Why is accurate and complete documentation so important in performance management, particularly when dealing with employee underperformance?

As per the description given above, performance management involves establishing clear expectation and understanding about essential job description that employee is expected to do. Thus, it clearly shows that accurate and complete documentation is really important in performance management when dealing with employee underperformance. Employers who work at best practice benefit from motivated staff that are performing at their best. These employers also understand that when issues concerning underperformance are not addressed and managed both appropriately and sensitively, it can lead to unhealthy and unproductive outcomes that may affect the entire workplace. Establishing effective performance management systems can have significant benefits for an organisation, as it can lead to happier, more motivated and better performing employees. Reviewing, refining and implementing performance management systems are ways of helping achieve these significant benefits.

What is underperformance?
Underperformance or poor performance can be exhibited in the following ways:

• unsatisfactory work performance, that is, a failure to perform the duties of the position or to perform them to the standard required
• non-compliance with workplace policies, rules or procedures
• Unacceptable behaviour in the workplace, disruptive or negative behaviour that impacts on co-workers.

What are the reasons of underperformance?
There are many reasons why an employee may perform poorly. Some of the common reasons include:

• an employee doesn’t know what is expected because goals or standards or workplace policies and consequences are not clear
• interpersonal differences
• there is a difference between an employee’s capabilities and the job they are required to undertake, or the employee does not have the knowledge or skills to do the job expected of them
• an employee does not know whether they are doing a good job because there is no counselling or feedback on their performance
• lack of personal motivation, low morale in the workplace and/or poor work environment • personal issues such as family stress, physical and/or mental health problems or problems with drugs or alcohol
• cultural misunderstandings
• workplace bullying.
• the longer that poor performance is allowed to continue, the more difficult a satisfactory resolution becomes, and the more the overall credibility of the system may suffer.

How to manage with underperformance?

A clear system for managing underperformance is good for both a business and its employees.

Here is an easy to follow step by step guide to managing underperformance.

Step 1- Identify the problem

It is important to understand the key drivers of performance or underperformance within the workforce.It is also important to correctly and specifically identify the problem.

Step 2- Assess and analyse the problem

The employer should determine:
· how serious the problem is
· how long the problem has existed, and
· how wide the gap is between what is expected and what is being delivered.

Once the problem has been identified and assessed, the employer should organise a meeting with the employee to discuss the problem.

Step 3- Meet with the employee to discuss the problem

It is important that the meeting takes place in private in an environment that is comfortable, non-threatening and away from distractions and interruptions.
The employer should let the employee know the purpose of the meeting in advance so they can adequately prepare for the meeting.

The employer should begin by holding a discussion with the employee to explain the problem in specific terms. From this conversation, the employee should be able to clearly understand:
· what the problem is
· why it is a problem
· how it impacts on the workplace, and
· why there is a concern.

Step 4- Jointly devise a solution

Where possible, it is important that a solution is jointly devised with the employee. An employee who has contributed to the solution will be more likely to accept and act on it.

When working out a solution, the employer should:
· explore ideas by asking open questions
· emphasise common ground
· keep the discussion on track
· focus on positive possibilities, and
· offer assistance, such as further training, mentoring, flexible work practices or redefining roles and expectations.