Performance Management of someone who has been in role a long time -

[QforCucumber]

I manage a team of data entry staff, who are given tasks to complete. This isn't micro managed, at all - each person has their own repeated tasks on a weekly or a monthly basis, one of the team has been with the business for around 9 years. She's always been very slow at the data entry but is meticulous and never makes a mistake,

Over the last 12 months she's really slowed down, we've lost some of the tasks she had over the past 2 years, which should have free'd up some of her time yet she is still 'busy' all day every day when I'm passing new tasks to her - I'm now going to have to go down a performance management route as it just isn't sustainable for the rest of the team to be working at twice the rate (and also not making regular mistakes)

My question is, as a manager (of around 5 years, first team I've managed is here after working my way up) I've not had to go down this route officially past a coupe of informal chats before, what would you use as the benchmark? Should I be doing the tasks she's being given to get an idea of a time for them to take, I've made a note of what I expect the tasks should take (with an added 10% allowance) and in the last 3 months its become apparent that I cant work out where around 10 hours a week of her time are being spent.

I would first be talking to her to ask her why things have changed for her. She could have suffered a bereavement, or have now got caring responsibilities - an elderly parent? - or she herself could be suffering depression, or entering perimenopause and feel frustrated even scared by what's happening herself, but not yet realised, or got medical support.

It could be any number of things - some of which may give her specific employment rights, or be protected characteristics.

If she has gone from good, methodical but a bit slow to barely coping there will be a reason.

If I was her manager, I'd be talking to HR department for guidance and then talking supportively to the employee. I would not be jumping down a performance management route.

All of this!

going down performance management will just create an adversarial situation that it’s almost impossible to reverse. It’s for when you are pretty sure someone has to leave or they just need a might kick.

in this case it seems you’ve got a loyal employee for whom something has altered and rather than go in all guns blazing a softer approach to see if there’s something that can be supported is warranted.

I'd probably have a conversation about what the options are, the issue is x and you need to either get her performing or take actions which neither of you want so before you have to take the next step, what can she do to get to where you want her to be, with some timeliness and work standards expected and come up with an agreed way forward.

So this is a long-standing employee whose performance was previously good? And you want to jump to performance management without talking to her, checking in about what’s going on, and asking if she needs any reasonable adjustments?

Have you had any management training?
Does your employer have any policies about any of this and have you read them?

How are you in a management position you seem to have no idea of how to effectively manage. You have longterm loyal employee who has slowed down and instead of an informal chat to find out more, you have jumped to performance management. If you do this, you will also have the effect of demoralising the entire team.

Please talk to her first about things that may be impacting her, if she's been a safe pair of hands for so long, there will be something. As a manager I always prioritise connection with my team, to know and understand them.

You will get more loyalty from her if you do this than any formal process.

You need to approach this from a wellbeing perspective first and foremost to understand the reason why she's slowed down. Once you've established this, you can then look at how to change things - if it's health-related, you might need to involve occupational health.

Should I be doing the tasks she's being given to get an idea of a time for them to take

One person - you - doing the tasks won't give you an accurate benchmark - you'd need to measure the whole team's output over a period of time to get a meaningful average unit time.

Speak to her, see what’s going on - just a chat to start with

What age is she? Could she be peri menopausal or menopausal?

I've had a few informal chats with her over it, she told me she doesn't know what's wrong she just can't get herself to seem to care about work anymore.

We catch up every couple of weeks and I have brought these things up on a number of occasions, which is why I'm now looking at other approaches.

Her backing off is causing pressure to other team members - and I don't want to go in 'all guns blazing' but what comes next if that's what someone's response is?!

No @fingertraps we have no policies on this - and I am now mid a management degree level course which I requested as I advised my own senior that although I was promoted due to my abilities to do the physical job, managing people is not something I have past experience in.

I'm asking for advice on what to do next BECAUSE having informal chats has got us both nowhere and now others are suffering and I wondered how people would advise to move forward.
I appreciate the responses, and know I'm not the most experienced at this, but I am trying.

Data entry isn't the most exciting, and if she's been doing the same repeated tasks for all that time she might just be bored stupid with it! When you say "she can't seem to care" is that what she said, or your impression?

