Common Examples of Failure to Perform Job Duties in Maryland

Operating a business requires a considerable amount of dedication from both the employer and the employees. You cannot hope to run a successful business if your employees consistently fail to hit performance benchmarks. Insufficient work ethic is one of the primary reasons a business will not perform. If you are having issues with your employees performing poorly, you should speak with an experienced business lawyer. The Baltimore business advisory lawyers at the Heyman Law Firm explain common examples of poor work performance.

Checklist of Common Unsatisfactory Performance Issues

Unsatisfactory job performance issues can be exhibited in many different forms. Here are some examples of failures to perform job duties:

• Absenteeism – Instances of leaving without permission, excessive and unjustified sick leave, increasing absences with unbelievable explanations, or on-the-job absenteeism in the form of long lunch or coffee breaks that exceed the time permitted by express company policy
• Increasing Accident Rate – Frequent horseplay causing unsafe work conditions or work accidents
• Difficulty Concentrating – Instances of the job requiring more time than necessary, using poor judgment at work, or repeated mistakes due to inattentiveness.
• Reporting to work intoxicated
• Inefficient performance – Instances of missed deadlines, complaints from several customers, or incomplete job assignments
• Poor Relationship with Coworkers – Instances of lying or exaggerating, blaming issues on coworkers, avoiding associates, or complaints from coworkers or supervisors
• Unkempt appearance

If any of these issues rise to an unacceptable level, you should begin to think about what you can do to rectify them. Whether you choose to work with employees to make performance goals more attainable or you choose to possibly fire the employee, letting poor performance go unchecked is highly detrimental to a business.

Developing a Performance Management Plan

The implementation of a successful performance management plan requires a continuous cycle of observing and documenting performance, providing feedback, mentoring and coaching troubled employees, and setting attainable goals for the future.

Ensuring your employees can succeed in their position may require adjustments to how the business functions, such as:

• Open avenues of communication.
  • Enable protocols for two-way dialogue between employees, supervisors, and employers
  • Create an environment where employees can receive feedback on their performance and development
  • Reinforce organizational values and appropriate workplace attitudes.
  • Create methods for improving performance
  • Clarify what is expected of employees and their job requirements to avoid contract disputes
  • Identify and eliminate barriers preventing extraordinary performance
  • Encourage alignment of individual goals with organizational goals
• Allow for employee development
  • Address areas for job enrichment and vertical career movement
  • Include time for new skill development when communicating performance expectations
• Actively support employee decisions
  • Acknowledge outstanding or exceptional performance
  • Manage the improvement of performance

Dealing with poor performance issues is a time-consuming process and one that managers sometimes would rather ignore. However, by not addressing poor performers, you could unknowingly send messages that poor performers are subject to unique standards of productivity. Poor performers may get the idea that they are not required to address their own ineffectiveness because their supervisor or employer does not care either way. And those performing at high levels can be demoralized by seeing their fellow employees receive the same compensation while providing much less benefit to the company.

It is imperative that each employee be able to produce. Not addressing performance issues will likely result in those performance issues becoming more pronounced. Some employees in the workplace do not receive performance evaluations simply because delivering this kind of news is unpleasant. Ensuring your supervisors are delivering constructive criticism and coaching to employees can eliminate the need for unpleasant formal actions later. Providing your employees with constructive criticism does not require a special set of skills. If a supervisor is having problems addressing performance issues, she or he should consult with personnel professionals or the human resources department.

Failure to take these measures, may result in a business or employment dispute with a disgruntled employee who believes that she or he was not given an opportunity to succeed.

Decisions Based on Performance

There is a variety of decisions an employer must make concerning poor or outstanding performance. These decisions can include:

• Extending probationary period for low-achieving workers
• Considering increases in annual salary or bonuses for outstanding performance
• Altering work assignments based on each employee’s ability
• Creating a merit system
• Offering training and career development opportunities
• Workforce reductions
• Adverse actions or terminations for inefficient employees

Determining how to properly address performance problems is not an easy task. If your business is having problems with employee inefficiency, you should consider speaking with an HR specialist or business attorney.

Maryland Business Advisory Attorneys

If your business is plagued with employee inefficiency, you should consult with an experienced business advisory attorney. The Maryland business advisory attorneys at the Heyman Law Firm have extensive experience in advising businesses in employment-related issues. Our firm can provide your business with detailed employee handbooks and efficient policies at a reasonable cost, which can help prevent future employment litigation. To schedule a no-obligation, confidential consultation to discuss how our legal services can enhance your business, call the Heyman Law Firm at (410) 305-9287.