How to Improve Employee Performance

Improving Employee Performance August 13, 2020

Mary Kate Morrow

Writer

Introduction

Whether you are a small business owner or a project management professional, improving employee performance should be a top priority to increase employee engagement and employee productivity long term in the workplace.

Impact of Poor Employee Performance

Every business owner and project management professional must be concerned with the impact of employee performance on the workplace. Short and long term consequences of poor employee performance include-

1. Work environment drag- Even one not engaged employee can have disastrous effects on your work environment and company culture. Therefore it is crucial to quickly address a not engaged employee, not by terminated them but by putting in place a long term rehabilitation plan.

When your other employees see you spending the time to invest in an employee who needs assistance, you promote a team work environment that gives the opportunity to improve employee performance.

A great business owner aims to promote employee loyalty when they improve employee performance in an effective way that focuses on employee development and long term employee engagement improvements.

2. Performance improvement issues- When you do not find a quick and effective way to execute performance management your employees will notice. Some best practice techniques that can help employee management include regular performance review opportunities, rewarding great employee performance generously, and getting an individual employee direct report on performance from your project management professionals.

3. Decreased work quality- The best way to help improve work quality long term is focusing on employee performance improvements. Not only should employees be given a clear expectation of work quality but they should every business owner should be committed to improving employee performance in the workplace.

Provide employees with regular performance review opportunities and provide for every employee need necessary to produce great quality work. An effective way to improve employee productivity is to recognize when a goal objective is met and recognize good work performed.

Tips to Improve Employee Performance

Every large and small business owner should use best practice employee performance strategies including-

1. Provide actionable feedback- Make sure that you provide your employees with a clear expectation for their performance review meetings. Every employee should feel valued for the good work they produce but also receive long term performance management feedback.

An employee might shut down if they are not given feedback with a clear expectation for how they can improve. Your goal is to help employee performance and give employee feedback that will help them get started on improving their performance. Encourage employee dialogue

2. Field employee criticism- Make sure you are prepared to receive feedback from your employees about your leadership. As a business owner or project management professional, it is crucial to look for ways you can improve and your employees will offer you a unique perspective.

Make every employee feel comfortable giving you feedback on ways you can help improve your own performance, especially if you are a small business owner. Employee feedback is an effective way to help improve your own business owner and project management best practice skill sets.

3. Performance review individualization- When giving a performance review make sure you have a direct report available to reference specifics like employee scheduling issues or customer service problems. You can increase employee engagement during a performance review by letting every employee know what specific problem areas to work on.

Make sure to consider individual communication styles as well. If you know an individual employee prefers directness, find the best way to give employee feedback concisely. Individualization is also important for long term goal objective progress meetings and addressing employee productivity in an effective way that is also unique.

4. Employee improvement acknowledgment- Make sure to take time to acknowledge employee performance improvements. Not only will this help improve your overall work environment but it will let every employee know that you are holding them accountable long run objectives.

An employee might feel discouraged if they are improving performance steadily but there is no acknowledgment of their good work or efforts. If you do not already offer completely remote work and employee scheduling control, consider doing so as a reward. Additional rewards could include financial incentives and adjustments in accordance with employee scheduling preferences.

5. Hold every individual employee accountable- If an employee refuses to improve performance despite heavy performance management intervention make sure to document your efforts to work with them. A written or verbal warning should be given to encourage employee performance before taking more serious action.

However, in the case when employee engagement does not improve over time and employee work continues to suffer, a business owner may have to terminate employment. Always consider the long term effects of terminated an employee on your work environment to decide if its the best option in the long run before making that difficult decision.