Template

Free employee poor performance template

Dips in performance can happen at any time. When an employee is struggling to meet their goals or role expectations, it can be for many different reasons: sometimes it may be unintentional, while other times it may signal deeper disengagement. Part of a manager's role is to spot underperformance and address it properly, with compassion and support.

To help you deal with this situation, we've created a poor performance review template to use during one-on-one meetings. This template includes questions that will guide the conversation toward more productive and positive outcomes.

Remember: this is a coaching moment! Listen to their answers, give concrete examples of where they can improve, and offer your support to get them through this rough patch. 

Poor performance discussion template
employee on an upwards trend

How to identify if an employee is struggling at work

It's important to recognize the signs of underperformance so that you can use this one-on-one meeting template at the right moment. 

Some common signs of underperformance are:

  • Making mistakes or missing deadlines more frequently than usual. 
  • Being disrespectful to teammates, management, or clients. 
  • Ignoring clear instructions without valid reason and not responding to constructive feedback. 

Remember, these are only signs — not the cause. These questions on poor performance questions will open up a conversation about the underlying issues. Use what you talked about in your meeting to find solutions together and set realistic goals!

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