One of the hardest decisions is knowing when to give up on someone and or let them go. People cannot concentrate on work if they are worried about things at home. You can say, ‘leave your problems at home’ but can it really be done? Most people bring their issues to work and then work suffers. How long do you let it go on? How does it affect their co-workers, your customers, your morale? If they cannot perform their job, they negatively influence others and eventually profits will go down.
Offer them counseling services if your company provides them. If not, suggest places where they can get outside help. Coach them in performance tasks or designate a mentor to help them become more successful. Most importantly, let them know you want to help and be specific about the changes you want to see including seeking help (if appropriate) and give a deadline. Sometimes people need permission from their boss to seek counseling. Always document, date and have them sign showing agreement to your requests.
If they refuse or do not meet your goals, then it is time to take action. Sometimes the kindest thing for the person not performing AND for the people working with them is to let that person go so they are forced to get help. Then start repairing the damage with your remaining employees and rebuild their trust.
The longer you wait, the more damage is done, and the possibility of not being able to repair the damage becomes greater.
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The following video discusses when to hang on and when to let go of employees. Ultimately, it’s how to create a safe work environment.
In Conversation with Simon Sinek and Kristin Hadeed on“> Millennials in the Workplace.
