OBTAINING COMPLIANCE FROM UNDERPERFORMING EMPLOYEES: TALKING IT THROUGH
Terry Ann Lawler
One of the many roles of the manager is to maintain and promote a safe, productive work environment. That manager in Library X with the smoothly running department, happy, efficient employees, and hassle-free workdays probably did not start out that way. Transforming a team into a well-oiled machine takes some elbow grease. Although talking to your employees about their performance issues is difficult, it is a challenge that enables you to learn and grow. Expanding your comfort zone makes you a better, more successful manager.
After you have made it clear to your staff what sort of behavior you expect and what the policies are, you may still have employees who are not complying. Perhaps you have an employee who does only half the work the other employees are doing. Other examples include tardiness (excepting those under family medical leave), constant bickering, inaccuracy, and refusal to cooperate. Whatever the issue, you know you need to meet to deal with these problems.
BEFORE THE MEETING
The first step to tough employee talks is preparedness. Take a deep breath. Call a mentor. Call your human resources department. Make notes on advice given and use them to plan ahead. Have your library’s policies on hand and be familiar with them. Practice, practice, practice. Engage in role play and rehearse phrasing policies in your own words. Make a list of possible openings to the conversation with your employee. For example, “It has been brought to my attention that _____. Please tell me about it.” Practice responding to the employee in different ways.
The second step is to plunge in. Putting off or ignoring complaints from staff and customers and hoping they will go away give the impression that these concerns are not real or not worth discussing. Even though you are just worried about how to handle the issue, you may be perceived as insensitive or even inept. Acting quickly on an issue builds trust and sets boundaries. Pick a time to meet with your employee and stick with it. You may want to meet first thing in the morning, or right before closing. Your employees deserve to know immediately that their performance is lagging. This gives them the opportunity to correct the issue and grow.
DURING THE MEETING
State your purpose clearly. Be sure to avoid blaming. You are assessing the employee’s actions and work results. You are not assessing the employee’s personality. Be careful not to display an accusatory attitude. Instead, focus on facts and your concern for the employee’s individual success and the teams’ success. Keep it short. Assess only one matter at a time. State the problem clearly, briefly, and fairly. Give all important facts: date, place, persons involved, and so on. Explain why it is important. You should have all necessary information in note form in front of you. Some helpful starters:
What not to say? Avoid using sarcasm or accusations. Never abuse, recriminate, or blame. Remain unemotional and try not to repeat yourself.
What if it is a really sensitive issue? Although it is important to be nice, do not give in to the temptation to sugarcoat, come up with code words, or otherwise dilute the situation. Be very specific—but also remember to be kind. Soften your tone of voice. For example: “Jennifer, this is a sensitive issue and very difficult for me to bring up, but it has come to my attention that there have been complaints about your body odor.” You can demonstrate care and compassion while sticking to the facts. Once you have broached the subject, you can begin to focus on resolving the issue. Offer your assistance in any way that is appropriate.
Next, just listen. After you have stated the purpose of the meeting and given the details as they were reported to you, it is time to let the employee speak. Give him an opportunity to explain. Do not interrupt. Take notes if you need to. Ask questions for clarification only.
Your employee may surprise you and not react in the manner you expect. A stoic and quiet employee may get upset and yell or cry. Regardless of the employee’s reaction, stay on track. If you feel that the employee is getting off track, use a guiding phrase or question to get her back to the issue at hand. You can offer a short break so that she can compose herself if necessary. Remind the employee that you are not assigning blame, you are there to help. Remember, your goal is to coach. To get new behavior, you must identify ways to stop the old behavior.
Come to an agreement. After your employee has said everything he wants to say, formulate a plan regarding improvement. Suggest a strategy for the employee to improve. Perhaps you can offer some role playing. Sign the employee up for a class or job shadow. Ask your employee what he thinks he can do to improve the situation. Explain that now that you have talked, future incidents of the same nature will result in disciplinary action. Make sure to document every meeting with every employee as well as any agreements you have come to.
Some helpful phrases:
AFTER THE MEETING
Follow up. Set a time for your employee to meet with you again in a few weeks or a month. Require that your employee provide you with a report about the agreed upon strategy. Is it working? How? What changes has the employee implemented? What were the results? What can she do differently now? Providing timely and meaningful feedback is a must. Employees are more likely to stay committed to results when they know how they are doing.
Reward progress. When you see success, remember to keep the momentum going, reward small improvements, encourage more growth. Publicly acknowledge your employee for their nonprivate successes by using a “kudos” board or mentioning progress at a regular meeting. Show that you have sincere and genuine interest in all of your employees by staying involved in their development.
Speaking to your employees about their performance is an essential supervisory duty. It need not be as difficult as you think. Being prepared, acting quickly, and implementing policy all help. Remember to listen and offer constructive solutions. Follow through to see if they worked. And do not forget to document, document, document. Using these methods improves your employees’ performance and creates a more relaxed environment for all staff—not to mention making your job easier in the long run.