Small Business Solution: Don’t Handle All Performance Issues Same Way

As a small business owner, there is no other way you can measure progress without being able to track your performance. As the business grows, it is inevitable that your workforce will grow along too. As your team grows, you might opt to create a Human Resources department to deal with hiring and other employment related issues. That is a direct and logical way to go in expanding but handling all performance issues in the same way is not advisable. Issues relating directly to employee performance are very sensitive and should be handled differently. If not well handled, you risk hurting employee feelings thereby experiencing even more issues that could impact their work performance.

Granted that your HR department is responsible for employee performance issues, it is not advisable to send all matters relating to employee performance to your HR department. You get better and quicker results by empowering team leaders to speak directly and right away with associates who are experiencing performance issues. This is because many workers always feel that all poor performance matters referred to the HR department involve disciplinary measures. Having your managers or team leaders speak with them directly to see if they need any help always allays such fears. Showing them some support outside the HR department can often help workers more than going right to some form of generic disciplinary action which many HR departments are notorious for.