The “he-said, she-said” conflict did not disappear when you were too old to get time for recess. Instead, it has either stayed the same or increased since becoming an adult and working in a group of people.
Every employee has a gripe about their boss. Every boss has a gripe about an employee. When it comes down to it, every person – manager or employee – has a flaw or two, so mistakes will undoubtedly happen. The question is no longer, “who’s to blame?” but becomes, “how can we prevent this from happening again?”
As a manager, when problems arise with an employee, one of the first thoughts you need to have is whether there was something you could have done to help the employee or avoid this issue again.
2 Classic Scenarios & How to Determine if Who’s at Fault
Consider these three situations, so when you’re faced with them in your office, you can determine if you could have done anything to avoid the outcome, or if it truly is the fault of your employee. Remember, a good manager always wants to lift up and build a stronger team.
Missing Deadlines
One of the most common issues a manager faces is when employees miss a deadline. Of course, people make mistakes, and an unusual error isn’t cause for deep concern. However, if your employee is constantly late with deadlines, it’s time to take action.
Is your employee confident in the directions of the project or task? Is he confident in his ability to do the job well? Does he possess the time management skills to complete the assignment?
Be sure that as a manager, you communicate all your expectations to your employees so they understand your standards. You also should check in with your employees periodically – not to micromanage but to be sure they don’t have questions along the way. If you discover that your employee needs more guidelines or checkpoints to complete the task, offer them up openly. You want to empower your employees to grow and be better, not punish them for working differently.
Unreliable Employee
When an employee arrives late, delivers inconsistent work, or has cycles of varying performance, it’s hard to rely on them for both small and big tasks. If you can’t rely on your employees, what good are they, right?
Well, before you think it’s automatically an employee issue, consider what you’ve done to communicate your expectations or correct behavior. If there is an attendance policy, does your employee know that she is infringing upon it every time she shows up late to work (or leaves early)? Have you set overall performance standards and goals for her in her current role? On any given project, does she understand your expectations? These are all important considerations for you to consider.
If you’ve covered all the bases above, and she showed unreliability, what did you do to correct it the first, second, or third times? If you have not discussed these issues with her, then how does she know you’re serious?
However, if she is given clear direction and correction and still infringes on policies and performance standards, it’s time to consider a candidate to replace her.
Grow Your Team with Qualified Employees
If you’re looking for top talent to grow your team, contact Expert Staffing Group.
