by Sun Meilan

Created on: August 21, 2010   Last Updated: April 23, 2011

If employees are to perform well at work, there need to be a certain amount of procedures in place to ensure a calm and ordered work environment. Of course, there are times when personal arguments or problems can upset that environment, but those are hopefully temporary problems - although they should still be taken seriously. Some of the main factors that hinder employee performance include the following: 

Poor leadership

The management of any organisation needs to be strong and in agreement across the board. This then needs to be filtered down to the employees. In the absence of strong leadership, for whatever reason, employees will struggle to get to grips with their job, will be demotivated and may well just come to work for the pay. In time, the organisation will suffer greatly. 

Micro-management

At the other end of the spectrum, sometimes managers are too involved in their employees' work and don't allow them the freedom to work alone - or, if they do, they are constantly criticised. This situation is likely to lead to low morale, with the employee feeling that they are not respected. Relations between the parties could eventually reach the point of complete breakdown. 

Low compensation

Even in these times of recession, employees need to feel that they are receiving the necessary compensation. If they have had to take a drop in wages because of lay-offs, there are other ways to provide compensation - perhaps days off or the suggestion of promotion in the future. Without a fair level of compensation, employees are unlikely to perform to the best of their abilities. 

Little appreciation

It isn't just compensation that drives employees forward. They also want to know that they are doing a fair job, because it is natural to want to please other people. If they feel ignored or walked over, they are bound to be less willing to want to do a good job, especially if the lack of appreciation takes place over a long period of time. A few words of encouragement every now and again can work wonders. 

Not enough training

Ideally, when a new employee starts work, they should be trained up, either on the job by existing employees, or by taking part in a dedicated training course. There should then be updates throughout the employee's time with the company. Without proper training, employees are likely to become complacent, not realising that they could be doing so much more if they received relevant training. 

Employee performance is not something that should be left to the employees themselves to foster. Careful planning from management is a necessity. 

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