Blog Layout
Proper Etiquette of Giving Feedback to an Underperforming Employee
Dealing with underperforming employees can be complicated, especially for small businesses or people who are not accustomed to delicate situations. However, it is vital that employee issues are dealt with quickly and efficiently to avoid any problems in the future. By giving quality feedback for both employees who are performing well and those who are underperforming, employers can help with both motivation and to resolve issues before they get too big.
Get Our Free Survey Templates
Giving negative feedback to an employee can be difficult for a lot of managers or employers, but it will usually have a positive effect, if it is done in the right way.
Underperforming Employee Performance Improvement Process
It is important that businesses have a performance improvement process for underperforming employees set in place, to ensure that they are effective in giving negative feedback. We are beginning to see a shift towards a `real-time’ feedback approach, meaning that managers and employees are calling underperforming employees to task at the time, and not waiting for more official negative performance appraisal meetings.
This means that processes of dealing with underperforming employees are changing to be more spur of the moment, so it is essential that managers and employers are knowledgeable about how to give negative feedback constructively.
How to Give Constructive Negative Feedback
There are a few factors that are important when giving a negative performance appraisal.
- Be Honest – It is essential that managers or employers are honest with their employees. In the long run, this will help to gain respect and, although it might be awkward at first, help the issue to be resolved straight away.
- Choose the Right Time – In the majority of cases, the best time to give negative feedback is as quickly after the incident as possible, or if it is about a continual issue, as soon as you realise that it is happening. It is important to try to be constructive, meaningful and relevant with the criticism.
- Emotion – Dealing with an underperforming employee can be very frustrating, but it is important that employees keep their emotions under control when they are giving a negative performance appraisal. By getting emotional, the employee might feel like they are being attacked, which will often put them on the offensive and cause resentment and ineffectiveness. Focusing on the facts and going in with a cool head are the keys to this.
- Choose the Right Words – One of the most crucial factors in making criticisms constructive is in the choice of words. For example, don`t use, absolutes such as never or always. This gives them room for argument and ultimately, they can ignore the feedback that is being given. It is much better to use words such as usually or often.
- Be Specific and Relevant – When a negative performance appraisal is being carried out it is important to be specific in criticisms as well as to keep them relevant. This means only criticizing things that the employee can do something about, and having facts on hand to back up the argument. It is also a good idea to have solutions on hand – such as extra training – for the best outcome for both the employer and employee.
- Look at Patterns – When considering how to give feedback constructively, it helps to look at patterns. This gives the manager the chance to address small details, hopefully changing the pattern of behaviour.
- Be Nice – It is important to remember that although the employee might be underperforming, they are a person with feelings. Make sure that they have a reason to change – remember that people don`t change for your reasons, they change for their
It is important to remember that it is the issue that is to be criticized, not the person. A little praise can also go a long way in helping the employee to accept a criticism, so sometimes it can help to talk first about something that they are doing well.
Giving constructive negative feedback involves having the hard facts and communicating them in the right way, and by balancing the two, managers have the best chance of a positive outcome.
Do you want to change the way you accomplish your performance appraisals? Contact us to request a demo
for our 360 degree feedback tool.
TIP: The Tech that Keeps Employee Performance On-Track in the Summer
Grapevine Solutions is a 360 Degree Employee Evaluation Software. Looking for building a connected work culture? Learn more!
Grapevine Solutions offers 360 Performance Evaluation System for HR. Let's learn more about Employee Evaluation!
Learn 3 effect ways you can improve employee performance to keep them motivated.
Learn how to conduct a performance review from home and why it is more important than ever to keep it going.
How TO Use 360 Degree Feedback Tools for Different Industries!
Address the gaps in performance & evaluate non-clinical skills within teams with 360 degree performance evaluations.
360 feedback is a valuable tool for personal development & helping create educational environments. Learn more
READY TO START EVALUATING?
GRAPEVINE
Grapevine provides an online 360-degree feedback employee evaluation software tool that makes it easy to perform a 360-degree evaluation, employee performance evaluation, employee assessment and employee performance review all using our online multi rater employee evaluation software survey system.
TRY US OUT
POPULAR USES
Copyright Grapevine Solutions, A Division of Grapevine Analytics Inc.
Smart Site Design & SEO Services by Green Lotus Agency