Supervisors should review job performance with employees on a regular basis and address problems before they become serious.  Problems should be handled promptly, fairly, and with a specific action plan to help the employee improve.  The employee is more likely to address the problem if the issue has been clearly identified and if he/she knows the consequences if performance does not improve.  Counseling an employee with poor performance should be looked at as a proactive step that is meant to turn the employee's performance around and hopefully eliminate the need for any further action.  Both formal and informal performance discussions should be documented, and written warnings should be placed in the employee’s personnel file.  If the employee's performance does not improve, the disciplinary steps that have been taken show the employer's good faith effort to work with the employee and provide important documentation for the organization's records.