--- title: 4 tips to turn around poor staff performance [cheat sheet] description: Use these four strategies to help address poor staff performance. image: https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/hubfs/3.%20Infographics%20and%20cheat%20sheets/4%20tips%20to%20turn%20around%20poor%20staff%20performance.png --- 28 May 2019 # 4 tips to turn around poor staff performance [cheat sheet] WRITTEN BYJames Price | JPAbusiness If you choose to **condone poor performance** by a staff member, you’re sending a pretty negative message to other team members about your expectations for your business i.e. those **expectations are pretty low**! And if you don’t deal with that individual with **respect and in a professional and fair way**, you’re also sending a negative message about your **business culture** and ‘how things are done here'. The following cheat sheet sets out **4 strategies for turning around poor performance** while taking into account the two points above, i.e: - performance issues must be dealt with, and - they must be dealt with in a respectful way. [![4 tips to turn around poor staff performance](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/3.%20Infographics%20and%20cheat%20sheets/4%20tips%20to%20turn%20around%20poor%20staff%20performance.png?width=700&name=4%20tips%20to%20turn%20around%20poor%20staff%20performance.png)](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/hubfs/3.%20Infographics%20and%20cheat%20sheets/4%20tips%20to%20turn%20around%20poor%20staff%20performance.pdf) In our ebook [Managing Staff for High Performance](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/operator/managing-staff-for-high-performance) we explained how to manage staff on a daily basis using our **Dynamic Performance Checklist**.  If this process is working well there should be minimal requirement for corrective action. However, we're all humans and we're all fallible, so there is always room for improvement, as well as issues that can lead to performance below expectations. ### Do your homework While [Performance in Review](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/the-5-step-performance-review-infographic) sessions and related discussions on poor performance are often sensitive, ‘behind closed doors discussions’, **one golden rule is not to act in isolation. ** Talk to other team members and enlist their advice and feedback on the drivers and issues relating to performance. This needs to be done sensitively, but homework is important in getting an effective and lasting result. ### Take action If you find there is more to the issue than just poor performance by the individual, then **the business needs to act to refine the role or support the individual.** If you find you’re dealing with an individual who may be a ‘square peg in a round hole’, you need to **have a discussion about exiting the organisation or finding other roles** within the business that may be more appropriate for their skills and capabilities. JPAbusiness offers a wide range of [business advisory services](https://www.jpabusiness.com.au/business-advice/business-performance), including staff performance management advice. [C](https://www.jpabusiness.com.au/contactus)[ontact](https://www.jpabusiness.com.au/contactus) the team** **for a confidential, obligation-free discussion.  ![Managing staff for high performance cover 2 2022](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/hubfs/1.%20Images/Updated%20document%20cover%20images%202022/Managing%20staff%20for%20high%20performance%20cover%202%202022.png) Free ebook Managing staff for high performance This ebook covers: How to conduct a performance review for improved results; The research behind evaluating staff performance; Strategies for turning around poor employee performance.   [Learn more ](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/operator/managing-staff-for-high-performance) Share this Article Share this blog post on Twitter [mailto:?subject=Share%20this%20blog%20post&body=https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/4-tips-to-turn-around-poor-staff-performance-cheat-sheet](mailto:?subject=Share%20this%20blog%20post&body=https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/4-tips-to-turn-around-poor-staff-performance-cheat-sheet) Copied to clipboard Topics - [cheat sheet ](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/topic/cheat-sheet) - [staff management ](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/topic/staff-management) - [staff performance ](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/topic/staff-performance) - [performance review ](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/topic/performance-review) - [managing employees ](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/topic/managing-employees) About James Price | JPAbusiness James Price has over 30 years’ experience in providing strategic, commercial and valuation advice to Australian and international business clients. James’ blogs provide business advice for aspiring and current small to mid-sized business owners, operators and managers. #### Related Blog Posts ### [How to conduct performance reviews for senior staff](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/how-to-conduct-performance-reviews-for-senior-staff) I recently put together some questions for my senior staff to consider in advance of their Annual... [Read more ](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/how-to-conduct-performance-reviews-for-senior-staff) ### [10 ways to drive strategic value in your business [checklist]](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/10-ways-to-drive-strategic-value-in-your-business-checklist) The JPAbusiness Strategic Value Checklist examines the business and industry characteristics which... [Read more ](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/10-ways-to-drive-strategic-value-in-your-business-checklist) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "James Price | JPAbusiness", "url" : "https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/author/james-price-jpabusiness" }, "dateModified" : "2025-10-21T02:46:57.649Z", "datePublished" : "2019-05-28T16:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "4 tips to turn around poor staff performance [cheat sheet]", "image" : [ "https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/hubfs/3.%20Infographics%20and%20cheat%20sheets/4%20tips%20to%20turn%20around%20poor%20staff%20performance.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/4-tips-to-turn-around-poor-staff-performance-cheat-sheet", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/hubfs/JPAbusiness-logo.svg" }, "name" : "JPAbusiness Pty Ltd" } } ```