An employer should resist the temptation to avoid addressing poor performance. Rather, employee performance should be appraised honestly using factual determinations and avoiding potential "grade inflation" and negligent retention concerns. The root of the performance problem should be investigated: is it lack of training? Are there organizational hurdles impeding better performance? Does the employee understand supervisor expectations?
An employer should consider: a) developing a performance improvement plan (or an action plan, depending on employer preference), b) setting clear goals and deadlines for those goals to be met, c) participating in this process and d) following up with employees and ensure plan deadlines are met.
An employer should consider how and when to discipline an employee for poor performance. All stages of the performance management process should be documented.