Identifying Troubled Employees

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

1.  When it affects the employee’s productivity or creates a safety issue such as:

* 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

2. When it violates company policies or procedures, such as:

* 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