Can I dismiss someone who continually misses their targets from the KPI's that are set?

As a company it is vital to monitor the performance of all employees and to ensure that all are achieving any targets that they have been set. A company should have targets in place so employees are aware of what is expected of them and what they have to achieve. If it is the case that an employee is not reaching their targets or completing work to an employer’s satisfaction it must be investigated whether this is due to poor conduct or a genuine lack of ability. An employer is entitled to dismiss an employee who is not meeting targets due to poor conduct as this satisfies an employee breaking the terms of their employment. If it becomes apparent that it is an employee’s lack of ability that is impeding their work there is a series of procedures an employer must follow before being able to fairly dismiss the employee. If informal procedures are not making a difference, a formal procedure will need to be started. A hearing should be held, where the employee is informed that they are underperforming and not achieving the targets expected and therefore not working to the standards expected of them. At this point an employer can give the employee an opportunity to discuss any reason they may not be achieving their targets and any way this issue can be resolved. If the employer feels that a formal warning is appropriate, this should be given and held on the personnel file for a set period. A timescale should also be given to the employee in which to improve and they should be fully informed on how they should do this. Appropriate training or support should also be on offer for example if an employee is unaware of how to use new computerised systems and this is impacting their work the employee in question should be trained in how to best use these systems to achieve their targets. Issues with ability are particularly relevant to older employees who may be struggling due to the technology in use or health problems and appropriate support should be offered. If at the end of this time period the employee is still not capable of achieving targets the employer is entitled to consider dismissal, however the employee should be made aware of their right to appeal. For advice on implementing KPI's then contact the Peninsula Advice Service on 0844 892 2772.