Identifying the Troubled Employee

There are a number of situations in which you may find it necessary to confront an employee with poor work performance and work habits.

• Prolonged breaks and lunches, resulting in work beginning to pile up
• Absenteeism, excessive sick leave
• Carelessness
• Failing to react to possible safety hazards
• Accidents on the job
• High accident rate
• Creating safety hazards through work habits
• Accidents off the job affecting job performance
• Difficulty concentrating
• Missed deadlines
• Improbable excuses for poor job performance
• Sporadic job performance
• Being unusually short-tempered, demanding, irritable, etc.
• Any significant change in usual work performance or manner of interaction with others
• Poor employee relationships
• Complaints from co-workers and/or customers

• Misusing equipment
• Taking long lunch breaks
• Losing equipment or materials
• Making unauthorized purchases with company funds
• Ignoring safety rules
• Operating equipment improperly due to impaired reflexes
• Mishandling of tools and equipment
• Violations of personnel policies and procedures

Guidelines for Making a Management Referral
Workshops/Seminars