Laura Chalkley, Employment Advisory Service Manager at NPA business partner Ellis Whittam, talks about effective performance management

One of the reasons employers end up in an employment tribunal is that they fail to deal with performance issues. Often performance issues are ignored. After all, nobody wants to spend their afternoon having an awkward conversation about how an employee is not meeting required standards! However, it is better to manage poor performance in an effective way to build a positive and responsive workforce and to lower the risks of unfair dismissal claims in your pharmacy.

Here are some practical steps to take:

Probationary periods
If the employee is not performing, we suggest that you take action early. If the employee is not performing to the required standard, managers need to address the areas of concern, rather than allow them to pass their probationary period.

Motivating your staff
There are a number of ways to motivate employees who are underperforming in your pharmacy. Examples include recognising good work, linking pay to performance, giving them the chance to progress up the career ladder and providing them with training opportunities.

Reviewing performance
We recommend that managers should have regular meetings and reviews with employees, giving them frequent feedback, holding an annual appraisal and keeping records of all performance. The Acas Code of Practice says that employers should carry out an investigation before holding a formal performance hearing and these documents will help with this.

Try to resolve informally
Dealing with an employee’s performance is part and parcel of manager’s day-to-day duties. They should be talking to employees about their performance, identifying the reasons for their under-performance, and informing them of what the correct level of performance is and how they can improve. If this doesn’t produce the desired results, you may need to resort to a formal performance management process.

For more advice on this topic, call the NPA Employment Law Advisory Service Team on 0330 123 0558 or email employmentadvice@npa.co.uk.