Inside the App: Replacement Players

Frequent, ongoing performance evaluations are extremely helpful for managers in tracking productivity, keeping employees motivated, and planning for the future.

With the Truvelop app, scorecards help managers to accurately analyze individual employee performance and the overall status of the team. Is someone in need of mentorship or professional development? Could a high-performing team member be ready for advancement?

What if a team member isn’t performing? Replacement players can pose a real risk to your team and organization. Failure to appropriately address issues associated with these team members can foster resentment, mixed messages, and lack of accountability throughout your team and the entire organization.

However, replacement doesn't always mean eliminate. If a player is determined to be underperforming, it’s time to re-evaluate. It could be that the team member is simply in the wrong role.

Managers can get frustrated with underperforming team members, but in a lot of cases, the team member isn’t even aware of their deficiencies. It is important that when completing evaluations, managers include comments and notes to provide context and opportunities for improvement. Communication shouldn’t stop there. If a manager sees room for improvement, they need to frequently communicate the issues with the employee to monitor progress.

In the cases when attitude or maintenance issues may be so high, regardless of the team members potential, managers are left with no choice but to remove the individual from the organization.

Our team shares a few actionable steps to help managers decide what to do with a Replacement Player.

• Move Over
  • If you think this team member is under performing because they are in the wrong role, consider another role within the company in which the employee might be a better fit.
  • Review with your management peers, or your supervisors, other available roles for a team member with their skill set and potential. Discuss with the team member their goals, ambitions, and openness to a different role in the organization, and if they buy in, build a transition plan.
  • You may have to sell this idea to your manager or to other managers in the organization. Look for existing or previous success stories within your organization to demonstrate the wisdom of shifting this team member’s role. Once the move is approved, clearly define the timeline for the role transition with your team and the employee’s new team.
• Move Up
  • If you believe the team member has the potential to grow into a C-Player or better, consider placing the team member on a documented Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). A PIP should indicate a commitment on your part to help the team member improve, not to vent your frustrations as a manager or to start the termination process.
  • A PIP should include the following:
    • Clearly stated behavior modifications
    • Realistic, achievable, and measurable results
    • Realistic time frame and deadlines
    • Appropriate training where necessary to develop skill set in underperforming areas
    • Addressing individual issues or personal habits--such as tardiness, lack of courtesy in workspace, etc., that are undermining the team member's potential for success
    • Details on how often you will meet with the team member to measure improvement and provide support
    • Clearly stated consequences for both meeting the objectives and measurables of the PIP and failure to meet the objectives and measurables of the PIP
  • A PIP can be tracked in the Truvelop app and should be incorporated into the evaluation process. The employee should be evaluated based on their ability to meet the requirements of the PIP.

• Move Out
  • If after working towards a PIP, the team member is still not performing up to standards, it may be time to part ways. To ensure proper compliance and avoid any legal risks, contact your supervisor and HR Department. Consult with them to understand your organization’s specific steps to move someone out of your organization.
  • Be sure to have data to back up your case. Review previous Truvelop scores and history, performance assessments or reviews, as well as the results of PIP.
  • Ensure you have all documentation where you have discussed and documented performance or attitude issues and discussed these issues with the team member. If you have been using Truvelop, that will all be present in the team members Summary history.

Employee development is an important role of the manager, but some managers don’t understand how to foster development and growth among team members. The Truvelop app is a helpful tool for managers to evaluate, monitor and engage employees, and provides managers with helpful tips for each type of employee from an A player to a Replacement Player.

Contact us today to learn more about our modern approach to performance management and development that actually improves the manager and employee relationship. Don’t just take our word for it, see what our Customers have to say.