There are many causes for low performance and many cures. Sometimes you have to fire… but even more often you have to do something else.

However, managing poor performers seems to be low on managements priority list until there is a restructuring or downsizing.

I have been a manager and know the drudgery of disciplining a poor performer out of the company. HR generally requires a multi step process that requires paper work and one on one counseling.

On the other hand I have observed and experienced how a poor performer can annoy and negatively impact high performers. If you want to consistently have high performing teams / companies then one must actively manager performance on a daily basis.

I had the unfortunate opportunity to fire a low performer. This employee not only was a low performer, but he lied and sabotaged one of our largest annual projects. It was, by far, the most difficult thing I have ever done as a manager. I know difficult tasks. I used to be a firefighter/paramedic and there is nothing worse than telling people their loved one is dead. Firing someone ranks right up there with telling a family that grandma is dead.

Fortunately our HR department actually had people in place to walk the manager through the firing process. We didn’t waste time. I didn’t let the employee hang around. Instead he was invited to leave while the process worked. We clearly articulated the infraction, the consequences, and our actions. He was asked to turn in his equipment, credit cards, keys, etc. Since this was a government job I also spent time clearly articulating the employees appeal rights (not that he really had any). I wanted to be firm but fair.

Once it was done I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. To anyone that has somebody that is just an overwhelmingly low performer I agree with Bruce and say get rid of them, and FAST!