Deck 16: Managing Underperformance

Question 1

Signs indicating that an employee's poor performance may result from personal factors or factors outside anyone's control may include:

A) absenteeism.
B) difficulty concentrating.
C) unacceptable conduct.
D) poor or deteriorating relationships with co-workers and others.
E) All of these responses are correct.

Answer 1

E

Question 2

'During this meeting, I would like to review your safety record and formulate an action plan for improving it.' This statement is an example of a:

A) performance gap.
B) framing statement.
C) measure of success.
D) SMART target.
E) None of these responses are correct.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following is not recommended when terminating an employee's employment?

A) Following organisational protocol
B) Adhering to due process requirements
C) Allowing a support person (if the employee requests one) to be present during termination interviews or when warnings are being issued
D) Ideally, conducting termination discussions on Fridays or before holidays
E) Doing it in private and in person

Answer 3

D

Question 4

If repeatedly having the same conversation with an employee has no positive impact on their performance, this is a likely sign that the manager's approach is not working, and that they need to discard their assumptions and re-analyse the problem with an open mind.

Question 5

To address the situation of an employee who approaches their work with an attitude typical of entitlement culture, a manager should:

A) lighten their workload to make their job easier.
B) increase their workload to challenge and motivate them.
C) speak candidly with the employee about their responsibility to focus on performance, productivity and/or their customers, and the need to change their attitude accordingly.
D) refer the employee for counselling.
E) tell the employee straight out that their attitude is poor and that they need to improve it immediately.

Question 6

Where an employee's poor performance involves serious misconduct that endangers the safety of others, the most appropriate approach would be to:

A) use 'I' messages to describe the performance gap, feelings regarding the underperformance and why the performance shortfall matters.
B) apply the Describe-Explain-Suggest model.
C) apply the Describe-Explain-Suggest-Consequences model.
D) apply the 'fogging' technique.
E) None of these responses are correct.

Question 7

To address the situation of an employee who was previously an excellent performer, but whose performance has now fallen to an unacceptably low level, their manager should:

A) with support from the human resources manager, immediately place the employee on probation or a performance-based employment agreement.
B) acknowledge the employee's underperformance and seek a written assurance from them that their performance will improve by a certain date.
C) acknowledge the employee's underperformance, investigate any possible causes of it, brainstorm solutions to address it, and show faith that it will improve.
D) acknowledge the employee's underperformance and lighten their duties or workload.
E) acknowledge the employee's underperformance and direct them to take leave until they sort out what is wrong and how to improve.

Question 8

Once agreement has been reached on the actions to be taken in a performance management process, all that remains to do is to document the discussions and, where necessary, forward the documentation to the human resources manager.

Question 9

Which of the following would be an inappropriate action when counselling an employee displaying excessive absenteeism?

A) Discuss the importance of dependable, regular attendance and review the organisation's leave procedures.
B) Express concern about the continued absences and their effect on the employee's work and/or work team.
C) Enquire only about work-related factors contributing to the absences.
D) Find out whether the employee could benefit from using an employee assistance program that the organisation provides.
E) Use reflective listening responses to encourage the employee to talk.

Question 10

Which of the following is an example of a performance gap related to an employee's conduct?

A) Submitting invoices to Finance for each of the last three months a day after they were due
B) Achieving typing grammar and spelling accuracy of 85 per cent, which is five per cent below the expected standard
C) Missing the 5 p.m. cut-off for funding submissions on the last three occasions they were due
D) Failing to meet the expected call pick-up target of allowing no more than three rings for at least 90 per cent of inbound customer calls
E) Having to be constantly reminded to 'lock' their computer screen to maintain the privacy of sensitive information

Question 11

Where a manager wants one of their part-time team members to increase their workload from three to four days a week, but the employee refuses because they need two days off to take their elderly parents to medical appointments, this is an example of:

A) intrapersonal role conflict.
B) interpersonal role conflict.
C) interdepartmental role conflict.
D) interbehavioural role conflict.
E) intercultural role conflict.

Question 12

If an employee takes legal action for unfair or unlawful dismissal, to defend the termination action successfully, it is important that their manager has:

A) obtained the agreement of the employee's colleagues that the employee was underperforming.
B) obtained an admission from the employee that they were underperforming.
C) clearly documented and described the employee's performance gap in specific behavioural or measurable terms.
D) provided the employee with three verbal warnings prior to dismissal.
E) All of these responses are correct.

Question 13

Ideally, when managing underperformance, a manager should appear to be:

A) hard on the person but soft on the problem.
B) hard on the problem but soft on the person.
C) hard on both the person and the problem.
D) soft on both the person and the problem.
E) ambivalent towards both the person and the problem.

Question 14

It is the responsibility of the manager of an underperforming employee to make sure the employee clearly understands:

A) the standard of performance required.
B) the precise performance gap and why it matters.
C) how the manager is prepared to help the employee to reach the required standard.
D) the consequences of continued poor performance.
E) All of these responses are correct.

