Advice for Managers:
How to Communicate with Employees
Establishing a Healthy Supervisor/Employee Relationship
The most successful relationships are built on the efforts of both parties, and communication is a key part of that effort. Here are a few questions you should periodically ask yourself:
- Have I told my employees about our organization’s mission and vision and how their work contributes to meeting organizational goals?
- Have I told my employees of my expectations of performance and conduct? In particular, have I established performance plans for my employees, and have I clearly specified my requirements for requesting planned and emergency leave?
- Am I consistent in applying the “rules” of the office to all staff?
- Do I pass on information from top-level staff meetings, and from other meetings my staff does not attend, so my employees feel they are part of the “big picture”?
- Do I remember to take the time to communicate face-to-face and not just by e-mail or leaving notes?
- Do I take notice when my employees make a positive contribution and express specific and timely appreciation?
- Do I remember to ask my employees for their thoughts on improving work processes or the office environment? (And, when I ask for feedback, do I incorporate some of the ideas my employees offer or tell them why they can’t be used?)
- When an employee wants to talk to me, do I set aside uninterrupted time in a private space, so I can actively listen to what the employee has to say?
- If I notice a problem with performance or behavior, do I immediately address it with the individual employee instead of issuing a “blanket reprimand” to my staff or ignoring the problem (both of which adversely effect the morale of the staff)?
Addressing Problems with an Employee's Performance/Conduct
Whether you are experiencing problems with an employee’s performance or conduct, usually your logical first step is to counsel the employee on what you have observed with the goal of improving the performance or misconduct (in matters of egregious misconduct, discipline without the benefit of your counseling may be warranted—contact your servicing HR specialist for guidance). Counseling is an on-going process, because once you bring a problem to an employee’s attention, you will need to monitor the situation and follow-up with the employee to ensure problems are corrected and acceptable performance/behavior continues. If improvement is not attained, and maintained, after your counseling session, you need to consult with your servicing HR Specialist about the next steps.
Here are some pointers on holding that first counseling session:
Advance Planning
- There is nothing to be gained from the element of surprise. If you need to meet with an employee about a problem you’ve observed, schedule the meeting in advance and let the employee know the purpose of the meeting is to discuss a concern you have about performance or conduct.
- Gather specific examples of concern you want to address with the employee. For example, if the employee consistently turns in work assignments after the due date, prepare a list of late assignments along with the respective original due dates and actual completion dates.
- Schedule the meeting in private enclosed office space (e.g., your office or a conference room). Don’t worry about staff members talking about the employee being "called on the carpet"—chances are if you’ve noticed a problem with the employee, other employees have noticed a problem and are waiting to see how long it will take you to address it. In addition, if you have been striving for on-going communication with your employees, an individual meeting with an employee should not lead others to conclude there is a problem.
- Allow adequate time for the meeting. It’s highly unlikely you’ll be doing all of the talking, and you will want to give your employee the opportunity to respond.
- Counseling typically does not invoke an employee’s right to representation, but if the employee is a bargaining unit employee, review the applicable Collective Bargaining Agreement in advance so you are prepared if the employee says he/she wants his/her union representative at the meeting. If your counseling turns into “investigating” in which you ask questions the employee has reason to believe may lead to discipline, you may trigger the employee’s right to a representative. Contact your servicing HR Specialist for guidance in advance of holding a counseling meeting with a bargaining unit employee.
Holding the Counseling Session
- The employee will most likely arrive for the meeting in a defensive mode. Try opening the meeting with a statement like, “I have a problem, and I’d like your help in solving it.”
- Describe in detail the problem you have observed, and be prepared to back up your concerns with specific facts. It may help your employee to recognize the problem you raise if you cite specific facts, such as “I saw you come in 20 minutes late on Tuesday and 30 minutes late on Wednesday”. Follow-up your description of the problem with an explanation of why it’s a problem (i.e., the negative impact on coworkers, productivity, phone coverage, etc.).
- To the greatest degree possible, stay away from using emotionally charged words or phrases. Instead, describe the specific inappropriate conduct or deficient performance you observed. Try to speak in a normal tone of voice, without being perceived as being demeaning or condescending.
- Listen to any explanation the employee offers, but don’t allow yourself to be trapped into finding solutions for the employee (“Doesn’t your Aunt Susie live down the street, and can’t she watch Johnny when he’s sick?”). Ask the employee for his or her ideas on how to solve the problem, and explore solutions you may be able to jointly agree to, such as a change in the tour of duty hours. In cases of poor performance, ask if there is anything you can do to assist, such as more one-on-one time with you or training.
- Remind the employee of NIH Resources that may be of help, such as the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and the Work and Family Life Center. However, you need to make it clear to the employee that even if he/she avails him/herself of these services, you will pursue further action if the problem is not corrected (discipline for misconduct; a Performance Improvement Plan for unacceptable performance).
- Schedule a follow-up meeting with the employee. Monitor the employee’s conduct/performance between meetings.
- At the follow-up meeting, be specific about whether the problem has been resolved or whether performance has sufficiently improved. If it has, let the employee know you are pleased and you have confidence in the employee’s continued acceptable behavior/performance. Continue to monitor the conduct/performance and provide positive feedback, if appropriate, or begin documenting any problems and taking steps for formal action. If the problem has not improved, indicate that it may be necessary to begin more formal measures such as documenting the counseling sessions in writing, issuing a memorandum of caution or reprimand, and/or even proposing disciplinary measures.
Future Follow-up
Your problem may be resolved because you have confronted it. Prepare a memorandum for the record summarizing meeting results shortly after counseling meetings are concluded. A copy of the memorandum for the record should be provided to the employee for his/her records. It is in both your and the employee’s best interest to keep an eye on the situation to ensure there aren’t any relapses or back-sliding, but be cautious that you do not apply overly stringent standards to this employee because of the past problem. In addition, be sure that you apply your requirements for performance and conduct consistently for all employees, thus creating a defensible position if you are challenged by a discrimination complaint.
Keep in mind that this employee may be sensitive to the fact that he/she has “gotten in trouble” with you, and the employee may feel some discomfort in interacting with you after the counseling session. Make the effort to interact with this employee as usual on a day-to-day basis and re-establish that healthy supervisor/employee relationship.
Remember your Employee Relations Specialist, the EAP, and the Center for Cooperative Resolution (which provides confidential and informal assistance in resolving work-related conflicts or concerns), are resources you can turn to for help.
