Tailor your response to the issue
There's a variety of topics that may lead to challenging conversations. For example, to:
- Address poor performance or conduct
- Deal with personal problems
- Investigate complaints/deal with grievances
- Comfort or reassure someone – for example, if they're going to be made redundant
- Tackle personality clashes
- Deal with potentially delicate situations, such as turning down requests for annual leave or to work flexibly
For all of the above, you'll want to respond to the issue with an informal chat first, before arranging a meeting. This is so you can check in on how the staff member is feeling, which may in turn bring up underlying issues. You can use a system of welfare checks to understand how your staff are doing, address problems and provide any support they need.
