The IRS research shows that under-performing employees are more likely to be absent from work, fail to meet their work objectives, and have generally lower standards of work than their colleagues.
Most HR practitioners also report that poor performers frequently do less, miss deadlines and have a poor attitude to their colleagues – with substantial minorities also concerned that this feeds through into the way they deal with customers, and even into workplace accidents.
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The impact on the organisation as a whole can be dramatic. More than nine out of 10 (92%) HR practitioners say poor individual performance affects motivation and morale, three-fifths (61%) report a fall in service delivery standards, and 57% claim it has an impact on productivity.
More than half (54%) say poor performers are responsible for more complaints from customers, while four out of 10 (41%) believe they are directly to blame for lower turnover and profits.
