How Program Managers Can Assist Underperforming Employees to Reach Their Full Potential

If you’re a team leader, you might’ve encountered an employee who continuously underperforms.

If you’re a team leader, you might’ve encountered an employee who continuously underperforms in comparison to the entirety of your department. If you’re searching for successful ways to contribute as a Program Manager to your department, it’s critical to address an underperforming employee’s performance appropriately. You’ll want to communicate to your underperforming employee in a diplomatic, professional manner that encourages them to reach their full potential (that you know they are capable of!). Many successful Program Managers have had to communicate with underperforming employees to address their work performance, which can be an uncomfortable experience for everyone involved. Fortunately, Lewis-Price & Associates can help you successfully communicate with your employees and turn their performance around for the benefit of your department.

Program Managers Must Take Responsibility

As a Program Manager, it’s essential to take responsibility for your actions that have contributed to the underperformance of your employee. Have you been delegating tasks that your employee has minimal experience with? Or, have you been taking other employees under your wing while disregarding the performance of your underperforming employee? If so, you need to take responsibility for your actions that have contributed to the continued underperformance of the employee in question. Additionally, your underperforming employee may have been waiting for you to reach out and notice that they’ve been falling behind. By understanding where you’re responsible as a Program Manager for the shortcomings of your underperforming employee, you can help open the doors for communication and professional development. 

Professionally Communicate with Your Employee to Get to the Root of the Problem

After acknowledging your professional performance that may have contributed to the underperformance of your employee, it’s vital to communicate with your employee to get to the root of their performance problem professionally. Whether your employee is suffering from personal issues that may be affecting their performance at work or falling behind due to burnout, it’s essential to communicate your expectations as a Program Manager. Additionally, you can help provide your employee with solutions to help address their performance issues and steps to take to bring them up to speed with their co-workers.

Create a Plan to Improve Workplace Performance

Lastly, you can work with your underperforming employee to create a performance plan to help get them back on track. You can provide your employee with short-term goals to reach to support their performance and productivity improvement weekly. By involving the employee in their path to success with your company, you can help humanize them and let them know that you care about their well-being outside of their contributions to the company. Additionally, by providing extra guidance to your employee every week, you can check in to ensure that they can turn around their performance. Is your company looking for qualified Program Managers to help turn around employee performance? If so, contact Lewis-Price & Associates today!

About Lewis-Price & Associates Inc.

Lewis-Price & Associates, Inc., is a fast-growing mission solutions company supporting federal agencies through premiere training, program management and IT services. Serving federal agencies across the government spectrum, from defense to civilian, we ensure the success of ongoing federal agency operations through effective curriculum development, professional coaching, program management, and administrative and technical services. Lewis-Price is committed to providing high quality, effective and on-time solutions to partners and customers through a team that values integrity, intention, and excellence in everything we do. Learn about how we can bring our unique approach to success to your organization today at lewisprice.com. Also, please follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

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