Hi all — looking for advice on managing a junior employee in a fully remote environment.
I’ve been with my company ~6 years and have managed people for the last 3. I currently manage two employees. One is strong and fully autonomous; no issues there. The other (we’ll call him “J”) has been with us ~1 year, hired straight out of college into a very junior role (no prior experience in our field). He seemed eager, a good culture fit, and initially took feedback well.
I invested a lot in onboarding/training: hands-on training from me, access to webinars/articles/resources, thorough documentation, weekly 1:1s, and expectation resets.
Core work hours are 8am–5pm ET, and the role is not intended to be flexible outside of that schedule.
Role/workload context: He works on mostly the same set of projects every week, but the daily workload can shift based on incoming requests from multiple departments. Some tasks are slower-paced; others are time-sensitive and require quick responses.
The issue: I’ve started getting complaints from other teams about responsiveness and timeliness, and I’m also noticing low output and quality gaps (missing items / incomplete work). He also seems unsure and tends to second-guess himself. He has also missed important emails, which contributes to delays and dropped balls.
Some behaviors I’m seeing:
- He’s often marked “away” on Slack for long stretches during core working hours
- Doesn’t proactively communicate status; I usually have to ask for updates
- Doesn’t tell me when something is complete unless prompted
- Work sometimes shows up late at night (10–11pm), even though this role shouldn’t require after-hours work
- Lunch frequently happens at the end of the day
- When I review work, there are misses and the volume seems low for the role
I’m trying not to assume intent — I don’t know whether this is a time-management issue, lack of confidence, struggling with remote structure, or something else. But the impact is real, and I’m documenting everything.
Additional context: Early on (within the first month or two), he told me he is neurodivergent. He has not requested any formal accommodations, and HR is not aware at this time (and I’m not planning to share anything without him going through the proper channels). I mention this only because I’m not sure if there are management approaches or structures that are especially helpful here — but I still need the core expectations (availability, responsiveness, output, and accuracy) met.
What I’m looking for:
What are some best practices / interventions you’ve seen work for junior remote employees in this situation before jumping to a formal PIP? Specifically:
- How do you set expectations for availability + communication without micromanaging?
- What “systems” help make work visible in a remote setting?
- How do you handle missed emails / dropped communication in a remote role?
- At what point do you stop coaching and move toward formal performance management?
Any advice would be appreciated.
Edit to add additional context and to answer some of the common questions-
- Something that I didn't mention above is that I am AuDHD. Not sure if that matters, but I do understand executive dysfunction as it relates to my own personal experience.
- I am a senior leader and work 80+ hrs a week. I do not expect my employees to work as much as I do; I want them to have a work-life balance, which is partly a reason why their working after hours or on weekends bothers me. I do need more help, so I don’t have to work as much as I do. That's one reason I want to figure this out. He tells me, though, that he is at max capacity.
- Yes, I had AI assistance with this post. However, I am a real-life person with a real-life problem. I had typed something out that was a lot longer than the above post, and it seemed like I was rambling, so I just asked ChatGPT to condense it a bit and clean it up.
- We are a 100% remote environment, with employees across the United States. There is no in-person office for him to go to. There is nothing I can do to change this. Plus myself, I love the remote environment - I would not want any of us to be forced back to an office.
- I do not evaluate productivity by the green status on Slack. Showing active on Slack is a company policy. I evaluate productivity by the amount of work they are putting out and by whether they are getting things done that they need to on time, etc.
- To clarify on the email part - these are not emails from me to him or any other employee of the company. These are emails that come externally from clients or vendors that we work with.
- He is classified as exempt (salary), which means he is not eligible for overtime pay.
Have you asked him what he’s finding difficult?
There’s a lot of “tell” going on and not much evidence of “discover”.
“Here’s what we want/need. Here’s what you do. This, then, is the gap. Help me understand why there is this gap”
Thank you for taking the time to reply. Every time I ask him if he has too heavy a workload, if there are difficulties with what he is working, or if he understands what I just went over, all he says is that he is fine, which is frustrating - since everything is not okay.
Do you follow up and tell him that? I’ve found that neurodivergent employees often need you to tell them exactly what your expectations are and concrete steps to turn it around. and in this case, that he is not meeting the expectations so you need to tell him that.
