OnPoint Consulting NZ

Imagine being in your early twenties and opening an email inviting you to a “performance management meeting” with three senior people — head of HR included. No warning. No previous feedback. No mention of bringing a support person.

When her family asked us to help, we asked the company one question: show us the training you gave her to succeed in a role she had no experience in when you hired her.

They couldn’t produce a single document. The next thing we received was a settlement offer.

Performance issues are normal in any business. Handled fairly, they protect everyone. Handled like this, they cost you a settlement and your reputation.

This article walks through the five steps from “I’m not happy with their performance” to a fair outcome — including the informal conversation most managers skip and the documentation mistake that undoes everything.

If something’s brewing with a team member, read this first.

The five steps between “I’m not happy with their performance” and a fair outcome — ONPOINT CONSULTING NZ - Restructuring and Role Realignment "Optimise your business structure with OnPoint Consulting NZ. Our restructuring and role realignment Performance reviews can be tricky, but preparation is key for businesses. OnPoint details how to do performance reviews the right way.

One word. That’s all it took to cost a New Zealand employer a serious settlement.

The funding for a fixed-term role got pulled early. There was a proper process for ending it — but instead, the employer sent a letter saying the role was being “disestablished.” In employment law, that word means something very specific. And it wasn’t what they meant.

A personal grievance followed, and the employer couldn’t defend the process. Settlement, written reference, certificate of service. All avoidable.

If you’ve ever wondered what you’d actually do if a personal grievance landed on your desk, this article walks you through it step by step — what to check first, how long you have to respond, your options, and the mistakes that make things worse.

Worth a read before you ever need it:

What to do when you receive a personal grievance claim — ONPOINT CONSULTING NZ - Restructuring and Role Realignment "Optimise your business structure with OnPoint Consulting NZ. Our restructuring and role realignment services help enhance... She’d been with the organisation for months, doing good work on a funded project with a clear end date. Her contract ran through to the end of the financial year in June. It was straightforward. Everyone knew where they stood. Then the funding got pulled early.