Question 15

Where a manager identifies a straightforward performance gap to which the solution is obvious, they should use:

A) constructive feedback.
B) negative feedback.
C) positive feedback.
D) corrective feedback.
E) general feedback.

Question 16

Where a manager observes unacceptable employee behaviour in the form of constant interrupting, it is the:

A) first step (analysing information) to improving performance.
B) second step (giving good information) to improving performance.
C) third step (gathering good information) to improving performance.
D) fourth step (problem-solving) to improving performance.
E) fifth step (agreeing on actions) to improving performance.

Question 17

Choose the best answer. When an employee underperforms, their manager has a responsibility to:

A) recognise the problem and give the employee time to improve their performance before taking any corrective action.
B) discipline the employee immediately.
C) address the underperformance at the employee's next performance review.
D) recognise the problem and take prompt corrective action to address and resolve the underperformance.
E) refer the matter to the human resources manager to commence disciplinary proceedings.

Question 18

Which of the following would not be considered a possible option as part of the problem-solving step in managing underperformance?

A) Providing coaching
B) Documenting consequences in the event of continued underperformance
C) Delegating extra duties to the employee
D) Streamlining or rearranging poorly designed work systems
E) Lightening the employee's workload

Question 19

Choose the best answer. To find and fix the cause of underperformance, a manager needs to:

A) psychoanalyse the underperforming employee, either themselves or through formal counselling, to determine the root of the problem.
B) investigate whether the employee has been fully trained in the job and done the job for long enough to have built up the necessary experience and confidence.
C) consider whether the employee's job is correctly designed.
D) diagnose the cause of the poor performance by looking at all aspects of the 'five keys', and determining which are applicable.
E) offer the employee positive incentives such as greater pay or better working conditions.

Question 20

The two overall goals when discussing underperformance are to maintain or enhance the employee's self-esteem, and to help the employee accept and correct the performance shortfall.

Question 21

'Please outline any personal problems that you are experiencing that are affecting your work performance.' This statement is an acceptable way of broaching a situation in which a manager suspects mental illness is affecting an employee's performance.

Question 22

If a manager suspects that an employee is suffering from a mental illness that could pose a threat to the sufferer as well as those around them if it is untreated or not treated adequately, they should:

A) send the employee home immediately.
B) lighten the employee's workload.
C) listen to the employee, diagnose the problem and suggest appropriate treatment.
D) work with the organisation's human resources specialist to manage the situation appropriately.
E) directly refer the employee to a clinical psychiatrist.

Question 23

If an employee is dismissed on the basis or poor work performance, what would have been the first step in formally commencing this process?

A) Performance improvement discussions
B) An initial warning as part of a performance counselling interview
C) A written warning
D) A second performance counselling interview
E) A final warning

Question 24

An employee assistance program (EAP) is a service that many organisations offer. It is often outsourced to external providers where employees are provided with access to psychologists, psychiatrists, social welfare workers and, in some cases, legal advisors to provide confidential, free, professional counselling and advice.

Question 25

Which of the following is not a lawful reason to terminate an employee's employment?

A) Redundancy as a result of the introduction of new technology or organisational changes
B) Inability or continued failure to do the job adequately
C) Retrenchment due to the organisation's operational requirements
D) An employee's failure to conduct himself or herself in a manner appropriate to the job
E) Absence from work due to carer's or parental leave

Question 26

For a termination process to be lawful, what length of time must an employee be given to improve their performance after the initial warning?

A) One month
B) Three months
C) Six months
D) A period specified by the employee
E) A period agreed to between the employer and employee which is realistically long enough to allow the employee to perform to expectations

Question 27

Which of the following is a way a manager may be able to assist an employee with personal problems?

A) Listening
B) Easing the employee's workload
C) Providing time off from work (with or without pay, depending on the circumstances)
D) Offering counselling through an employee assistance program (EAP)
E) All of these responses are correct.

Question 28

Which of the following is appropriate approach when discussing with an employee their work performance, which is suffering as a result of a mental illness?

A) Minimising the employee's stress as much as possible
B) Describing how and why the employee's fitness for work is of concern
C) Stressing that the goal is to assist the employee to deal with their problem, if possible
D) Highlighting the desire to help the employee return their performance to its previously high level
E) All of these responses are correct.

Question 29

Where an employee suspected of suffering from a mental illness undergoes an assessment by a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist, after the assessment has been completed, the employee's manager has a workplace responsibility to find out:

A) the clinical nature of the employee's illness.
B) whether the employee is currently able to safely perform the duties listed in their job description.
C) what medication the employee is taking or will be taking.
D) what ongoing treatment the employee will be receiving.
E) All of these responses are correct.

Question 30

When might immediate termination be lawful despite an employer not having provided the requisite warnings and period for performance improvement?

A) In the case of an employee failing to perform an important aspect of their role
B) In the case of an employee being absent without notification
C) In the case of serious misconduct
D) In the case of a sudden and significant decline in work performance
E) All of these responses are correct.