Her Comment: "It's Not Life or Death!"

I currently have an employee who is underperforming...to say the least.

In her defense, the job she has is mundane. She's the only one in her particular position. While I've considered changing the position to include more variety, the truth is that her skill limitations don't exactly allow for that. Nor has she shown much of an interest when I've posed the idea.

Lately, her productivity has started to fade...so it was time for a talk.

I called her into my office and started the discussion on a very open note, asking her how she felt things were going. She basically shrugged and said, "OK, I guess." I explained the issue at hand and asked her why it was happening. Was she dissatisfied with her job? Did she want a change at work? Was there something going on outside of work? Was she planning to leave? Is there anything I can do to support improvement? Her responses: No. No. No. No. No.

After a pause, I asked, "Well, given the situation at hand, what do you suggest I do?"

Her response: "I don't understand why you're making such a big deal of this. It's not like this is a life or death thing!"

OK...a few thoughts:

1. Life or death? Of course it's not literally life or death! When you're working in an entry-level, office position, what would actually be life or death? Nothing!

2. Why am I making a big deal of it? Maybe because she's starting to suck at the ONLY thing she has to do!!!

3. Does she really want to morph into that guy who eventually ends up working for free in the basement in Office Space?

Bah!