Diagnosing Performance Issues

In many fields, diagnosing issues has become a natural part of the job. Think of an IT technician identifying a network issue because your computer won’t connect. A teacher understands why a student struggles with a particular subject or a vet diagnosing what’s wrong with your poorly pet.

In these scenarios, years of experience and training guide professionals to pinpoint the root cause of a problem accurately and efficiently. However, in the workplace, how qualified are managers when it comes to diagnosing employee performance problems?

Identifying the source of performance issues in the workplace can be a real challenge for even the most seasoned leaders. In fact, one of the most crucial components of Transforming Your Workplace Wellbeing is understanding how to assess, address, and correct performance issues accurately.

In my work through More Than Motivation, I’ve helped businesses and management teams diagnose and solve issues related to performance, stress, and motivation. Having coached numerous organisations on the Root Causes of Stress in the Workplace, I can assure you that when leaders overlook the need for accurate performance diagnostics, it doesn’t just impact the individual—it can impact the entire team and the wellbeing of the workplace as a whole. When left unresolved, performance issues can increase stress, reduce productivity, and make it harder to Build Positive Work Relationships.

Understanding and resolving performance issues isn’t always easy, but it’s fundamental to fostering a healthy, successful team culture. In this article, we’ll delve into why diagnosing performance issues accurately and resolving them effectively is essential to creating a thriving workplace and explore the transformative rewards it can bring.

Why Diagnosing Performance Issues is So Important for Workplace Wellbeing

Performance management is a critical responsibility in leadership but human behaviour is decidedly more complex and nuanced than IT issues.

Unlike machines, people are driven by varied motivations. Performance issues, stress, and disengagement are frequently rooted in emotional, psychological, or environmental factors that require a thoughtful, thorough approach to understanding them.

However, one fundamental truth holds for both: to solve a performance problem effectively, you must first diagnose it accurately. When it comes to people, this requires recognising a fundamental principle—people do things for a reason. Identifying that reason is the key to unlocking employee potential.

Workplaces that succeed in building a Sustainable Wellbeing Strategy know that people’s actions stem from the rewards and consequences they experience. When you can accurately diagnose the cause of a performance problem, you create the opportunity to make impactful, lasting improvements—not only for the individual but for the entire team. Conversely, a failure to do so can further exacerbate the problem, ultimately harming the wellbeing of the team, the work culture, and the business.

As a leader, recognising that people act for a reason can help you uncover the underlying motivations driving their behaviour. This knowledge can then be used to address performance issues in ways that improve morale, reduce stress, and make it easier for employees to contribute effectively. And this is key to achieving Employee Wellbeing in the Workplace, especially when it comes to creating an environment where everyone can thrive.

The Driving Force Behind Performance: People Do What They Find Rewarding

Human behaviour is driven by rewards and consequences. We tend to gravitate toward rewarding actions and avoid those that result in negative outcomes. Whether they’re a “go-getter” who is passionate about their work or someone who’s just clocking in and underperforming, this is the basis for why employees perform as they do. However, many workplace dynamics unintentionally reinforce the wrong behaviours.

Consider a common scenario: A manager assigns a critical task to a competent employee who consistently delivers accurate, timely work. Meanwhile, the less engaged employee, who doesn’t put in the same effort, is overlooked for that task.

This dynamic creates an imbalance—one employee is being rewarded with more work (but not necessarily more recognition), while the underperforming employee escapes further responsibility. Leading to resentment and disengagement from your high performers while allowing underperformance to go unaddressed.

I drew a bizarre parallel to this one day while walking my dogs. Initially, when they pulled on the lead, I kept moving forward, so… naturally they just kept pulling. I realised at that moment that when I allowed them to do this I was encouraging poor behaviour from them. This continued until I started stopping each time they pulled, even turning around and heading back to the house at times. They quickly learned that pulling resulted in the opposite of what they wanted – to move forward. So they stopped pulling. This made our walks far more enjoyable for both of us.

Now I know that as an analogy, dogs and humans are vastly different and I’m in no way suggesting you start attaching leashes to your employees (please don’t do that). However, the concept remains the same – when we reward negative behaviour or overlook it entirely, it only serves to reinforce that behaviour.

Another common misstep occurs when managers choose to do a task themselves rather than assign it to an employee who failed to complete it correctly the first time. While seemingly more efficient in the short term, it reinforces poor performance by allowing the employee to avoid learning from their mistakes. Instead of improving their skills, the employee becomes dependent on the manager to “fix” things. Over time, the employee doesn’t learn or grow, and the manager reinforces their own belief that it’s quicker to simply do it themselves – perpetuating a cycle of inefficiency.

