5 Samples for Writing a Letter of Concern for Poor Performance in 2025
If you're a manager or business owner, you understand the importance of getting things done efficiently.
However, employees might not always understand that, and sometimes require feedback to help improve their performance.
According to Gallup research, employees are almost 4 times likley to be more motivated and do better work if their manager provides feedback daily rather than annually.
This shows that feedback is a critical part of employee performance, but what if the employee's current performance is not where it needs to be? A letter of concern for poor performance might be a good next step.
A letter of concern for poor performance is a formal document that outlines an employee's inadequate performance and emphasizes the need for improvement. It's a crucial tool for employers and supervisors to provide feedback and help employees improve their work.
In this blog post, we'll discuss what letters of concern for poor performance are, why they are useful, what to include in them, and provide you with some templates to help you get started.
What is a Letter of Concern?
A letter of concern is a formal document that a manager or supervisor writes to address performance or behavior issues with an employee.
The purpose of a letter of concern is to clearly outline the problem, provide specific examples, and give the employee a chance to respond or improve.
It serves as a written record that can be referred to in future discussions and may be included in the employee's file for further reference.
The aim is not just to criticize, but to help the employee understand the impact of their actions and encourage a path to correction.
What to Include in a Letter of Concern?
When writing a letter of concern for poor performance or other workplace issues, there are a few key elements to include:
Introduction: Start by introducing the purpose of the letter, which is to address the employee's performance.
Details of performance: Outline the specific areas in which the employee is underperforming. Be as specific as possible and provide examples where necessary.
Consequences: Explain the consequences of continued underperformance, such as further disciplinary action or termination of employment. You can also include incentives to encourage them to improve.
Steps for improvement: Provide clear and actionable steps for the employee to improve their performance. This can include training, coaching, or additional support.
Closing remarks: End the letter on a positive note, expressing your hope that the employee will improve their performance and contribute to the success of the organization.
Concern Letter Format
The format of a letter of concern should be formal and structured to ensure clarity and professionalism.
Keeping the tone professional and the format clean will help convey the seriousness of the message.
How to Write a Letter of Concern to an Employee (Step by Step Guide)
Writing a letter of concern requires a thoughtful approach to ensure that the message is clear and constructive. Here’s how to do it step by step:
1. Begin with a Clear Purpose
Start your letter by clearly stating its purpose. Mention that this is a letter of concern, and explain that you are writing to discuss specific issues regarding the employee's performance or behavior.
2. Describe Specific Issues
Detail the specific problems that have led to the letter. Provide clear examples and instances to illustrate these issues, such as missed deadlines, frequent tardiness, or any breaches in company protocol.
3. Link to Expectations and Rules
Explain how these issues violate company policies or fall short of the expectations outlined in the employee’s job description. This links their actions directly to the company’s standards and helps the employee see the discrepancies.
4. Invite a Response
Allow the employee to provide their side of the story. This not only promotes fairness but also encourages open communication. Suggest a meeting or a written response by a specific date.
5. Outline Potential Consequences
Inform the employee of the potential consequences if the situation does not improve. Whether it's further disciplinary action or a performance improvement plan, be clear about the next steps.
6. Offer Support and Guidance
Conclude by offering help or resources the employee can use to improve. Whether it’s training sessions, counseling, or more regular feedback, show that the company is willing to assist in their improvement.
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Letter of Concern Templates & Samples
Copy templates to use them anywhere:
Constructive Criticism Template
We hope this letter finds you well. As you know, Dunko Inc. values excellence and integrity. Your current performance fails to meet these standards.
Please see the itemized list below outlining your performance issues: {formparagraph: name=insert performance failures here; cols=30; rows=4}
This feedback is not meant to make you feel bad. Our company believes that we can learn tremendously from our failures and improve who we are as people. However, that success is only achieved through self-reflection and action.
Let us know what we can do to support you in your journey with our company.
Sincerely,
Strict Warning Template
After a continued poor performance, we regret to inform you that your failure to meet company objectives has resulted in a formal warning. Consider this notice to serve as such.
The reason for your formal warning stemmed from {formparagraph: name=insert performance failures here; cols=20; rows=1}.
We strive for excellence at TMZ and make these standards clear. If you continue to miss these standards, we will have no choice but to terminate your employment under company policy. That is not what we hope will happen.
Please give your manager a call on {time: MMM Do, YYYY; shift=>MON} at {time: LT} to discuss this matter. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Best,
Light Warning Template
Please accept this letter as notice that you failed to meet your sales goals this month. Continuation of a failure to perform adequately will result in a formal warning.
Sales is a specialized skill that requires continuous training. We have determined that you may need extra support. Please stop by your manager’s desk today to schedule additional training.
{formtoggle: name=Bonus sales training; default=yes}We're also happy to offer you advanced training after hours if you are interested. {endformtoggle: trim=yes}
Formal Letter of Concern Template
This letter serves to inform you about your failure to perform satisfactorily in your position as a {formtext: name=position; default=SDR; cols=8}. We’re concerned and want to see you succeed.
Here are our managerial team’s most significant concerns: {formparagraph: name=insert performance failures here; cols=30; rows=4}.
It’s your duty as a {=position} to set an example for the rest of the staff. If you continue to miss performance goals, it will result in disciplinary action.
What can we do to support you in your role? Let us know by the end of the week. A copy of this letter is going into your personnel file as well.
Sincerely,
Request For Resources/Help Template
Over the last several weeks, your manager informed us that your performance is suffering. This was a significant deviation from your past performance, and we’re concerned.
Your performance and success matter to us. Do you have the training and tools you need to accomplish your objectives? On {time: MMM Do, YYYY; shift=>MON}, human resources will visit your desk for retraining.
Continued poor performance will result in a formal warning as per our company policy. We hope to see progress by {formdate: YYYY-MM-DD; default={time: YYYY-MM-DD; shift=+7D}}.
Thank you for your time,
Wrapping Up
If one of your employees is underperforming at work, utilizing a letter of concern for poor performance can help motivate them, provide feedback, and improve their work.
Use Text Blaze and our free templates above to quickly send your letter of concern for poor performance. With Text Blaze, you can eliminate repetitive typing with just a few keystrokes.
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