There are some situations when an employee and an organisation are simply not working out; whether it happens as a result of changes in the personality of the worker, a new supervisor, or some other circumstances, it is important that the issue is addressed right away.

While it may be painful, it is sometimes very necessary to terminate the employment of a staff member. Coming to this decision should be based on proper performance management. As termination should not be something you should look upon lightly, make sure that you consider all aspects of how an employee is performing before you decide that they need to be replaced.

Here are a few common signs your staff member needs to be replaced that you should look for to tell if it is time to move on to someone else.

Not Showing Interest

An engaged employee is one who will proactively provide their input, and help out with other areas of the business, even if these areas are outside of their usual realm of responsibility

On the other hand, if an employee isn’t showing this type of interest, it could be a sign that they need to be replaced, especially if they have displayed this attitude for a while. If one of your employees frequently leaves the office early, doesn’t have much to say in meetings, and physically seems to show signs that they aren’t engaged, there is a good chance that they have lost interest.

An Unwillingness to Go the Extra Mile

Committed employees know that from time to time, there might be a project or job that comes up that requires them to work a little longer than they usually do. Motivated employees who are doing their best will not mind things like creating multiple versions of reports or working overtime to meet an unexpected deadline.

However, one of the signs your staff member needs to be replaced is when they are not willing to do more than just the bare minimum required to get by. Even though you cannot technically penalise them for not exceeding expectations, it is still a noteworthy observation to make as you consider whether or not someone needs to be let go.

Mistakes in Their Work

One of the more serious issues that can be a quick way for an employee to find themselves without a job is making mistakes in their work. This is especially true for employees who serve in roles that are integral to the way the company works or brings in business. For example, if someone in the accounting department is continuously inputting incorrect amounts into company records, it could cause serious problems for reporting and data analysis.

Making a mistake here and there is ordinary and to be expected; even the most accurate, skilled employees will occasionally slip up. However, if you have a team member who is consistently making mistakes, especially if they never used to, it could be a sign that it is time for the organisation to move in another direction.

Conflicts With Other Team Members

Constantly fighting with other employees is another one of the most telling signs your staff member needs to be replaced. While not everyone at your office has to love each other, if you find that there is one person whom others at the office do not seem to get on with. Someone who disagrees or clashes with many different personality types is probably a person who is just hard to get along with by their nature, and while this may be okay for some positions, you will want to take a hard look at whether or not the employee needs to be removed based on their personality.

Bad Reviews From Clients

Clients are what keep a business running; if there is no one to purchase a company’s products or services, the business will cease to exist.

For this reason, it is critical that companies treat their customers extremely well. The modern business world is too competitive for you to expect a customer to stay on with your organisation if they are not treated properly. If there is someone in your office who is no longer getting along well with clients, it could be time to let the employee go, especially if the nature of their job description involves interacting with clients.

Learning From Mistakes

After looking at the evidence, you may come to the decision to go forward with the decision. If possible, try to understand why they lost interest and address this for future hires. For example, if you don’t think that you trained an employee adequately, resolve to improve this in the future. With some honest self-critique and a commitment to careful hiring, you can minimise these five behaviours and make firings less common at your office.

Looking for advice on how to best manage your team?  Speak to the HR Consultants at Flexi Personnel.