Act quickly

1 “Don't dither,” Chris Bones, the Dean of Henley Business School, said. Research by Gallup on levels of employee engagement found that not confronting poor performance had a demoralising effect across an organisation.

“Inaction is not an option. If you let a bad situation fester, the impact spreads like wildfire,” Paul Rose, a senior consultant at Xancam, a firm of business psychologists, said.

Talk it through

2 “A simple mistake is to concentrate so much on the system, procedure or performance management form that you forget that managing poor performance is basically about having a difficult conversation one on one,” said Mike Thackray, a senior consultant at ER Consultants, a firm that specialises in organisational change.

When you do talk, be specific and stick to the facts, Mr Rose said. “Give examples of the problem and what the impact on the organisation is.”

Don't get personal

3 “Focus on the behaviour and the outcome, not the individual,” Professor Bones said. He advised talking about the issue as if it were a shared one and suggested making notes about the situation on a piece of paper for both people to see.

“Everyone has preconceptions and assumptions, but go in with an open stance and listen to and respect the other person's point of view,” Mr Rose said.

Get a second opinion

4 And a third and a fourth one. “Managers have blind spots. It's very important you get a balanced view,” Nick Parfaitt, a consultant at Cubiks, an HR consultancy firm, said.

He recommends using 360-degree feedback as part of annual appraisals to get a rounded opinion of an individual. This is where people can contribute their views on their team-mates anonymously. And if you are not sure what to do, seek support. Ask other managers in your organisation how they have tackled a similar problem.

Look at attitude

5 “A lot of managers are actually trying to resolve an attitude problem, not a capability problem,” Professor Bones said. Make it clear that you expect the attitude to change and demonstrate how you will measure it - for example, by listening to the way an individual deals with queries from colleagues.

Give feedback

6 A common cause of poor performance is a lack of feedback, Sophie Black, director of performance and reward at Ernst & Young, said. Ms Black suggested that line managers engage in training and development in order to ensure they give regular and efficient feedback.

Communicate in different ways, Gary Bettis, the director of the IT advisory practice at Serco Consulting, a management consultancy firm, said.

He suggests sending update e-mails, holding regular staff get-togethers and communicating good news regularly to boost morale.

Set objectives

7 “Make sure everyone in the organisation has clear, realistic objectives set and understands them,” Mr Bettis said.

Underperformers often argue that they do not understand what is expected of them, Raj Tulsiani, the chief executive of Green Park Interim & Executive Resourcing, said. “Get employees to agree to and understand how they'll be measured and when.”

Think long-term

8 Turning poor performance around is a long journey. Look at tackling the problem over a period of time, Mr Tulsiani said. For example, schedule three specific times each week where a poorly performing employee can meet a manager to get feedback and seek support.

Forget the praise sandwich

9 The idea of sandwiching a piece of negative feedback between two pieces of praise confuses people, Mr Thackray said. Instead, give balanced feedback.

First, provide a context. For example: “The firm is very short-staffed and has lots of orders to fill,” before delivering feedback: “You are working too slowly.” Then map out a way forward that is clear and measurable.

You're fired

10 If nothing works, don't be afraid to make a tough decision. Be brave, Mr Tulsiani said: “Be very clear about saying: 'This isn't an organisation that can keep you on.'”

This should be a well-researched move, Adam Lambert, a partner in the employment and pensions team at the solicitors Barlow, Lyde and Gilbert, said. “A new Acas code says that before you dismiss someone for poor performance you should give them at least two formal warnings. Formal action can be onerous for the employer and time-consuming. Make sure it is really necessary.”

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