What to Do When a Good Employee Stops Performing
- Sara Shinn
- Jun 17
- 3 min read
This is one of the hardest situations a manager faces.
Not because it is complicated.
Because it is personal.
When someone who has been reliable, engaged, and capable suddenly starts missing the mark, the instinct is often to wait. To hope it is temporary. To avoid a conversation that feels uncomfortable when the history between you is good.
But waiting rarely makes it better.
The First Question to Ask Is Not "What Is Wrong with Them"
When a previously strong employee starts underperforming, the most important thing to understand is why.
Performance does not usually decline without a reason.
Something changed — and until you understand what, you are solving the wrong problem.
Common causes include:
Something shifted in their personal life that is affecting their focus or energy
The role evolved and they were not set up to grow with it
They are experiencing conflict with a colleague or manager that has gone unaddressed
They feel disconnected from the work, the team, or the direction of the organization
They are burnt out — and have been for longer than anyone realized
No one has told them clearly that there is a problem
That last one is more common than most leaders want to admit.
Have the Conversation Before It Becomes a Crisis
Most performance issues that escalate to formal action did not have to get there.
They got there because the early signs were ignored, excused, or addressed so gently that the employee did not realize a real concern was being raised.
A good employee deserves a direct, honest conversation — not hints, not vague feedback, not a tone shift they are left to interpret on their own.
That conversation does not have to be punitive. It can be curious.
"I have noticed a change, and I want to understand what is going on."
"I want to be honest with you because I respect the work you have done here."
"What do you need from me right now to get back on track?"
Most people, when approached with genuine care and clarity, respond to that conversation. They appreciate being told the truth by someone who clearly still believes in them.
Clarity Is an Act of Respect
One of the most important things a leader can do in this situation is to be clear about what is expected — and what is not currently happening.
Not as a threat. As information.
A good employee who is struggling often knows something is off. What they may not know is how visible it is, how it is landing with others, or what specifically needs to change.
Giving them that clarity — directly and with care — is not harsh.
It is respectful.
It gives them the opportunity to course correct, which is what most people in this situation genuinely want to do.
When Support Is Needed
Sometimes performance declines because someone needs resources they do not have.
That might look like additional training, a shift in responsibilities, more frequent check-ins, or access to support outside the organization such as an employee assistance program.
Before moving toward formal action, it is worth asking honestly whether the organization has done its part.
Has the expectation been clearly communicated?
Has the person been given a real opportunity to improve?
Has support been offered — not just assumed?
If the answer to any of those is no, that is where to start.
When the Conversation Has Happened and Nothing Changes
Sometimes, despite a clear conversation, genuine support, and adequate time, performance does not improve.
That is a different situation — and it requires a different response.
At that point, the question is no longer how to help someone get back on track. It becomes whether this role, this organization, and this person are still the right fit for each other.
That conversation is harder. But it is also one that good leaders do not avoid indefinitely.
Allowing ongoing underperformance to continue without accountability sends a message to the rest of the team. It signals that standards are flexible.
That follow-through is optional. Failure to have that conversation places the organization in a tough spot - indicating silently that performance does not actually matter as much as the company says it does.
Final Thought
When a good person stops performing, they deserve a leader who notices, who asks, and who tells them the truth.
Not a leader who waits until the situation forces the conversation.
The most respectful thing you can do for someone you believe in is to address it early, clearly, and with the kind of honesty that gives them a real chance to find their footing again.
That is not a hard conversation.
That is good leadership.
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