What is the recommended guideline a manager should use if an employee's actual performance differs from expected performance?

What is the recommended guideline a manager should use if an employee's actual performance differs from expected performance?

• A. Ignore the gap
• B. Close the gap through mutual agreement
• C. Increase performance pressure
• D. Fire the employee

Answer: (B)

When performance isn’t meeting expectations, the best approach is to address it through a collaborative improvement plan. The manager and the employee discuss the gap, identify causes, and jointly agree on concrete steps to close it. This mutual agreement includes clear, measurable targets, a realistic timeline, needed resources or training, and scheduled follow-up to track progress. This approach supports the employee while holding them accountable, and it aligns improvement efforts with organizational standards. Ignoring the gap leaves a problem unresolved and can erode performance standards. Simply increasing pressure tends to demotivate and doesn’t address underlying skill or process issues. Firing is a drastic step and not the constructive guideline for addressing a performance gap.

When performance isn’t meeting expectations, the best approach is to address it through a collaborative improvement plan. The manager and the employee discuss the gap, identify causes, and jointly agree on concrete steps to close it. This mutual agreement includes clear, measurable targets, a realistic timeline, needed resources or training, and scheduled follow-up to track progress. This approach supports the employee while holding them accountable, and it aligns improvement efforts with organizational standards.

Ignoring the gap leaves a problem unresolved and can erode performance standards. Simply increasing pressure tends to demotivate and doesn’t address underlying skill or process issues. Firing is a drastic step and not the constructive guideline for addressing a performance gap.