What is one effective way to handle an underperforming employee?

Addressing the issue directly and providing feedback is an essential approach to managing an underperforming employee. This method creates an opportunity for open communication, allowing the supervisor to express concerns while also allowing the employee to voice any challenges they might be facing. By providing constructive feedback, the supervisor can clarify expectations, identify specific areas where improvement is needed, and offer guidance on how to meet performance standards.

Moreover, this approach fosters a supportive environment where the employee feels valued and understands the reasons behind the feedback. It opens the door for collaboration on solutions, such as offering additional training or resources that can help the employee succeed. Directly addressing performance issues helps to build accountability, ensuring the employee recognizes the importance of their role and contributions to the team and organization.

In contrast, other strategies such as ignoring the performance issue can lead to unresolved problems that can escalate further, while transferring the employee might not address the root cause of the underperformance. Reducing work hours does not typically resolve performance issues and may further demoralize the employee. Thus, providing direct feedback is a proactive and effective strategy for helping underperforming employees improve.