Is there scope to adjust the workload all round to see if that helps - give everyone in the team something fresh to do - or could she do something different to see if that revives her interest? I'm an experienced manager (both private and public sector) and I know that you can't endlessly look at what the employee needs, but if she's disheartened - which is what it sounds like - then going down a PM route will just make that worse I think.

If you've had the informal chats and she's not given you any clues as to why then I do think some kind of performance management is in order.
This doesn't need to be a horrible process leading to dismissal. This can be positioned as a positive process, what's going on and how can we help it get better.
Engage with HR team too, they should be able to support you.
But basically you need to set smaller bite size tasks that have clear objectives or outputs and then measure it on a frequent basis. So I'd be catching up with her daily or weekly to see how she's getting on with the assigned tasks. Ask plenty of questions about which bits she's found harder or easier and see if you can spot a pattern. It does help if you understand the job, so having done a bit of it yourself may help. Not for benchmarking but just so you can understand what can take time or be more difficult which can then lead to areas of inquiry.
You'd be documenting these conversations and sending to her so it's clear where things are at. If you then head down a formal.route then this will help. But essentially a more hands on management approach is needed to performance manage

Have you asked her whether she's aware of changes in her productivity? And if she agrees, does she have any explanation for it? Is she finding herself double, triple checking things? Are other people interrupting her and she can't just switch straight back? As others have suggested, there may be non-work reasons distracting her.
Asking her what would help her will show her you want to help, not just nudge her out via PM.

What age is she? If she is old enough to be peri-menopausal or menopausal. Not caring anymore is a symptom that many women suffer from - I really haven't given a shit about my work, or many other things, for the last couple of years.

She has opened up and been honest with you that she is struggling to care, what have you done to support her? What confidential mental health / menopause support does your company offer?

I am fortunate that my workplace has mental health first aiders to help sign post to company or external support - and time to attend that support if face to face, private healthcare which can include up to 4 sessions a year to support discussions on menopause. They also train managers on how to approach menopause sympathetically. My manager knows I have suffered with insomnia for the last couple of years, that I am not firing on all cylinders and that I am trying my best to resolve the issues - they turn a blind eye to me WFH more often than our hybrid policy states if I have had a bad night (which is most nights!).

So when she says these things what do you do, nod and smile or do you say this isn’t sustainable this is what will happen if you don’t buck up. I’d suggest you do that first as you are lulling her into a false sense of security that you are ok with it.

Have you set proper targets for her, that are achievable, and monitored them with her for a period? It still feels as if you are jumping into a performance review

I’ve run a few pips. I’ve always started with a coaching plan first with clear expectations and goals that align with the role. Meet weekly and if/when these are no met, move onto a PIP.

You’re the boss so no point you doing the tasks if you have others in the role. You can ask the others for an average time for each task. That’s the fairest route.

I had one chap who was only doing one third of the work. Not down to laziness but capability so he had to go. Others have been lazy & have bucked up their ideas!

I agree managers need to manage, which is why I think official “Performance Management” is a last resort and a bit of a blunt object.

The discussions that needed to have been had here are about targets, about frequent check-ins, and about what’s going on in your team’s lives in general.

None of this screams performance management, it is being a better manager. By the time you get HR involved “officially” the relationship is breaking down and that’s a final step.

Does she have clear targets to meet? That’s the first step. Then if she is not meeting those and cannot point to why, and has all the support, equipment and training to do so, then it’s the conversation about this being unsustainable and the need for performance management. I don’t think you are quite there yet, and performance management isn’t a quick process anyway so no need to rush to it.

Having Informal chats isn't quite the same as being supportive. I'd really be pushing the side on letting her know it's a safe space and you are there to support- If there are any issues affecting her wellbeing you are there to be fully supportive. Ask her what she needs, not what you think will help etc.

If she doesn't know, give her time to think and say you can talk about it again on x date, and make sure you do it on that date, don't abandon it if things seem to have picked up etc.

If she really does refuse to share, there isn't much you can do, so I'd press on with the coaching plan, achievable targets, regular check ins.

It's very difficult to later on say that you tried everything to support them, when all you did was a few Informal chats.

Also does your organisation have a menopause policy?

Do you have regular formal appraisals? I would use that opportunity to discuss performance, targets, training needs, etc,

she sounds bored to death with that job! If she is otherwise is valuable member of staff, is there any opportunity of giving her other tasks? 9 years of data entry would drive me to tears!