Erik Ten Hag | Man Utd boss sacked - how long should you stick with an underperforming employee?

Earlier this week, Erik Ten Hag was sacked from his role as Manchester United manager, after a dismal run of form for the team.

Debates around whether the Dutchman, who joined the Premier League side in 2022, should be sacked have been ongoing for well over a year now, with many questioning whether he had the attributes needed to return the club to its former glory. Many argued he wasn’t up to scratch, while others argued he needed more time to turn an underperforming team into a winning outfit.

Ultimately, it wasn’t to be, and now that Old Trafford bosses have handed him his P45, discussions around leadership patience and employee performance have re-emerged.

As we look at how the club handled Ten Hag’s tenure, it raises the question: how much time should a business leader give an employee who is underperforming? And, crucially, how many second chances are justified?