Address an Employee's Poor Performance

When to Use This Flowchart

Use the Address an Employee's Performance flowchart to determine how to address poor performance, including how and when to discipline an employee for poor performance using progressive discipline.

This flowchart walks an employer through the major steps of the performance management process, from the time an employer has identified a performance issue to the final recordkeeping steps of disciplining an employee. The poor performance at issue could be either a first instance of poor performance or a repeat instance.

Depending on an employer's particular circumstances and needs, steps in this flowchart may be added, altered or eliminated altogether. Because federal and state constitutions, local laws and regulations, labor agreements and public or private contracts may dictate the form and process of discipline that should be used in a particular organization, employers should follow the steps in the flowchart carefully and consult with counsel when appropriate.

Key Steps

Key "What if?" Events

Launch this flowchart