Low Performer Conversation
Performance management is a necessary part of sustaining or improving organizational results for leaders. We find each employee falls into one of three levels of employee performance. In most organizations, only about 10% of employees are low performers, about 60% are middle/solid performers, and about 30% are high performers. Although low performers account for the smallest group of employees, leaders report spending up to 80% of their time focused on sub-par performers. Family and friends outside of work can probably name your low performers as well, they’re typically the people we bring home with us and talk about most with others.
Most people will strive to do good work and want to perform well at their jobs. As leaders we provide coaching, support, and all of the necessary tools and resources to ensure our employees can perform their jobs to our expectations. At some point, a line must be drawn, enough is enough, the performance or behavior must change.
If you have coached, supported, and given your employees ample opportunities to improve their skills, and there is still a persistent pattern of low performance, it’s time to prepare for a conversation using the D.E.S.K. approach.