I have told him my expectations verbally and followed those up in writing - this included priorities, timliness, the need to ask questions, etc. I have told him before that he is cloe to a pip.
Ok you’re doing great then
Have you had a “come to Jesus” talk with him where you have clearly communicated that there is a performance issue, and that his work is not meeting expectations and he needs to make explicit changes?
I ask only because I don’t think you explicitly said whether or not you did and that could mean you have accidentally just hinted around it by asking if is having trouble with XYZ task or workload
I think you have great intent here so my guess is that either 1) he doesn’t fully understand the gravity of the situation due to unclear communication or 2) he is just a horse that will not be led to water and there’s not much else you can try before PIP.
Thank you for your feedback! I have been clear that he's creeping up on a pip. I reset expectations verbally and thoroughly for each aspect of his job and then I followed it up with a book of documentation covering what we had discussed.
Sounds similar to an issue we just resolved. The employee ended up having another full time job. They actually never quit the other company. Noticed late work assignments, or would miss meetings, take more sick days than usual. We only found out after he accidentally sent a document to the wrong person that we became suspicious and investigated.
Yes, I agree. If his status is “away” during core working hours and then he’s turning in assignments and communicating after hours, he’s doing something else. I’m not even anti-over employment but you gotta be able to balance the two.
My very first thought.
Yeah, it’s wild how often that happens. If you notice red flags, definitely dig deeper. Might be worth having a direct convo with him to see if there’s something else going on.
My first thought as well
If you’ve had continuous documented (verbal and written) conversations where roles/responsibilities are outlined and expectations are set, and yet there’s still this large gap, than this would be considered a PIP and HR would need to get involved, especially if this 1) impacts not only you/your team but other teams and business in general and 2) you’re spending more time “documenting” this rather than doing actual work and helping this person grow and train them.
Have you tried to have a conversation with them first about this in your 1:1 and see what they say? That way it shows them that you care but also that you’re aware that their performance isn’t up to standard. That would be my first reco before the PIP, if you haven’t already done this. Sometimes people need to be made aware and could help improve, or not. It’s up to them to take your feedback and provide the necessary actions to improve.
I work in HR, and I always recommend to managers before a PIP is explored (not saying most cases don’t require one), to try to ask if their direct report is okay and what support they need as you’ve seen some gaps in their performance. If this step was not done, I ask them do to it and give it 2 weeks or so, depending on what they say, and then we can discuss the PIP more. That way it gives employees an opportunity to come forward with any struggles they may be experiencing (personally or professionally) and request extra support or training in certain areas. If they say nothing, then it likely is they are not a fit for the company and job and the PIP is the natural next step.
You also need to be very direct and factual when providing examples. I’m not sure how direct you are being but it seems like this is a consistent issue and it’s beyond friendly reminders and “ways of working” refreshers. When you’re setting expectations, communication preferences, work hours, etc, verbally communicate and follow up via email after recapping the discussion, or show examples when something was missed or not followed up with and how that impacts the bigger picture.
There's a lot of this that is not micromanagement, it's just management. Start with the big stuff that are absolutes- missed emails and defenitivr timelines that are missing/ slowing down others work. Stress that the work product must be punctual. Stay away from slack, ss that can be tricky. (In my role, I'm on the phone with clients and slack can quickly change statuses if im on a longer call and not typing.
The neurodivergence likely will become a factor in the conversation. If it does suggest accommodations so that the major outputs/issues can be addressed. Stress thst any major aspects of the position he pudhed back on due to the neurodivergence may be able to be accommodated, but he must he able to perform all aspects of his position
I would do exactly as you have for setting expectations. Clear conversations, direct advice, and outline exactly what needs to occur. Documenting instances where a direct report deviates from clearly communicated expectations is important.
Systems such as 1:1’s, trainings, and availability for question’s are a solid foundation. It is on your direct report to find systems that allow them to achieve success within the role. Time management is an employees responsibility, and systems to manage that really fall on an employee to own.
Handlings missed communications should be handled swiftly, and factually. Be direct and have specific examples of what went wrong. Provide feedback on what the clearly stated expectations were, and how they did not meet those expectations.
