serious example of poor performance, decisive action must be taken. in cases of a sudden and severe deterioration in performance the line manager must meet with the individual at the earliest possible time and a pip put in place, which is monitored closely. in all cases where poor performance has suddenly become severe the line manager should inform their line manager, on a need to know basis. where a breach in standards has had a very severe negative impact then the manager, in discussion with an Hr manager, should consider whether there is case for disciplinary action.
where a period of monitoring has not brought about the necessary improvements the manager should now discuss the case with their line manager, if they have not already done so, and review the action taken so far and agree what strategies should now be put in place to bring about the improvement required as quickly as possible.
line managers will be held accountable for the effective application of performance management, which is a mandatory deliverable in their
performance agreement. therefore, how effectively they are managing the poor performer will be part of the performance management process. their line manager will review progress at each quarterly meeting or more regularly. this will ensure that the manager is provided with support by their
line manager.
Formal Disciplinary Action
it is inevitable that sometimes it will be necessary to take formal disciplinary action because informal action has not brought about the necessary improvements to performance. taking disciplinary action is part of the strategy to improving an individual’s performance to a satisfactory level
and not an automatic route to dismissal, although continued under performance is likely to lead to dismissal.
whether to take disciplinary action will be a decision taken within the line of management with advice and guidance from Hr. Before moving to formal action the manager will gather evidence by asking the following questions:
•
Has it been made clear to the individual what the gaps are in their performance?•
Has it been made clear in the pip what improvement is expected and by when?•
what action has the manager and the individual already taken to address the under performance?•
what are the consequences of the individual’s continuing poor performance?in all cases where informal or formal action is underway the individual must remain in their current job, until they have either met the expectations of the job within a specified time, or are managed out of the organisation using the British council’s disciplinary procedures.
staff who have been given a formal warning for poor performance, which is still live, may not apply for other jobs in the council. they may apply for other jobs once their performance has improved to an acceptable level and the warning has expired.
resources
click to go to resource giving and receiving feedbackcoaching
employee assistance programme http://bcnet. britishcouncil.org:8000/hr/eap/index.htm
Disciplinary procedures http://bcnet.britishcouncil. org:8000/hr/ep/05employee_relations/disciplinary_ procedures/disciplinary_procedures.htm
Home
Home
4
Performance measurement
Number of staf
f
Good performer Outstanding Unsatisfactory Exceeds expectations Improvement required