When is it time to terminate a troublesome subordinate? The moment you believe you’re getting the run around, trust your instincts. It’s time to RAT out an employee when you conclude three work aspects persist as nagging issues.
1. Results are slow in coming or cannot be replicated.
2. Attitude conveyed is one of recalcitrance, defiance or anger.
3. Timely completion of priority tasks is not getting done.
In effect when you have moved to this point with an employee you’ve decided to RAT out the employee, or isolate performance from smoke. Somewhat like separating the wheat from the chafe! The RAT acronym is a helpful method with a set of expectations that can direct an assessment of employee performance.
Once you have make a conscious decision, adopt an attitude of termination and progress methodically toward that objective unless significant improvement is seen. This is time consuming and not comfortable but the downside is persistent frustration in the workplace while key tasks fail to get done in a timely manner. Simply, if you find you are not getting what you expect from an employee it is time to begin steps toward termination. It conveys to the employee you are serious and unless the employee’s self-induced priorities are changed on behalf of the company, continued confrontations with the boss are forthcoming.
Look for patterns of non-performance rather than isolated incidences. Once you identified a pattern, it is much easier to address the issue with both constructive criticism and instructions for improved performance.
Instruct the employee that your expectations are not being met, outline what needs to be done to show improvement and the consequences (termination) if improved performance is not seen. If you have already talked about this previously with the employee, it is time to put the message into writing. In a one-on-one conference, review the notice with the employee. Use whatever “nice” words you wish but the essential message is that this work relationship is not working out and unless improvement is seen, it is in our mutual best interest to end the work relationship. You might add some comments like, “you do not seem happy here,” or “the workload seems overwhelming and frustrating to you.”
For example, this incident occurred while visiting a client. I stood in the bookkeeper’s office while the owner asked the bookkeeper why several tasks she ticked off had not been completed. The bookkeeper responded with defensiveness and anger defiantly arguing requests had been done and given back to owner.
It was obvious the two parties have a communication problem and both had failed to clarify expectations and results. But who is in charge? The owner. What is the bookkeeper’s responsibility given the circumstances? Document! A well- trained, efficient bookkeeper knows documentation is the key to trouble-free work relationships. As a result, once tasks are completed, the bookkeeper is expected to replicate results, as many times as the employer expects until the issue is resolved.
I was subject to the same run around from the bookkeeper when I suggested she keep a written list on a ledger pad showing each item with dates of follow up. As you might expect, the bookkeeper “had notes…somewhere!” This run around clearly indicated she had no organized system in place nor could she trace the results of her efforts.
This employee was not meeting the needs of the small business owner and therefore it was time to ratchet up expectations or terminate. There was an obvious problem with performance, attitude and ability.
Often, employers tolerate considerable non-performance from an employee out of a sense of fairness. They wish to be fair but fail to recognize fairness to one difficult employee imparts unfairness to the balance of the workforce. While you may hesitate now, find comfort in the fact you are acting on behalf of other workers and they expect fairness, too.
Equally because small business owners are less than fifty employees, they are not as familiar with federal fair labor laws and therefore act conservatively with regards to employee discipline. The method outlined here addresses issues of employee motivation and employee discipline. As employer, you are motivating an employee to improve performance and outlining consequences if improvement is not seen. Workers respond to negative motivation.
To summarize, when you are not getting what you expect from an employee, step back and ask yourself if there are patterns in regards to results, attitude or timeliness. If you conclude a pattern persists and looking back can trace its history, adopt an attitude of termination, expect improved results and be ready to terminate the work relationship if improvement is not demonstrated on the part of the employee. Once you conclude it’s time to address employee performance, a minimum of three notions should be conveyed to the employee. These are:
1. Job expectations are not being met,
2. Outline expectations to show improvement
3. Consequences if performance is not improved. (lateral move, demotion or termination)
Improved performance should not be a request but an expectation on your part. If you feel a work relationship is not working, trust your instincts and act on them. Those guidelines outlined here will assist once you’ve committed to make changes in your office. You’ll find an improved work environment is not only a relief to you, but fellow workers as well.
Tom Russo shows small business owners/managers how to get the most out of software investments. Discover the ART of business operations and related topics on technology & business management. http://www.hunt4cleanair.com/Articles.html
