I put an employee on a performance plan and now I feel guilty

The question: A new manager, four months into the role, has just put a struggling team member, a single mother of two, on a formal performance improvement plan. Now she feels guilty and worries she moved too fast.

Your guilt makes sense

Your guilt makes sense. You’re thinking: she’s a mum with two kids, and if this ends with her losing the job, how will she provide for them? That’s a very normal, human thing to feel. But you also have a job to do, and the PIP doesn’t have to be the end of the story.

Every person has a place where they shine

Every person has a place where they shine. When someone is in the right job, they do well and they’re happy. When they’re in the wrong one, they struggle, and they’re not happy either.

Three things to look at first

So before anything else, I’d look at three things:

• Is this new? Maybe something in her life changed and she needs some support for a while, and with time she can get back to doing the job well.
• Which parts of the job is she actually good at? Maybe you keep those, take away the parts she struggles with, and give her something else instead.
• Does she really know what’s expected? The team ran for years without a manager. Maybe nobody ever trained her properly. Sit down with her, explain clearly what needs to be done, and give her a real chance.

Have an open conversation

Once she knows exactly what the job is, have an open conversation. Ask her honestly: do you feel this is the right job for you? Often, when someone isn’t made for a role, they’ll say so themselves, and they’re relieved to change position or move somewhere that suits them better.

The secretary who became a top salesman

A short story: I once saw a business with a secretary who wasn’t doing well. After one honest talk, it came out that he was a natural with people. He wasn’t made to sit at a desk answering phones. He moved into sales at another company, and within a year he was earning more than his old boss. He wasn’t bad. He was in the wrong place.

So you’re not breaking her. You might be helping her find where she fits.