Capability – How to improve performance in your business

What if you are faced with an employee in your business that despite your best efforts just isn’t capable of doing the job you are paying them for? Sound familiar?

There are a number of reasons that may crop up in business where you may need to take action to improve performance or if this is simply not possible, manage employees out of your business correctly and fairly.

So what reasons may lead to questions on capability?

Laziness – these are the wont do’s not the cant do’s. If you have ensured your employees are fully trained and equipped with the skills to do the job in hand but simply don’t then you may need to act.

Gross Incompetence – There may be a serious issues which has serious consequences or costs for your business due to an employee’s incompetence.

Absence – There may be high levels of absence due to adhoc sickness where you are unable to identify an underlying medical condition or issue.

Changes in role – Has your business changed and roles developed without really giving the proper training to the employees. A good example of this may be where someone moved to their first managerial position without any experience or training to be a people manager.

Whatever the cause then these issues can be handled by using the disciplinary process on the grounds of capability. You may have a specific separate policy for capability of this may fall within your disciplinary policy.

Remember, the aim is to improve performance not just berate and employee and so rather than ignoring these niggles or concerns take some actions.

- Discuss with your employee your concerns informally

- Ask for their opinion and what help they think they may need to improve and reach the standard you consider to be acceptable.

- Set an action plan for what they need to do, by when and how this will be reviewed.

- Most importantly, follow through and actually review this. This is a great opportunity to say well done if improvements have been seen or take more formal action if they have not.

We are often asked for help in managing these types of situations when a business owner has reached the end of their tether without ever having discussions or taking action and so this then makes it difficult to resolve in a timescale they may find acceptable in a way that is fair to the employee.

So, my advice, ask for guidance when you have niggles or doubts rather than letting this reach boiling point.

Author – Sarah Birkenshaw
Date – 03/2015
Image courtesy of "iosphere" at FreeDigitalPhotos.net