High performing staff significantly influence a practice’s overall performance and patient experience. However, when staff are underperforming, managers need to be able to address performance issues with fairness, confidence, and ideally with kindness. Managing underperformance can be challenging and confronting for managers. It can be daunting to genuinely support a staff member to improve performance while acting in the practice’s best interests and ensuring that the performance management process is legally compliant. Often by the time a formal performance management process commences, managers are already exhausted by their ongoing attempts to upskill underperforming staff.
Understanding the theory of procedural and substantive fairness is the first step to mitigate the risk of unfair dismissal action. However, being able to apply these legal requirements in practice is the key to conducting a successful performance management process.
This interactive session will enable clinicians to understand:
- What are the legal requirements for performance management and how do these apply in practice?
- How to identify and scope the performance issues?
- How to prepare for and structure the performance management process?
- How to conduct each performance management meeting?
- How to maintain the integrity of the process?
- What is the requisite paper-trail and evidence needed to support the process?
Learning outcomes:
- Understand how the legal requirements for formal performance management translate in practice.
- Find the balance between equitably supporting the staff member while acting in the practice’s best interests.
- Conduct performance management processes confidently, kindly and with compassion.