Are Supervisors Responsible for Poor Employee Performance?

Do you think you're the actual reason why youremployee isn't the solid performer that you believed that you hired?

Don't get me wrong. Employees are accountable with regard to the actual quality of their own work.

There are situations where your team member's poor overall performance has got a lot to do with your method of management.

|Because of a variety of managing styles which range from micromanaging to giving workers mixed signals, your employee's performance may be negatively seriously affected.

What are some of the warning signs that will help you to assess whether your employee truly lacks the experience that you need for the role, versus lack of direction or resources from you?

Consider this:

1. Did you take the time to orient your employee to the workplace when you hired him or her

2. Have you taken the time to help your employee understand how his or her job aligns with your department or company goals?

3. Is it clear who your employee should turn to when there are questions?

4. Is there a current job description on file for your employee and does the employee have a copy of it? Did your employee have the opportunity to ask questions?

5. Is your employee's workload reasonable, or are they really performing the equivalent of two jobs based on the workload and lack of resources?

6. Have you communicated your department or company goals and your vision for the company with your employee?

7. Do you make your work expectations clear or have you left it up to your employee to second guess what direction you'd like for them to take with a task or project?

8. Do you send mixed messages to your employee; expecting them to take initiative on a project one day and then micromanaging their work the next?

One "yes" response to just one of eight questions means that you may be at least partly to blame for poor performance.

So, what should you do to turn things around? Try:

*Orienting new employees to your organization

*Crafting updated job descriptions for each role in theorganization that summarizes the core skills and duties for the position

*Clearly communicating your expectations

*Make resources available to support your employees' success

*Making yourself accessible to employee inquiries

*Support additional training and professional development as appropriate for the role

Employee issues are not always so transparent. Take a moment to assess why your employees are having issues before moving forward with corrective action.

If you are wondering why an employee who had so much promise when you first hired them seems to be floundering, be sure that you are not contributing to their inability to be successful in the role. With a little effort, you may turn that problem employee into a superstar.


------

Small Business? New to supervising, or just need advice? Dianne Shaddock can help you with your employee hiring and managing needs through her easy to follow and timely podcasts, articles, and email newsletter. Get your free report: "Giving Employees What They Really Want".