Most entrepreneurs find that once they have started up their businesses, they require assistance to help them grow. However, hiring employees is fraught with uncertainty. Sometimes the candidate who appears so promising during the interview displays less than exemplary behavior on the job. Here are some tips on what to do about employees whose productivity needs improvement.

Set Deadlines

Although almost everyone occasionally puts off work for various reasons, some employees make a habit of procrastination. This can demoralize and stress out your team and put projects with deadlines at risk. Set strict schedules with absolute deadlines for potential procrastinators. If necessary, check on them daily to be sure that they are keeping up with their work.

Clarify Expectations

Some employees continually show up late for work, take long breaks, or call in sick in the midst of crucial projects. These people who vanish mysteriously, often when they are most needed, must be given clearly-defined schedules. Clarify the time regulations to these individuals, and consistently enforce them.

Assign Specific Workloads

Certain types of lazy employees continually attempt to get others to do their work. They delegate responsibilities even when they have no authority to do so. Monitor these employees to be sure they can handle their workloads, and make it clear to them that the work you assign is for them to do and no one else.

Document Patterns

To counter employees who make up excuse after excuse to evade work responsibilities, you may have to document their behavior. Keep a record of every excuse they make, so that when their multiple excuses show a clear pattern, you are able to easily confront them and expose their duplicity.

Communicate Effectively

Some employees engage in damaging workplace gossip, either through face-to-face encounters or via email or social media. These people can drain the productivity of others and even jeopardize your business by leaking confidential information. To quell this type of disturbance, get close to these individuals and attempt to find out if they have issues of concern that trouble them. Otherwise, you may have to let them go.

For more advice on handling employees with low productivity, contact Nations Capital Financing.