Who knew the value of dandelion greens? Medical celebrity Dr. Oz tells us that eating these familiar annoyances can actually prolong our lives. To paraphrase Dr. Oz from a recent show;  in North America we spend a fortune trying to eradicate dandelions from our lawns while really we should be harvesting the leaves as a very valuable—and cheap--food source. We neglect to see the value of these plants because we are used to looking at them as unwanted weeds.

To draw a parallel between this example and the work of HR, how many of you have worked with someone who struggled to do a good job in his or her current position, despite a strong work ethic, a positive attitude and a consistent effort? Just like the dandelion greens, most likely these employees may have stayed in their current position due to strength and resilience, but perhaps their best qualities can only be fully utilized in a different environment.

I recently wrote a blog—entitled Frustration on the Front Line--about a hypothetical situation in which a manager chastised an employee for not showing initiative. HR.com member, Jon Grover, commented on this blog by suggesting, “Another possibility is that part of the job matches his aptitudes very well and part of it matches very poorly.” It is true that sometimes employees end up in positions for which they are not well suited.

Although it may seem to be the best solution, dismissing an underperforming employee who is capable of contributing value in another area of the business can come with a hefty price tag. The loss of a motivated worker who already knows the company or business can be costly. The key here is to understand the strengths of all employees. The performance record is a valuable resource, as are observations of coworkers and managers. These types of situations act as another reminder of the importance of documenting not only areas that need improvement but also the areas of strength for each employee.

Consider, for example, an employee who works extremely well with co-workers, quickly solves problems and inspires others while but struggles to contribute to the technical side of his or her job. This employee may be better matched to a position for which interaction with others is the focus.

Just like the dandelion greens, a different location, perspective and expectations may bring out the real strengths of this employee.