{"id":2685,"date":"2010-11-30T08:45:00","date_gmt":"2010-11-30T08:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/hr-advice\/coaching-employee-performance\/"},"modified":"2019-10-29T10:43:56","modified_gmt":"2019-10-29T17:43:56","slug":"coaching-employee-performance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/coaching-employee-performance\/","title":{"rendered":"Coaching Employee Performance"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Coaching_Employee_Performance1\"Have you ever had to work with an employee to improve performance? Have you ever felt like you were at the end of your rope with an employee who just didn\u2019t seem to \u2018get it\u2019?<\/p>\n

Coaching an employee may be an opportunity for a win\/win situation.\u00a0 While it may seem that you\u2019ve tried everything; trying to understand what the blocks are for the employee, I wonder how many of us think about coaching as opposed to considering discipline, as a way to achieve our goals.<\/p>\n

Here are some tips on how to coach an employee that is struggling\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  1. Call a meeting between yourself and the employee and be very up-front as to what the meeting is about \u2013 performance<\/a>.<\/li>\n
  2. Comment on some of the good work the employee demonstrates; be sure that you are sincere and specific in your praise \u2013 you need to learn what the employee\u2019s areas of strength are, of course; but it will set a positive tone.<\/li>\n
  3. Move into the areas of concern you have \u2013 for example: \u201cI noticed that you appear to have some problems in making decisions about \u2026\u201d (or whatever it is that the issue is).\u00a0 Be sure that you have some specific evidence of the problem \u2013 never go on hearsay and don\u2019t talk to personality traits.\u00a0 Talk to the behaviours demonstrated and the results.<\/li>\n
  4. Be sure that you make the consequences of the behaviour<\/a> clear. For example: \u201cWhen you arrive to work late on a daily basis, your teammates have to pick up additional work on your behalf, which causes resentment.\u201d Or\u2026\u201dWhen you make decisions concerning service to our customers, it gives the appearance that we don\u2019t care about our customers in the way we tell them we do.\u201d<\/li>\n
  5. Let the employee know how this impacts you (in other words, what is the perception that you have of the situation or how it makes you feel).<\/li>\n
  6. Ask the employee for his or her view of the situation \u2013 and be sure to actually listen to what he or she has to say. Be sure that you clearly understand and ask how the employee would feel if he or she were the customer (or the recipient of whatever the situation is).<\/li>\n
  7. Go over what the position requirements are with respect to the demonstrated behaviour and ask the employee if he or she can see why you are concerned. Have the employee explain how he or she can change to improve.<\/li>\n
  8. \u00a0Ask the employee what he or she is willing to do and be very clear about the fact that you want him or her to have control over his or her behaviour. You don\u2019t want to tell the employee what to do \u2013 you want the employee to willingly acknowledge change is needed.<\/li>\n
  9. Ask the employee what might be preventing him or her from making any of the necessary changes \u2013 is there something going on that perhaps you didn\u2019t know about? By asking this question, you are providing an opportunity for the employee to ask for help and creating a more open dialogue for future success \u2013 he or she will know that you are sincere about helping him\/her.<\/li>\n
  10. Make an agreement with the employee as to what will happen and how. This must be a mutual agreement, by the way\u2026and if he\/she has identified things that were blocking him\/her from meeting required goals; agree to your part in helping (when possible).<\/li>\n
  11. Set some time lines around when you expect changes and be sure to follow up with an outline of what was agreed to.<\/li>\n
  12. Be sure to leave the meeting on a positive note and confirm your belief in his or her ability <\/a>to do what was agreed to.<\/li>\n
  13. Prior to your final deadline follow up, if you notice changes in behaviour; acknowledge them along the way. Make the employee feel valued and he or she will want to make the necessary changes for you.<\/li>\n
  14. Follow up as promised and again, be sure to acknowledge any changes in the right direction.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Coaching employees<\/a> to change behaviours empowers them by helping them understand the consequences of their actions, and giving them the self-confidence to make the changes necessary. It is a much more positive way of dealing with problem issues.
    \nIt doesn\u2019t remove responsibility and it makes it clear that you won\u2019t accept mediocre behaviour to continue. It illustrates that there is an accountability for employees to do what they were hired to do but they don\u2019t feel as if they are being disciplined \u2013 which can create quite a different outcome.<\/p>\n

    I believe that if we show our employees they have value to the organization and we show them that we really do respect them, they will be more willing to do what needs to be done and they will understand the importance of their role to the company. Most people, if they understand why changing their behaviours is important, will accept the change.\u00a0 If they clearly know expectations and are acknowledge for their contributions to the business, I truly believe they will be more willing participants.<\/p>\n

    Related to Coaching Employee Performance:<\/strong><\/p>\n