Solutions
Performance Management
Performance management seeks to keep employees engaged and achieving optimally.
When necessary, performance management will reinforce defined objectives with the employee and leverage coaching and mentoring tools and communication strategies to get and keep people on the course.
Key Features
Performance management differs from the well-worn tactics of quarterly and annual performance reviews. For employees to be happy, productive and engaged in their work, they want to know (1) how their work fits in the organization’s overall strategic plan and (2) how their supervisor views them and their contributions. These are the core needs of any engaged employee.
The features and characteristics of performance management that this comprehensive understanding include:
- Ongoing communication – By using check-ins, updates and regular feedback loops, performance management is characterized as “frequent” or “continuous”. The point is to flip the dynamic of the traditional annual performance review as the penultimate judge of how an employee is doing to merely a summary of all the conversations and updates held throughout the quarter or year. This alleviates pressure on both manager and employee and eliminates ugly surprises and subjective appraisals.
- Focus on action, behaviors, and results – Effective performance management sets clear expectations around how success will be measured. This helps employees know what they have to do daily, weekly, and monthly and what criteria will be used to check how well they are performing.
- Link to larger strategic objectives – Employees seek meaning for their work in how what they do is related to the overall purpose of the business. Managers help connect the dots as to why what employees do matters in the greater strategic objectives of the business, the customers they serve, and ultimately how they make lives better.
What to Expect from TechCXO
Tools for Building Performance Management
Here are some of the fundamental tools for building a performance management system:
Current Job Description
It seems elemental but clearly defining titles, essential tasks and responsibilities of an employee’s job through an up-to-date job description removes confusion. A current job description will also include requisite knowledge and skills needed for the employee to be successful. This can reinforce what the employee knows or provide aspirational goals for skills and knowledge to be acquired.
Work Products to Be Delivered
What products and services should the job produce? Also, by what objectives and standards will the employee’s work be measured? Are measurements objective, such as volume of product produced, the number of inquiries managed or people supported? Or, are results more qualitative in nature. If so, are there ways to objectively measure those results via surveys, Net Promoter Scores, etc.
Processes and Methods
By codifying and clearly describing the processes and methods employees need to adhere to, it will be easier to understand how work products are or are not being completed. Defining methods and procedures also provides opportunities for improvement and innovation. Reports and records around resource allocation, budgeting and program prioritization can help define and finalize expectations. Checklists and rating scales can also be used to objectively measure the thoroughness of work done.
Impact on Organization
This measurement is tied to work products to be delivered. What is the value of those work products? Can they be tied to departmental or company KPIs, for example? If customer complaints are remediated faster, is there an impact on revenue, retention, churn, overall customer satisfaction and profitability? Fleshing out these measurements — even for functions not readily tied to objective measurements — will make all performance less subjectively critiqued.
Values Demonstrated
Although more subjective in nature, setting agreed upon expectations for how employees interact with clients, colleagues and supervisors is key. This may be more of a discussion about attitude, promptness, etc. But managers can also seek out commendations and constructive or critical comments about the employee’s performance. Understanding and adhering to behavioral expectations also help reinforce company culture.
Development Goals
Development plans for mastering skills, acquiring new knowledge and overall professional development that go beyond the defined job motivates and inspires employees for the next stage in their career. This doesn’t necessarily mean training and certification. Development may be achieved through special projects and initiatives.
Impact
Our Team
