When it comes to delivering feedback to an employee who needs support to get back on track, positive input from leadership can be very impactful in turning the situation around for the better.
No one is perfect, so it's important for team leaders to demonstrate empathy, communicate regularly to build manager-employee trust, set achievable goals and celebrate their employees’ strengths and wins.
Below, 14 Forbes Human Resources Council members share their tips to help staff members overcome personal challenges and stick around for the long haul.
Members pictured from left to right.
Photos courtesy of individual members.1. Enable Them To Create A Strategic Game Plan For Success
Along with giving an employee feedback about areas to improve on, support them with a game plan. We make sure that employees who are struggling are matched with a mentor who reviews their work and helps them level up their skills. If an underperforming employee sees that you are invested in their success, they generally feel grateful, loyal and highly motivated to improve their work. - Leigh Yanocha, Knopman Marks Financial Training
2. Let Them Know You're Rooting For Them
Managers should do all they can to invest in their employees, making sure to convey that they are there to support the employee in achieving their ultimate potential. For example, at N-able, when we hire you, we are investing in you. This means we will provide you with feedback, guidance and coaching to help you understand what is expected of you as well as help you grow and develop. - Kathleen Pai, N-able
3. Demonstrate Empathy
We all have our strengths and weaknesses. Human error is part of life, so mistakes will happen and that is okay. As a leader, it is important to demonstrate empathy and to connect with team members in a positive and supportive way. For example, I personally like to focus on the positives, like a team member's strengths, in order to make suggestions on how they can use those strengths to their and the organization's advantage. - Joseph Soares, IBPROM Corp.
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4. Set Your Goals And Expectations Early
Clearly define goals and expectations at the start, check in regularly, identify gaps and let the employee know how their contributions make a difference. Also, make sure to talk with them about their individual situations, including their needs, living arrangements, family situations and more. The goal is to make employees feel valued and energized so that they reach their work goals rather than being cornered and blamed for not making the cut. - Kshitij Jain, Joveo
5. Practice The 3P Approach
I suggest using the 3P approach wherein the manager proactively schedules regular catch-up sessions with the employee to discuss: people—the personal aspects the employee may want to be mentored on; potential—the future aspects the employee needs to focus on for growth and guidance in; and priorities—the current work aspects that the employee needs to perform and deliver results on. - Rohit Manucha, SIH AGH
6. Deploy Balanced Developmental Feedback
To avoid alienating an employee, managers should deploy balanced developmental feedback using an after-action review. First, the team member should debrief by answering what worked well, what didn’t work so well and what they plan to do differently. After the team member offers insight, the manager adds any feedback they may have by answering the same questions and reflecting on team member performance. - Elizabeth Corey, Velosio
7. Coach The Employee To Succeed
There is a difference between giving someone feedback and coaching someone toward success. When the conversation begins with what the employee hopes to achieve (e.g., improved teamwork, better outcomes, a promotion, and more.) and we focus on the behavior and the consequences of the behavior, managers have more opportunity to illustrate that the purpose of the feedback is to help the employee achieve their desired goals. - Edie Goldberg, E. L. Goldberg & Associates
8. Be An Active Listener
When a manager needs to give an employee feedback on an area of improvement, it is important to coach on their behavior, perception and impact. A manager needs to listen to the employee’s view of the feedback being received. Learn from the employee what support they need. It is also important for the manager to follow up and provide praise as the employee makes changes to improve. - Sherry Martin, Government Administration
9. Offer Honest And Transparent Advocacy
Honest and transparent coaching with empathy shows the employee that you have their best interests at heart. When a leader is genuine and caring, employees value that leader’s feedback and understand that they have an advocate on their side wanting them to stick around. When many employees feel this way, they will end up thriving in their roles. - Iman Abbasi, Plume Design, Inc.
10. Share Practical Solutions To Your Concerns
Being transparent about feedback tends to help the person on the receiving end. Give examples of what the concerns are, also providing solutions and helping the employee understand how they can make improvements. Delivery is everything. Feedback can be deemed as negative or career-ending, however, make sure to deliver the message while also speaking about the positives like what is going well. - Heather Smith, Flimp Communications
11. Get To Know Your Employees Deeply
It's important that managers get to know their employees. It's that simple. It's our responsibility as leaders to get to know who they are as people, what they're looking for career-wise and how we can support them in getting there. It's also our responsibility to help them develop, hold them accountable to the goals they set, challenge them to get better and recognize them when they win. - Joyce Jelks, Wieden + Kennedy
12. Commit To Joint Ownership
Joint ownership can sometimes be the best remedy to help both the manager and employee feel motivated and committed to achieving a change that seems out of reach. Phrases like “How can we solve this challenge” rather than “You need to improve” help the employee feel that they are not expected to do it alone and that they have encouragement. Managers are also driven to take action due to commitment. - Tiersa Smith-Hall, Tiera Hall Impactful Imprints, Training & Consulting
13. Foster A Work Environment Of Psychological Safety
Generally, employees start feeling alienated because of a lack of support, mainly from their managers. Regular one-on-ones are critical to creating psychological safety for your employees so they feel comfortable enough to share when they are struggling and know they won't be punished. The sooner the manager knows about any signs of struggle, the sooner you can come up with a plan to address it. - Elena Stefanopol, Labelbox
14. Increase Awareness About The Employee's Overall Impact
Increase the employee’s awareness of the impact they can have on customers, the business and their colleagues by working on this opportunity. Also, show the employee what they are working for. Bringing the employee along the journey of the “why” is important because the impact it will have will not only engage them but also increase their level of pride when they're able to make it happen. - Sophia Nardelli, Bath Fitter