There isn’t a definitive point where it’s black and white, and time to stop coaching. As a manger, it’s important to trust yourself and your judgement. If you are looking at a situation and have an unbiased judgement that an employee isn’t meetings clear standards of a role, and has been given opportunities to change on their own, then it’s time.
Remote work is a privilege, and one that comes with a lot of responsibility. Not everyone is cut out for that, particularly those without a significant career history to help them understand how to navigate this type of responsibility.
You probably want to talk to HR / your manager at this point and ask them what boxed need to be ticked first before PIP. Some places require "informal PIP", some clear written instructions not followed, etc.
Your person reminds me of a lot of a guy I managed for a few years. All you can do is be clear and direct about expectations. e.g.
1) we'd expect you to be generally online and responsive between 9-5, and to notify us in advance when you are away for appointments, errands, etc. yes, we all have errands, we get it, it's not a problem, but the onus is on you to let us know.
2) i would appreciate it if you can reach out to us with updates when you complete tasks, or if you hit any issues along the way, there is no need to wait for someone to check in with you. providing updates on progress is part of the work.
it's just a matter of being clear, and saying explicitly / in writing all the things that everyone else just gets implicitly, reads between the lines, etc.
you can also think about having a bit reality check conversation like "are you enjoying this work, finding it interesting/challenging/what you expected?" "is there a different aspect of this project that appeals to you?", "i have noticed that you don't seem very engaged with this role lately, what's with that?", "it will be difficult to succeed in this role without putting in 40-ish hours a week, with a high degree of overlap and collaboration the rest of the team".
overall, though... it's unlikely to end well, it's probable that it's going to end in a PIP / quit / layoff situation, so it's really more of an opportunity for you to grow as a manager and work through a difficult problem, and less of a matter of "fixing" this person, even though that would be lovely if it happens.
as others have said... maybe he's got a different job / doing the "overemployed" thing, maybe he's studying / working on some side hustle that is his true passion, etc., all of which he's welcome to try, but if he can't make it work out then that can't be your problem.
Thank you for your perspective; it is much appreciated. I have considered it an OE thing, but I would love to be really sure before I start inquiring directly with them or reporting that to HR. I have asked him a ton of questions about struggle, motivation, engagement, etc., but the most he gives me is "Nothing is wrong; everything is fine. If I need help, I will let you know." So he kind of stonewalls and will not open up, even with prodding, because I know he is having difficulties. I have been clear about expectations and he has everything written down for him in regard to that. As a last-ditch effort, I will inquire about accommodations and restate expectations clearly and directly.
Yeah, my guy was like that too... just totally disengaged, and even when I brought up stuff he'd be like "yes ok, i get it, no problem..." but then nothing, more of the same.
My best guess is that he had another job/side project, and basically he just wasn't putting in 40 hours week. Yours sounds the same, really. There just isn't a way to succeed at a 40 hour week job in 10-20 hours/week if you are new to it. I think sometimes inexperienced folks get confused because they see senior people take advantage of some flexibility, which you can totally do after mastering your role for a few years, but nobody starts out like that, and they don't see the times those folks are working after hours, weekends, etc. when they have to.
Generally, a person in a junior roll is not disciplined enough yet to be able to work on their own remotely with little guidance or hands on training. Is there an option where this employee can come into the office to interact with other employees and learn what he is actually doing with an experienced coworker guiding him instead of just assigning jobs and expecting him to just pick everything up with little hands on experience. This might give him the training he needs to do the job and meet expectations.
“Remove his remote status” might be the right solution in this case due to performance etc, but it has nothing to do with seniority. Doesn’t matter junior or senior, most any “knowledge worker” role can be done remotely and successfully.
In the behaviors you listed, have you discussed with him each of these and followed it up with an email to document it? For example you mentioned: “doesn’t proactively communicate status, I have to ask for updates” Have you specifically told him that you need updates on xyz work, on a weekly basis ( or whatever timing you want)
Have you specifically instructed him to let you know when he completes a task/project to alert tut right away? Basically go down your list of what you don’t want and ask yourself if you have told this employee very blatantly what you do want. With neurodivergence you do need to be very specific & literal however don’t let it become a crutch or an excuse.
I formalized a weekly update template for my team, due 1x week, same day each week. I requested my team schedule their 1x1 with me each week and made sure they knew if I needed updates right away or if it could be in our 1x1s or their weekly updates.
