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Job performance is considered ineffective when productivity is below a standard considered acceptable at a given time. Most instances of poor job performance are attributable to a small proportion of the work force. Ineffective performers consume considerable managerial time and drive the overall company performance backwards.

The causes of ineffective performance can be rooted in the person, the job, the manager, or the company. Usually ineffective performance is caused by a combination of several factors as Durbin states. He discusses the model of control, in order to improve ineffective performance. It is divided into seven steps that could be followed in sequence and are to define effective or acceptable performance, to detect deviation from acceptable performance, to confront the substandard performer, to set improvement goals, to select and implement an action plan for improvement, to reevaluate performance after a time interval and to continue or discontinue the action plan.

Corrective actions for ineffective performers are divided into managerial actions and techniques, and organizational programs. Managerial actions include close supervision and corrective discipline. Organizational programs include career counseling, outplacement, and job redesign (previously discussed). Businesses today may use counseling and constructive criticism to deal with poor performers. As a formal discussion, counseling includes criticism, in order for the low-performer to understand the problem, and strive towards its solution, by developing his or her potential. The challenge from the company's side is to use a skillful manager to perform this kind of help, and to balance the situation of the unsatisfied company and the stressed employee.

Avoiding termination procedures, operations may seek to redesign the job or replace the employee, in a different area that suits him/her better. Job satisfaction is then enhanced, as the employer is knowledgeable of the company's actions regarding his/her well-being and has the opportunity of successfully develop.

Finally, empowerment can increase employees' performance levels. This is explained in terms of allowing employees greater freedom, autonomy and self-control over their work, and responsibility for decision-making. Empowerment takes a variety of forms and managers frequently have different intentions and organizations differ in the degree of discretion with which they can empower employees and its popularity has been driven by the need to respond quickly to customer needs, to develop cross-functional links to take advantage of opportunities that are too local or too fleeting to be determined centrally. Better morale and compensation for limited career paths are other advantages. Potential difficulties include the scope for chaos and conflict, the breakdown of hierarchical control, a lack of clarity about where responsibility stops and demoralization on the part of those who do not want additional authority. Successful empowerment will require feedback on performance from a variety of sources, rewards with some group component, an environment tolerant to mistakes and a widely distributed information system.