9 Early Signs of An Underperforming Employees: Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late

Mar 5

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Introduction

Are you concerned about the performance of your team members? Have you noticed a decline in their productivity, enthusiasm, or work output? As a manager, it is crucial to identify early warning signs of underperformance before they become major issues.

In this blog post, we will discuss three categories of underperformance:

Work output
Behaviors
Attitudes

By understanding these warning signs, you can take proactive steps to address them and improve the performance of your team.

Work Output

Poor quality work

Producing work that doesn't meet expectations; not adhering to quality standards

Decreased quantity of work

Producing less work than usual; not meeting productivity goals

Lack of attention to detail

Not paying attention to small details that could impact the quality of work; missing important steps or instructions

Behaviors

Decreased productivity

Taking longer than usual to complete tasks or projects; missing deadlines

Increased errors or mistakes

Making more errors or mistakes than usual; having to redo work more often

Lack of initiative or enthusiasm

Waiting to be told what to do; not taking on new projects or challenges

Attitude

Negative attitude

Being consistently pessimistic or cynical; complaining frequently

Resistance to feedback or coaching

Not accepting feedback or coaching; becoming defensive when given feedback

Lack of engagement

Being disinterested in team activities or meetings; not contributing to team discussions

Conclusion

It's important to note that these early warning signs may not always be indicative of underperformance. They could be the result of external factors such as personal issues or changes in workload. However, if these warning signs are persistent and become a pattern, address them with the employee and exploring potential solutions.