Evaluate the role of the line manager in managing under-performance Essay

Evaluate the role of the line manager in managing under-performance - Essay Example bination of interpersonal and technical skills while for medical doctors the term ‘performance’ is depended rather on specific financial and administration skills’ (Nelson and Quick 2010, p.196). It is assumed that under performance reflects the lack of the skills that are necessary for responding to the needs of a particular role. Dowling, Festing and Engle (2008) tried to identify the key elements of under performance in regard to expatriates. They came to the conclusion that for expatriates, failure, which incorporates under performance, means ‘the premature return of an expatriate’ (Dowling, Festing and Engle 2008, p.112). In accordance with this view, under performance can be used for highlighting the failure of an employee to complete successfully the tasks assigned to him. A similar definition of the term ‘under performance’ is included in the study of Scullion (2006). In accordance with the above researcher, the term ‘under performance’ should be defined as ‘assignment failure’ (Scullion 2006, p.60). This explanation of under performance may be inaccurate, i.e. it may not reflect the actual status of employee performance. Such risk exists in case that an employee failed to complete the tasks assigned to him but not because of his fault but due to facts or conditions that they could not prevented, like, for example, a strike. From a similar point of view, Werner and DeSimone (2008) noted that the term ‘under performance’, or else ‘poor performance’, is difficult to be clearly defined since it is likely to be related to different criteria. For example, the level of performance of an employee may be characterized as high in regarding to a specific position and as low regarding to another position. For this reason, it is suggested that... It is evident from the study that the development of the phenomenon of employee under performance in modern organizations has been related to many factors. In accordance with Hadikin and O’Driscoll employees are likely to under perform when the conditions in the workplace are hostile for them. Reference is made especially to bullying, as a problem expanded in most organizations worldwide. It is noted though that the response of employees to bullying is not standardized. Under certain conditions, bullying may not lead to employee under performance, if for example the employee involved decides to report the problem to the firm’s HR manager. From another point of view, Berman considers that employee under performance is not related to the conditions in the organizational environment but rather to the personal attitudes of employees. It is explained that employees who are likely to avoid taking initiatives in regard to critical organizational issues tend to under perform wh en having to face such conditions. Moreover, employees that believe in their capabilities and their potentials to respond effectively to the needs of all tasks assigned to them are not expected to under perform, in opposition with employees who believe that their performance can ‘be affected by factors outside their control’. On the other hand, Shields explained that when having to identify the causes of employees’ under performance managers should search both for personal reasons, such as the attitudes or the background of employees, and for external reasons, meaning the conditions of the organizational environment.