Seven Steps for Fixing Employee Productivity Issues, According to HR Experts

A Practical Approach to Resolving Employee Performance Problems

According to AIHR: In a guide published by AIHR, HR professionals and managers are walked through a structured way to deal with performance issues on their teams. The central idea is separating genuine performance failures from problems caused by vague expectations, lack of resources, or personal difficulties. The article identifies five categories of performance-related problems and proposes a standardized seven-step intervention, along with advice on how to document cases and talk with employees.

AIHR also promotes its High-Impact Performance Management mini-course, which is designed to help HR teams understand and address performance challenges. A real performance issue exists when an employee consistently fails to meet role expectations in terms of output, conduct, or reliability. That shortfall can be assessed through KPIs, job descriptions, or company policy. The five problem categories covered are:

• productivity
• attendance and punctuality
• behavior
• quality of work
• teamwork and collaboration

A Structured Framework for Handling Performance Issues

To guide managers, AIHR recommends examining a situation through five questions: why is the problem happening, what is getting in the way, where can the organization offer support, what will change as a result, and what are the consequences if nothing changes. Managers should also watch for early warning signs such as missed deadlines, absenteeism, reduced work quality, and loss of motivation, typically over a period from one week to one month.

For example, the article includes a documented case in which an employee was asked to update a shared project tracker by March 14 and failed to do so; this was the third such instance in five weeks.

For coaching, the recommendation is to hold check-ins every two weeks or every week, particularly for more serious concerns. If coaching does not lead to improvement, a performance improvement plan (PIP) may be used, but the manager should involve HR before taking that step. In serious cases, the escalation route goes first to the manager's own supervisor and then to HR. If discrimination, protected characteristics, employment law, or potential termination are involved, HR and legal must be brought in immediately.

The article also includes a table listing eight pairs of recommended and not recommended phrases for employee conversations. Key takeaways include the reminder that not every performance decline is the employee's fault. Having a clear, consistent process makes it easier for managers to respond fairly and systematically. Situations that should not be treated as performance problems include unclear standards, insufficient tools or training, shifting priorities, a lack of feedback, unrealistic workloads, and health issues or personal crises.

Documentation should capture six elements: the specific action, the date, how often it happened, the impact, the employee's response, and agreed next steps. During each check-in, managers should log the problem discussed, what has improved, what has not, any new obstacles, employee feedback, and the next steps agreed upon. The guide also gives examples of phrases to avoid and better alternatives; for instance, instead of saying "You always mess this up," a manager could say, "I've noticed this has happened several times, and I want to understand what's going on."

Additionally, AIHR offers a Talent Management & Succession Planning Certificate Program and a demo portal for interested professionals.

Proper performance management is a key part of keeping an organization effective. AIHR's article makes the case for a systematic approach, enabling managers to respond more thoughtfully to the challenges employees face. The recommended tools and training can be a valuable resource for HR professionals who want to boost team productivity. Performance management remains a central concern for HR teams, and a structured approach makes these discussions more constructive.

Understanding the dynamics of manager-employee relationships is crucial, as it significantly influences overall employee engagement. By fostering a supportive environment, managers can not only address performance issues more effectively but also enhance motivation and productivity within their teams. This interconnectedness underscores the importance of a structured approach to performance management.