Q:  I gave one of my employees a memo warning that her performance wasn’t meeting expectations and unless it improved I’d have to let her go. In it, I summarized her performance trajectory.  From her initial responsibilities when hired, to the downward adjustment of goals to give her additional time to familiarize, and why –after a year- it wasn’t working out.

Then, she wrote a long response, rebutting my points and basically placing blame for her poor performance on factors outside her control.

My question: Should I respond to her comments if I disagree? I’d rather avoid a back-and-forth with her, but I don’t want to stay completely silent.

A: First, I’m assuming that your warning memo had clear details about  what exactly constitutes “improvement” and I assume this isn’t the first time she’s hearing about her poor performance, because it seems like you’ve had issues with performance for about a year.

That would mean she was aware she had problems.   If in her comments she doesn’t take responsibility for those problems but redirects the blame elsewhere, she’s simply expressing her opinion, one that you disagree with.  But you shouldn’t feel like you have to make a case for why she’s wrong and you’re right.  It may sound a bit harsh but, what matters in this context is YOUR opinion as the employer.

So, as long as her comments are simply defensive – which is common and expected-  and aren’t hostile (which would require a response), I don’t think there’s a need to address her points specifically.

I DO however think it’s always a good idea to acknowledge receipt. I suggest e-mailing her something like:  “We received your comments.  We appreciate your feedback, although it has not changed the concerns/conclusions outlined in the memo “

Lastly, kudos for giving your employee an opportunity to make comments, not all employers do that.  I think it’s healthy for the workplace when an employee is able to express their views in response to a disciplinary memo,  especially when –like in your example- the employee doesn’t agree with the premise of the memo.   Even if they don’t change the outcome, at least they know their viewpoint was heard and  is part of the record.

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Eva Del Rio is creator of HR Box™ – tools for small businesses and startups. Send questions to Eva@evadelrio.com