What do you do when an employee fails to perform or performs poorly?
Even if your recruitment system is almost perfect, there will still be occasions when the non-performer or poor performer will get into your payroll. At this stage, it is easier because that employee will undergo a period of probation to determine whether he or she can perform on the job or not. The probationary period is provided for in the employment contract or letter of appointment. The duration varies from six to nine months. In the past, some countries give a lengthy probationary period for government employees, even stretching into three years. It is shorter in the private sector.
An employee under probation who does not perform can be terminated which means that he or she will never become a permanent member of the workforce. But decisions by the law courts had made it harder to terminate the employment of a probationary employee. There must be reason or reasons why the employee's service is being terminated.
Confirmed employee fails to perform
Once an employee is confirmed in his or her position, it is quite hard to terminate his or her service without reasons and without doing certain things to help the employee perform better in his or her job. You need to give counseling on at least three occasions and provide the employee with the necessary training.
If the employee fails to perform after all these are done, then disciplinary action has to be taken with the intention of dismissing the employee.
Ensure that you follow your rules and procedures when dealing with employees who fail to perform. In addition, check out the applicable legislation. If not, your organization may face problems before the law court if such a case is brought before it.
