About the Course
Organizations rarely struggle because they lack performance standards. They struggle because managers cannot consistently diagnose what sits behind missed KPIs, poor conduct, low engagement, recurring conflict, and resistance to accountability, then convert that diagnosis into timely action. This course teaches you how to manage performance problems and difficult employees by building five core capabilities: defining expected standards with SMART goals, separating conduct from capability, documenting evidence through case notes and performance records, applying a performance improvement plan, and escalating concerns through a fair employee relations process. You will work with practical tools linked to competency frameworks, KPI dashboards, root cause analysis, and the RACI matrix so you can manage performance issues with structure instead of instinct.
The course approach turns scattered managerial experience into a repeatable performance management system. You will practice diagnosing gaps with root cause analysis, drafting SMART objectives, building a performance improvement plan, mapping stakeholder roles with a RACI matrix, using feedback models such as SBI, and preparing documentation that supports employee relations review. You will also work with digital workflows such as HRIS case tracking, AI-assisted trend analysis, and evidence logs for remote or hybrid teams. Managing performance problems and difficult employees is the process of addressing underperformance and workplace behavior issues through measurable standards, documented feedback, corrective action, and consistent review. It involves assessment, coaching, documentation, escalation, and reporting. Professionals use it to improve accountability, reduce employee relations risk, and support fair managerial decisions.
What you will learn is practical and role-ready. You will practice hands-on conversations, documentation, action planning, and review structures using realistic workplace scenarios. You will be introduced to broader legal-risk principles, investigation interfaces, and advanced mediation considerations at a foundation to intermediate level, which keeps the course realistic for a five-day format. This course is built for professionals who must act despite time pressure, incomplete information, competing operational priorities, and the need to maintain trust while confronting difficult performance issues.
Target Audience
This course is for professionals who must manage performance problems and difficult employees in real workplace settings where documentation, consistency, and fair action matter. It is especially relevant if you supervise teams, support employee relations casework, or advise managers on performance management processes.
This course is designed for:
- HR Business Partner handling performance management case escalation
- Employee Relations Specialist reviewing conduct and capability documentation
- Line Manager addressing recurring underperformance against KPI targets
- Operations Supervisor managing attendance, behavior, and productivity issues
- Team Leader conducting difficult feedback and coaching conversations
- HR Manager standardizing performance improvement plan processes
- Learning and Development Manager aligning competency gaps with coaching actions
- Department Head overseeing manager consistency in disciplinary decisions
- Workforce Planning Analyst tracking performance trends through HRIS data
- Compliance and Ethics Officer supporting misconduct reporting pathways
Course Objectives
This course equips you to design, manage, and measure performance management initiatives that strengthen accountability, support procedural fairness, and improve workforce decision quality. Each objective focuses on tools and outputs you can use immediately when managing performance problems and difficult employees.
By the end of this course, you'll be able to:
- Assess performance gaps using KPI dashboards, competency frameworks, and root cause analysis
- Apply SMART goals and SBI feedback to a documented performance conversation
- Design a performance improvement plan with milestones, review points, and evidence logs
- Build case notes, warning records, and action trackers in HRIS workflows
- Evaluate conduct and capability issues against policy, procedure, and procedural fairness standards
- Navigate employee relations escalation using RACI matrices and stakeholder mapping
- Implement measurable follow-up using productivity KPIs, attendance metrics, and digital dashboards
- Synthesize findings into manager briefings, employee feedback records, and leadership reports
Requirements & Prerequisites
No formal certification is required. You will benefit most if you currently supervise staff, advise managers, support employee relations processes, or contribute to performance management decisions. Before attending, you should bring one real or representative workplace performance challenge so you can apply SMART goals, KPI analysis, case documentation, and performance improvement planning during the course.
Professional and Organizational Impact
When you lead managing performance problems and difficult employees with credible data and practical strategies, you become a trusted driver of accountability and fair people management. This course teaches you how to act with structure when workplace behavior, output, or engagement starts to slide.
As a professional, you will benefit by:
- Build stronger performance diagnosis using root cause analysis
- Gain confidence drafting defensible performance improvement plans
- Strengthen feedback delivery with SBI and coaching structure
- Enhance documentation quality for employee relations review
- Develop sharper judgment on conduct versus capability cases
- Position yourself as a credible manager adviser
- Expand HRIS-based case tracking and reporting capability
- Build consistency when handling difficult employee conversations
Organizations that embed performance management excellence into daily people leadership reduce costs, mitigate risks, and build lasting competitive advantage. Managing performance problems and difficult employees effectively improves workforce reliability while protecting fairness, morale, and decision integrity.
Your organization will benefit from:
- Reduced productivity loss from unresolved underperformance
- Lower employee relations risk through better documentation
- Stronger manager consistency in corrective action decisions
- Faster intervention on attendance and conduct concerns
- Improved retention of coachable employees through targeted support
- Clearer audit trails in HRIS case management
- Better workforce credibility with fair performance processes
- Stronger market positioning through dependable team execution
Training Methodology
This is a practical, outcome-driven course designed to turn performance management aspiration into measurable action and credible reporting. Every activity is built around the real artefacts you use when managing performance problems and difficult employees.
Methodology includes:
- Calculate performance gaps using KPI dashboards and attendance datasets
- Resolve a difficult employee scenario under workload and morale constraints
- Assess documentation quality against a performance improvement plan checklist
- Map escalation roles with a RACI matrix and reporting chain
- Analyze performance cases from manufacturing, healthcare, finance, and technology
- Build a corrective action plan within time and budget limits
- Review current practices against benchmark case notes and evidence logs
Upcoming Sessions
Next available dates worldwide
Certification
Recognized credentials that advance your career
Participants who complete the Managing Performance Problems and Difficult Employees Training Program earn a Trainingcred Certificate of Achievement, demonstrating professional competence and alignment with global standards in learning and development.
NITA Accredited
Accredited by the National Industrial Training Authority, ensuring programs meet nationally recognized standards of quality and relevance.
CPD Certified
Recognized by the CPD Certification Service, ensuring every program meets internationally benchmarked standards of professional excellence.
Why this course earns its place on your CV
Accredited training, practitioner trainers, and peers on the same career track — the three things real expertise is built on.
Effective Learning & Skill Development
- Build expertise with structured, outcome-driven learning.
- Equip individuals and teams with skills that grow with industry needs.
- Reinforce learning through real-world scenarios, case studies and practical exercises.
Career Growth & Professional Advancement
- Apply what you learn with a proven methodology that ensures lasting impact.
- Develop immediately usable skills that translate directly into workplace success.
- Gain the expertise needed for career advancement and leadership roles.
Training Optimization & Learning Excellence
- Tailor training to industry-specific challenges and organizational goals.
- Use data-driven insights and automation to enhance training effectiveness.
- Evaluate progress and ensure long-term learning success.
