Poor Work Performance

When an employee’s performance noticeably declines, it is always a loss for the employing company. Sometimes the reasons are health-related, whether physical or psychological, or involve personal difficulties—situations that can affect anyone and for which a prudent employer will usually show understanding. However, the situation is different when the causes clearly involve breaches of employment law, such as misuse of medication during working hours, outright laziness at the workplace, or unauthorised secondary employment that overwhelms the employee and pushes them beyond their capacity. In these cases, the employee is harming their employer at least negligently, if not intentionally.

 

The IHK-certified corporate investigators at Kurtz Investigations Erfurt and Thuringia determine the underlying causes of declining employee performance and provide court-admissible evidence in the event of legal violations: +49 361 2243 0020.

Unconscious or Intentional? Lack of Engagement Harms the Company

In addition to the reasons mentioned, poor performance can also stem from an employee’s extravagant nightlife or party-filled weekends. In many cases, a personal discussion with the employee is sufficient to remind them of their obligations or to find a joint solution—such as when illness affects their work quality. Some employees are simply unaware that their private life is negatively impacting their performance and do not intend to cause harm. A timely warning can often set things right. The situation becomes more problematic in cases of addictive behaviour (for example, alcoholism), which cannot be resolved through conversation alone.

 

Moreover, “slackers” often deliberately harm their employer to secure free days, frequently in the form of an extended weekend. The famous “Blue Monday” originated from the practice in many craft businesses and smaller companies of performing work negligently—or not at all—on Mondays. This tradition continues today in some sectors, such as hairdressing and gastronomy, where Monday is still commonly observed as a rest day. On unauthorised days off, dishonest employees pursue hobbies or possibly engage in prohibited and often unregistered secondary employment (moonlighting). Our experienced corporate investigators in Erfurt and Thuringia provide court-admissible proof of such misconduct: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-erfurt.de.

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Overwork is a possible factor in poor performance. However, stress from the primary employer is not always the only cause—unauthorised secondary employment can also lead to overload.

Distractions and Negligence | Undercover Placement as a Means of Internal Work Monitoring

It is usually more difficult to detect inadequate work performance caused by internal factors rather than external activities. In the age of the internet and smartphones, many employees have developed the bad habit of browsing privately, messaging, or calling during working hours. “Urgent” WhatsApp messages, ending eBay auctions, searching for the perfect last-minute holiday, and so on—all may seem more important than the work itself. Additionally, some employees deliberately harm their employer, for example, because they were denied an expected raise or promotion, or have been bribed by a third party to sabotage business processes.

 

It is important to address such misconduct promptly before it escalates and sets a precedent for other employees. In these and similar cases, internal employee monitoring through undercover placement is advisable: one of our detectives is employed as a supposed new colleague, integrated into your company using a role-specific cover story. This allows the detective from Thuringia to observe the employee discreetly, establish contact, and confidentially question them once trust has been gained. For a non-binding consultation, use our contact form or call +49 361 2243 0020.