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ACCA Applied Knowledge · Business and Technology · Consequences of ineffectiveness at work

A manager notices that a previously reliable employee now arrives late, avoids team meetings and produces work of lower quality. Which action is the most appropriate first step in addressing this?

The best first step is a private discussion to understand the underlying causes. The behaviour change may stem from stress, personal problems or job issues, and identifying the cause allows an appropriate response, whereas immediate discipline, quietly reassigning work or waiting for appraisal does not address it.

  1. AIssue a formal disciplinary warning immediately
  2. BHold a private discussion to understand the underlying causesCorrect
  3. CReassign the employee's work to colleagues without comment
  4. DWait for the next annual appraisal to raise the matter

Explanation

Changes in behaviour may reflect causes such as stress, personal issues or poor job design. A private, supportive discussion identifies the cause before choosing a remedy. Immediate discipline may worsen the problem, and ignoring or delaying it allows ineffectiveness to continue.

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