You may be tempted to begin right away letting go the people you have decided to replace. But take a moment first to consider alternatives. Letting an employee go can be difficult and time-consuming. Even if poor performance is well documented, the termination process can take months or longer. If there is no paper trail regarding poor performance, it will take time to document.
Fortunately, you do have some alternatives. Often, a poor performer will decide to move on of his or her own accord in response to a clear message from you. Alternatively, you can work with human resources to shift the person to a more suitable position:
- Move them laterally. Shift the person to a position on the team that better suits his or her skills. This is unlikely to be a permanent solution for a problem performer, but it can help you work through the shortterm problem of keeping the organization running while you look for the right person to fill the slot.
- Move the person elsewhere in the organization. Work with human resources to help the person find a suitable position in the larger organization. Sometimes, if handled well, this move can benefit you, the individual, and the organization overall. But don’t pursue this solution unless you are genuinely convinced the person can perform well in the new situation. Simply shifting a problem performer onto someone else’s shoulders will damage your reputation.