Nobody hires an employee because they want them to fail; quite the opposite. In fact, your employees can be your greatest resource.
Science has proven time and time again that, in terms of shaping behaviour, reward outperforms punishment. So it is time to update your processes from an archaic disciplinary system based on warnings and citations. Instead look to a system based on identifying the root of the issues affecting your employee’s performance, and how you can promote improved performance from your employees by working with your worker to find a solution.
Does this sound onerous and time-consuming? Consider the alternative: studies have shown that associated cost of replacing just one employee in the retail, tourism, hospitality, or services sector to be over $3,300. In sales, financial services, and business consulting, the cost could be over $8,000, and the cost to replace executive management to be in the hundreds of thousands.
So what does it take to help your worker go from ‘on the bubble’ to ‘employee of the month’? It takes a change in mindset, compassion, and more than a little persistence.
Five steps for developing your Employee Support & Development Program
As with a disciplinary plan, you will want to document each one of these meetings. However, the tone should be noticeably different. Ultimately, if you tried your best to help your employee be all that they can be, and it’s just not working out, you may need to move on from them, but it’s not from lack of trying.
Despite any frustrations you may feel, remember that you hired them based on positive merits that you identified at one time. Chances are those attributes are still there — we just need to unlock their potential!