Manager debates whether to fire his hardest-working employee because he nonetheless underperforms: ‘When deals fall through or a customer leaves us he seeks constant re-validation that he did all he could’

Author image for Olivia Arocena
Olivia Arocena • Writer and Editor
Aug 8, 2026 9:45 PM EDT

Sometimes we do our best, and it's still not enough

We're wired to believe more effort equals better performance, but sadly, it doesn't always work like that. Thankfully, we've got managers who look at us with kindness and think about rewarding our efforts, not only our performance.

This is an interesting moral debate for me. I don't like to imagine a world where our efforts are never taken into consideration. I think being a hard worker is a virtue in and of itself, and it is a virtue that can be valuable to a company. I'm glad there is someone in that company who believes in that as well.And before that, we need to be told that our efforts are not being fruitful; to me, the key is to always give people the chance to get better at something. Maybe this manager wasn't very efective in helping him, and that's why he always ends up doing his employee's work for him.

Evidently, the hard-working employee hasn't realized things aren't going well for him, or maybe he has, and that's why he is making such a big effort. In any case, this situation warrants an urgent conversation.

If every opportunity we got demanded our best output, and our best output only, there would never be any room for improvement; we need many failures before we succeed.

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  • man using smartphone on chair
    via bruce mars

    The unknowing employee

    Representation

  • Probably more of a rant but I have an employee that's constantly underperformed in the few years he's worked for me. For the majority of the time we were in a hiring freeze
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  • so that spared his job since I couldn't back fill, but now that the freeze has been lifted his underperformance can't be ignored anymore and is noticed by senior leadership.
    via efg1588
  • My conundrum is that he's a very hard worker. I've tried my hardest to help coach him but more often than not it turns into me doing his job, and when unfavorable outcomes
    via efg1588
  • arise he chalks it up to "well if you didn't succeed then I couldn't have" In my management role I've fired a people before but they were half-assing it and not working which
    via efg1588
  • made it an easy decision. This guy busts his ass but still severely lags behind. his colleagues. Ultimately I know moving on from him is the best decision but I
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  • a couple of men sitting with laptop
    via Priscila Du Perez

    The employee working extremely hard

    Subjects are models

  • can't shake this bad feeling cause I know he tries hard. Edit to add examples: his role is account management. Frequently I
    via efg1588
  • find myself participating in his meetings which eventually turns into me running them, working on proposals, and giving prospecting guidance. When deals fall through or
    via efg1588
  • a customer leaves us he seeks constant re- validation that he did all he could. After sleeping on it I think my decision is pretty clear.
    via efg1588
  • AcrobaticSecretary29 I mean, I have to ask, if you actually did do his job for him and the outcomes are still unfavourable, is he really the problem?
    via AcrobaticSecretary29
  • Helpyjoe88 Does he just not have the skills/knowledge for this position? Is there another position within the company where that work ethic would result in him succeeding?
    via Helpyjoe88
  • man using laptop and taking his hand to his head
    via Tim Gouw

    The manager about to make a tough decision

    Subject is a model

  • To be a smart manager is to recognise every team player’s strengths and try to squeeze them dry. Maybe the solution to this employee’s problem is transferring him to another position where his efforts actually produce value. In the end, if that doesn’t work either, firing is always an option. Sadly, not every problem has a solution, and sometimes we have to find the path on our own.

    Still, I’m glad there is someone in a position above this employee who’s actually trying to do ‘the right thing’ (giving someone else an opportunity before giving up on them). I wish the world had more people like this.



     

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workplace-stories toxic-workplace work workplace toxic-work-environment
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