I hope this helped. Sounds like you are a conscientious manager & as long as you have had the direct conversations with written follow ups then a pip might be the next step.
Ok, "J" can claim to be Neurodivergent all they want without documentation from a medical professional, it means nothing. According to the ADA, they can ask for accommodations but do not have to divulge their specific diagnosis.
It also appears to me that you have done everything you can do. No one likes to involve HR or start a PIP. However, it sounds like "J" is costing more time and money than they are worth.
This is an unfortunate situation for you both… neither of you have been setup for success. Given the realities, and with support from HR, I’d move to a formal PIP sooner than later. It might not feel great, but in my experience the formality of the PIP can help clear the air for both. We often languish a little too long and the issues fester which serves no one.
I suspect he has another job or has other priorities during normal work hours. I also suspect he mentioned his neurodivergence up front to lower expectations, to preemptively excuse poor performance, AND so the company thinks twice before terminating him.
Ask if there is anything he is struggling with and how you can be of assistance.
Briefly describe the areas in which he has fallen short recently. Ask his plans to prevent it from happening again. Acknowledge anything he does well. Explain what is expected of him, when, and what the consequences will be if the expectations are not met....and follow through with said consequences!
Advise that work is not to be submitted outside of work hours. Move up the timelines of time sensitive work by a day or two so you can delegate if necessary to keep the assignment timely. Consider increasing the frequency of one on one meetings or check-ins, giving him a blank evaluation sheet to rate himself, and threatening to disqualify him from working remotely.
Document everything discussed in writing. Consider CCing HR and stating failure to adhere to the things laid out may result in termination.
You can provide him with the tools and opportunity to change his performance. The motivation and willingness to do so is completely up to him. It's time for him to sink or swim.
Don't feel guilty for doing what needs to be done! He'll improve if he wants to stay employed. It's possible he took this job with the intent to make as much extra money as possible before being terminated.
Email all communications regarding performance. “As we discussed in our 1:1…” and ask for a response of acknowledgment. Let them know you’re committed to resolving these concerns and working with them. Once you move to a PIP, that is their signal to start looking elsewhere. So unless you’re wanting to manage them out, I would start with one to two emails with these details you laid out here. Then move to PIP if you don’t see immediate improvement. A PIP can be as long or short as you need it, but it usually indicates you’re done. Sometimes, we have to learn the hard way, how our managers view our work. They will either learn from it, or resent you/company and become someone else’s problem. You can’t choose for them. Good luck!
I want to add something that I’m not seeing mentioned by others (although I haven’t scrolled through every single response): in New York employers have a proactive duty to start the interactive accommodation process where they should have known an employee is disabled. (See https://www.melvinlaw.com/duty-ny-employers-provide-disabled-reasonable-accommodations-americans-disabilities-act/).
I would loop your HR in immediately, and/or internal general counsel if you have it. Even though he didn’t actively request accommodation he told you he is neurodivergent; to the extent you want to start a trail of discipline/documentation you NEED to also document your work to meet the ADA requirements as interpreted by NY courts.
Hi, thank you for sharing this. I hadn't shared with HR or general counsel that the individual is neurodivergent yet, because I thought, from a legal standpoint, I had to keep it confidential unless they permitted me to share. I will read the post you shared and act on it as appropriate.
Not an HR issue.
These all sound precisely like topics that a PIP is designed to address. Clear expectations and metrics, regular milestones and check-ins, and a set deadline with defined consequences.
Why wouldn’t you draft this up as a PIP?
I am heavily considering the PIP, but the HR team wants to wait a little while to see if I can get him turned around. But I have tried just about everything that I can think of. There is also the factor of ADHD in there, so I worry about ADA things too if I don't try enough things or have a big enough paper trail.
Although you didn't ask about this.... his sharing that he was neurodivergent is enough to engage HR in see if he needs a work accommodation.
Thank you
A PIP is a paper trail. It is the formal way to document shortcomings and set expectations.
“Hey Jimbo, why is it that literally every time I check your status during work hours, it says you’re away? That’s quite the problem Jimbo. Do you wanna jump on fixing that perception, like today, or would you prefer full time return to office? Your call.”