Identifying an underperforming employee is never simple, and dealing with the problem is even more complicated. There are numerous reasons why someone may become demotivated, and knowing the symptoms is the first step towards identifying remedies.
Productivity is a much-discussed topic in the corporate environment, but while a broader view deals with numbers and results, behind this there are professionals who may be facing difficulties in maintaining the pace expected by the company.
Therefore, when seeking to understand the signs that lead to unproductivity, the company must also be able to look at itself and recognize whether its organizational culture contributes to this.
How to recognize an unproductive employee?
As we said, there are several factors that can lead to this lack of productivity, so first of all it is worth observing this behavior. If some signs appear occasionally, it may just be a bad week, or a difficult demand to deal with.
If these behaviors start to become recurrent, then you need to pay attention and, when necessary, have a conversation with the employee. Understand how to identify these signs:
Delivery delays
In terms of deadlines, there are a number of variables to contend with. Sometimes the urgency comes from a client or another outside source and the deadline to finish a particular project is not realistic. But if a professional begins to stall all requests and is always requesting new deadlines, it can be an indication that the professional is not motivated.
Lack of initiative
Again, we are discussing a pattern of behavior, as even the most committed employees do not always take the initiative. Nevertheless, when one stands out from the pack for not getting involved, for not suggesting ideas, for not suggesting solutions or spotting opportunities, they automatically bring attention to the fact that they are not involved in the work, even if they are slightly involved.
Fear of making mistakes
This absence of initiative is usually followed by an exaggerated fear of failure. Whether it’s when performing mundane tasks or bigger projects, this individual tends to use perfectionism as a pretext for not performing a particular activity, and does not obtain results.
Constant failures
To err is human, but making frequent mistakes can indicate a lack of motivation for the task and for work in general. Professionals often procrastinate and delay their work, and when they deliver it, they make mistakes because they didn’t pay attention or finished it in a hurry.
Stagnation
Professionals committed to their professional development are always seeking new learning, courses, and specializations, because they know that by adding their knowledge, they will be able to position themselves better in their careers. When they are unproductive, however, they rarely challenge themselves to discover something new and remain stagnant.
How to help an unproductive employee?
Some of these behaviors can generate stress in managers and cause conflicts in teams, but it is important to understand that this lack of motivation has a reason behind it, and it can be adjusted so that coexistence becomes more harmonious and this employee, in fact, improves.
Therefore, when companies identify these signs, they must be willing to make changes, as the reasons may be related to internal problems, such as a bad organizational climate . Here’s how to help these professionals:
Have an honest conversation
The first thing to do is to sit down with the person and have a frank discussion. This should be done one-on-one, and with the intention of assisting the person, not scolding them. If the employee thinks they are going to get “scolded,” they might make their behavior worse or simply quit the company.
Therefore, the leader who is going to have this conversation needs to prepare in advance and, before pointing out some facts that help corroborate this lack of productivity, ask the person how they feel, if they are going through something in their personal life, and how they see their current performance.
Set realistic goals
Once the reason for the lack of productivity is understood, the leader needs to be able to propose solutions and paths for that person. It may be that someone is dealing with personal issues, so adjusting some deadlines can help with deliveries.
Also, making a change in your routine to focus on things that are crucial can assist you in changing your mindset. So, coming out of this conversation with some concrete objectives can assist you in understanding that you can restore your motivation.
Provide positive feedback
As we said, increasing criticism of the employee will not have the desired impact. Even if he is experiencing a slump in productivity, he certainly has talents. What are they? Remind him of the reasons why he was hired, or the skills for which he is admired, and help him recover his self-esteem.
Promote training
Training, lectures and other opportunities to acquire knowledge can help employees break out of this period of stagnation and feel motivated again, so help them to train and develop.
Supporting employees and listening to them is an opportunity for the company to update itself in terms of its internal management capacity, and contribute to the growth of its team and, consequently, the business.
