Effectively Implementing a Performance Development Plan for Underperformers (PDP)

1. Effectively Implementing a Performance Development Plan for Underperformers (PDP) West Chester University Human Resources Labor Relations Unit and Office of Organizational Development Fall 2006

2. Purpose of Performance Development Plan (PDP) • Implement a Performance Development Plan (PDP) when… • A supervisor gave an employee a less than satisfactory probationary, interim or annual evaluation. • A supervisor has supportive documentation of an employee’s pattern of poor behavior/performance. • A supervisor wants to enhance performance or develop their employees. • This tutorial assists those who find themselves in the first two situations.

3. Top Five Reasons Underperformers Exist • Front line managers and supervisors do not have effective supervisory skills. • Managers and supervisors are not supported by their leaders. • Poor hiring practices. • Lack of support from human resources. • Underutilized performance management tools and processes.

4. Stop and Think Before You Speak or Take Action • Analyze the Behavior Problem • Describe the employee’s performance—Actually write it down objectively and specifically what has been observed. • Stating an employee has a bad attitude is not describing a behavior. • Stating an employee does not make eye contact when someone is talking to them, comes to work late five-ten minutes every day and complains constantly to other employees does describe the behavior. • Identify its cost and/or loss—Sick time payments, cost of errors, low productivity, workers compensation costs, team morale, excessive time demands on manager • As long as the behavior is not counterproductive to the organization’s mission, sometimes irritating behaviors should be tolerated if there is little cost. .

5. Ask Yourself the Following Seven Questions— If you cannot answer yes and provide documentation that supports your answer, you are notready to implement a PDP. Contact HR Labor Relations to discuss in further detail. 1. Does the employee have and understand his job duties and standards & expectations of performing the job? 2. Has the employee been properly trained to perform the duties? How and when? 3. Does the employee have the necessary work-related resources to perform the assigned duties? What are the needed resources? Does the employee use them? 4. Are there unusual circumstances in the workplace that are contributing to the problem? What are they? …are they short or long term circumstances? Analyze: Look Inside Yourself

6. Ask Yourself the Following Seven Questions— If you cannot answer yes and provide documentation that supports your answer, you are notready to implement a PDP. Contact HR Labor Relations to discuss in further detail. 5. Have clear expectations for improvement been made known to the employee? What are they and how were they communicated? 6. Has the employee been more closely supervised including the review of work assignments and progress? How and how often? 7. Has the employee been warned repeatedly about the specific performance problem(s)? How did you handle and what were the results? Analyze: Look Inside Yourself (continued)

7. Ask Yourself the Following Four Questions Contact HR Labor Relations to discuss in further detail. 1. Has the employee ever functioned at acceptable levels? If yes, when and for how long? Any trends? 2. Does the employee have the proper qualifications to perform the assigned duties? If no, what has been done to develop those qualifications? 3. Is there something occurring in the employee’s personal life that is creating this situation? If yes, is this a short term or potentially a long term problem? 4. Has the pattern of the performance problem, marginal or otherwise, been persistent over time? If yes, what are the patterns? Analyze: Look Inside Your Employee

8. Performance Development Plan (PDP) Timeline • When you are thinking about implementing a PDP in place, contact the Office of Organizational Development at x3380. • Together, you and your employee will discuss: • Specific Areas to Be Improved • Actions to Be Taken By Both Employee and Supervisor to Assist in Improvement, i.e., supervisor will perform intermittent reviews of progress. • Establish a Timeframe for Improvement • Explain the Types of Documentation Each (if applicable) Will Be Providing to Demonstrate Improvement • Discuss What the Consequences Are If Sufficient Improvement is NOT Made.

9. Tips to Addressing Poor Performance and Still Leaving Their Self-Esteem Intact • Be Direct. • If you want something done or changed, ask. Avoid hints. • Ban Fault-finding. • Finding fault can minimize seeking another way to solve a problem. Switch from “and you did..” to “Let’s look at the facts.” • Stay Focused and Avoid Generalizations. • Instead, ask for a solution. Move from “You never…” to “How can I help you to …next time?”

10. Negotiate. Instead of demanding, ask: “What do you need in order to handle this differently?” Realign Priorities. Non-performers have different priorities. Make sure the employee has the same priorities you have. Clarify and show how both of you can benefit. “Once we get this done, we can talk about your idea for…” Say Less. Some people resent following orders. Try posting itemized goal lists. Let it go! If you find yourself critiquing employees constantly, you may need to reevaluate your management style. Are you compensating for other problems? Tips to Addressing Poor Performance and Still Leaving Their Self-Esteem Intact

11. Qualities of a “Coachable” Employee • Willing to Change • Listens • Open to Feedback • Able to Change

12. Sample Dialogue to Keep Focused on the Area to be Improved • Supervisor: What do you need to get the job done? • Employee: I have too much to do…most of my day is spent answering phones and putting out fires… • Supervisor: You didn’t answer my question. What do you need to get the job done? • Employee: Ok…perhaps better time management and organizational skills. • Supervisor: For starters, I want you to read Chapter three in Covey’s book called Focus and attend the “Investing in Employee Excellence” course in time management. Come back to me in three days and let’s talk about what you learned.

13. Not All Employees are “Coachable” • What do you do now? You have… • shared the updated job description for the position • created standards • provided documentation contrary to the set standards, • communicated effectively and clearly, • done everything possible in trying to help the employee be successful, and the employee failed to meet the mutual Performance Development Plan. • With HR assistance, failure to meet each expectation by the conclusion of the designated timeframe may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

14. Must Reads… • Contact Training and Organizational Development to borrow a copy (dnorris@wcupa.edu) • Ken Blanchard— The One Minute Manager • Roger Fritz— Think Like a Manager • Steven Covey— Principle Centered Leadership (CD) • Steven Pollan— Lifescripts for Managers: What to Say to Get What You Want in Tough Situations (with CD-ROM)

15. Quotes to Note • If you don’t know where to begin, you don’t begin. --General George Patton • Catch people doing something good. --Ken Blanchard • Remember, nothing blocks insight more than your own ego. --Mark McCormack

16. Scott Sherman (610)436-3380 ssherman@wcupa.edu Training & Organizational Development Trish Seningen (610)436-3109 pseningen@wcupa.edu Labor Relations Human Resources Contacts for the Performance Development Plan