In both cases, the key issue is misaligned rewards. Positive behaviours like competence, engagement, and responsibility are not being reinforced. Instead, underperformance and avoidance are being rewarded, whether intentionally or not. It’s also a stark reminder of the Importance of Managing the Demands on Employees.

The Role of Leadership in Diagnosing and Addressing Performance Issues

The truth is many performance issues stem from leadership, often caused by unclear or poorly communicated expectations. One of the most common problems I see in leadership is The Impact of Unclear Responsibilities and Expectations on People. When expectations are vague or poorly communicated, employees can feel lost or unsure of what is required to succeed. This leads to frustration, disengagement, and a significant dip in performance. For this reason, leaders have a critical role in diagnosing and resolving performance issues within their teams.

To expect employees to perform well, they need to understand what “good” looks like in clear, explicit, and behavioural terms. Simply telling someone to “work harder” or “do better” is insufficient. Leaders need to define success in measurable and observable ways: What does the task look like when it’s done correctly? What specific behaviours are required to meet that standard?

By setting clear expectations and providing explicit direction, leaders can remove a significant amount of stress from their employees’ lives.

Moreover, when diagnosing a performance issue, it’s essential to distinguish between a “can’t do” problem and a “won’t do” problem:

A “Can’t Do” Problem

If an employee lacks the skills, knowledge, or tools necessary to complete a task, the solution may be as simple as additional training or support. It’s unfair to expect someone to excel at a task they aren’t equipped for, and as leaders, it’s our responsibility to make sure our teams have what they need to succeed.

A “Won’t Do” Problem

On the other hand, a “won’t do” problem usually points to a motivational or attitudinal issue. Perhaps the employee doesn’t see the value in the task or feels that doing the right thing results in a negative outcome, such as more work or a lack of recognition. Addressing this might involve discussing the role’s value, ensuring tasks align with personal strengths, or simply acknowledging good work.

Key Questions Leaders Must  Ask Themselves

To accurately diagnose performance issues, leaders should ask themselves critical questions that cut to the heart of the problem:

• Are my expectations clear? Employees need to know exactly what is required of them, in unambiguous terms.
• Do they have the necessary skills and resources? Without the right tools, knowledge, and training, even the best employees can struggle. It’s the leader’s responsibility to ensure that employees are adequately equipped.
• Is there an unintended reward for the wrong behaviour? When employees receive negative consequences for positive actions, such as being given extra work without recognition, they may disengage.
• Are there job design issues? Sometimes, the problem isn’t the employee but the role itself. If a job is poorly designed or doesn’t align with an employee’s strengths and potential, performance will suffer.
• Does this employee have the potential to excel in this role? Not every individual is a perfect fit for every role, and recognising this can lead to better team alignment. Not every employee is a perfect fit for every role, recognising whether someone is a good match for the job can lead to better team alignment.

The Path to Better Performance

Here’s the good news. People want to do well! Employees generally want to contribute, succeed, and feel valued. If performance is lacking, an underlying obstacle is often preventing them from thriving.

Once the source of performance issues is accurately diagnosed, the solution becomes much clearer. Whether the solution involves training, job redesign, clearer expectations, or a change in motivational strategies, the right intervention will address the core problems of underperformance rather than just treating the symptoms.

By taking the time to diagnose and address these barriers and Investing in Employee Wellbeing leaders can foster a more rewarding, engaging, and productive work environment – yielding lasting improvements and better performance.

Download the Performance Navigator and Unlock Your Team’s Performance

Accurate performance diagnosis is the first step towards resolving workplace challenges and building a resilient, high-functioning team. To help with this process, consider using our Performance Navigator—a free flowchart designed to guide you through identifying the root cause of performance issues.

This tool will provide clarity and direction, giving you confidence in making informed decisions that lead to long-lasting improvements in your team’s performance.

Investing in these diagnostics today will not only lead to immediate benefits but also help create the type of healthy, sustainable work environment that supports long-term success. Download the Performance Navigator now and take the first step in diagnosing and solving your workplace performance issues with confidence.

As a professional member of the International Stress Management Association, holder of a CPCAB-accredited Level 5 Diploma in Mental Health & Wellbeing Awareness and an accredited Practitioner of Motivational Maps and Liberating Leadership, I can help you develop a wellbeing strategy, undertake stress risk assessments to protect your workforce, and provide team and leadership development for your organisation.

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