Dealing with a bad performance review

When a bad review for an employee is on the horizon, managers get tense. It’s perfectly understandable. No one likes to deliver bad news, yet as a manager it is a responsibility that can’t be shirked.

Dealing with a bad review takes different tactics depending on the reason the review is going to be bad. It is one thing to do a negative employee performance review when performance is simply not up to standard at the moment but there is hope of improvement. It is quite another kind of employee performance evaluation when workplace norms are being willfully broken and the session may include a disciplinary aspect.

For either kind of review, consider carefully what you would like to see as an outcome and document everything along the way. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. In this age of lawyers, one can’t be too safe.

For those who are simply not up to standard, a conversation focusing on gaps and the ways to fill those gaps can be quite helpful. Employees are likely aware that they are not meeting standards, but a focused conversation about expectations and outcomes can be both enlightening and motivating. For some, having that frank conversation about possible outcomes of continued poor performance is all that is needed to turn things around.

For those for whom it will be a disciplinary conversation, having all the paperwork in order is key. Managers will be able to approach the employee performance review much more calmly when they know they have a sound case with the appropriate documentation at hand. Anger and bluster have a tendency to melt before facts. Keeping the tone of the session professional will help both parties, so nervous managers may want to practice to ensure they are able to keep their cool and give good, meaningful feedback and critiques throughout the session.

For both kinds of “bad review” session, a bit of prior preparation will make the process much smoother. Have all the necessary files at hand, prepare a few remarks, and be ready for any emotional aspects which may come from the employee. Stay calm and focus on the process—giving reviews, good and bad, is just all in a days work.

Until next time
Ingrid Cliff

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Heart Harmony – HR writer