If the mention of performance management and annual reviews elicits sighs and eye rolls in your workplace, that's a clear indicator that your system isn't working as well as it could. Performance management and review meetings shouldn't be viewed as another hoop that employees need to jump through and another list of tick boxes for managers to check. An efficient performance management system is one that is seen as valuable and worthwhile by staff at all levels, and one that actually achieves results that contribute to staff development and company success.

Current performance management trends are moving away from traditional “rank and yank” systems, once-a-year review meetings and tick box appraisal forms. Instead, new performance management strategies are focusing on setting achievable and measurable objectives, providing continuous feedback and coaching for employees, and placing the emphasis on looking forward rather than backward. In order to successfully implement authentic and effective performance management, organisations should consider the following points:

Belief in the System

For performance management to be effective, it's important that both management and employees believe in the value of the system. Authentic performance management will be based on the values and needs of each organisation and their staff. The best way to create a performance management system that accurately reflects the needs of your staff is to involve your staff in the planning and development of that system. This process should include both managers and employees from different parts of your business, and may involve consulting a performance management specialist to get an external perspective on performance management best practices.

Clear Objectives

When your organisation knows what it wants to achieve and how it wants to get there, it’s time to put clear objectives in place. To drive authenticity in performance management, the focus should be on playing to each individual's strengths - how can this employee’s skills be utilised to develop their job role and contribute to the company as a whole? Many companies use SMART objectives to plan targets for employees. SMART objectives should be: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.

Personable Approach

Staff performance isn't always an easy subject to approach, even for the most thoughtfully spoken of managers. Managers should be tactful and personable in their approach to performance discussions and the best way to achieve this is to avoid saving up all feedback for review meetings. Instead of backtracking in this way, managers should give regular, in-the-moment feedback and adopt a coaching style when speaking about problems and issues at work. Authentic performance management systems should ensure that lines of communication are always open between managers and staff, and relationship building should be a priority.

Authentic performance management is about being in touch with your employees and having your finger on the pulse of what your organisation needs in order to perform at it’s absolute best. These new trends mark a significant turning point in the way that we approach performance reviews, appraisals, and management in general.

 

By Stuart Hearn, CEO of Clear Review.


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