Federal managers often blame workplace rules for their inability to fire or demote poor performers.

The real problem may lie with the managers themselves, a new government report says.

The Merit Systems Protection Board reports in a new study that federal managers lack skills to track and document poor performance, help employees improve, and effectively deal with poor performers unable or unwilling to improve.

The report, "Addressing Poor Performers and the Law," said many supervisors have a hard time with performance management — setting standards for how well their employees must do their jobs and then tracking their progress.

"Ultimately, at least part of the solution to the issues of dealing with poor performers may be in educating and encouraging supervisors in the use of better performance management practices," MSPB Chairman Neil McPhie wrote in the introduction to the September report.

Agencies will need to choose supervisors wisely, and make sure they promote people who can properly deal with poor performers, MSPB said.

And that means more than simply being willing to fire someone; good managers must be capable of and willing to train and encourage their struggling employees to perform better.

"Having an authority under which a supervisor may demote or remove an employee is of little use if the supervisor is opposed to taking an appropriate action, or if the supervisor is unwilling or unable to do what is necessary to assist employees who could benefit from an appropriate level of help," MSPB said.

Likewise, agency human resources officials should do better at training supervisors how to deal with poor performers and not wait until supervisors approach them for help, MSPB said.

The report said that necessary laws are already in place — Congress enacted a reform law in 1978 that allows agencies to use a lower burden of proof to discipline or fire employees than had been previously required.

The federal government fired 11,165 employees, or 0.57 percent of the workforce, for poor performance or disciplinary reasons in fiscal 2008. The Office of Personnel Management has promised to create a new performance appraisal system that will make it easier for managers to track how well employees do their jobs.

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