Introduction
Performance management is a necessary evil, but it doesn’t have to be painful. If you’re new to performance management or looking for ways to improve your current process, here are some things you should know:
It’s time to start the performance management process.
Performance management is an ongoing process that takes place throughout the year. It’s important to start early in the year, so you have time to do it right and make sure that employees are given clear goals and feedback on their progress.
Start by establishing a clear understanding of your company’s goals and objectives at every level of your organization. Then, use these as a guide when developing individualized performance plans for each employee who reports directly to you (or whom you manage).
Identify your team’s goals and objectives.
- Define your team’s goals and objectives.
- Goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, results-oriented and time-bound. For example: “To increase customer satisfaction by 20{b863a6bd8bb7bf417a957882dff2e3099fc2d2367da3e445e0ec93769bd9401c} by March 2020.”
- Goals should align with the overall corporate strategy so that they are relevant for the organization in question (e.g., if you’re working at a company that sells smartphones, then your goal might be “to increase sales of iPhones by 10{b863a6bd8bb7bf417a957882dff2e3099fc2d2367da3e445e0ec93769bd9401c}”–but if you work at an airline company where most people travel by plane rather than car or train then maybe it would make more sense for one of your goals to be “to reduce cancellations due to weather conditions”.)
- Review your team’s performance regularly to ensure that their goals remain relevant as circumstances change over time (for example: if some new technology comes out which makes it easier for customers to get information about flight times before purchasing tickets then perhaps this will mean fewer people needlessly show up at airports).
Create a culture of feedback.
A culture of feedback is a two-way street. It’s important to give and receive feedback in an environment that makes you feel comfortable, but also one in which it can be done effectively.
Give timely and constructive feedback so employees know what they need to do or improve on next time around. You should also make sure that the employee understands why they are being given the particular feedback; if it’s not clear enough, then it won’t be helpful!
Conduct regular performance reviews.
Performance reviews are a crucial part of the performance management process. They provide you with an opportunity to give employees feedback on their performance, which is important for improving and helping them grow.
This can be done in a variety of ways: weekly, monthly, quarterly or yearly. But make sure that you’re giving the employee feedback in a timely manner so they have time to reflect on it before moving on to the next project or task at hand! It’s also important that this feedback relates directly back to what they do every day–if not then it won’t be as useful for improving their skillset over time (or even just knowing if what they’re doing is effective).
Give employees ownership over their own development plans.
It is important for employees to have ownership over their own development plans. This can be achieved by allowing them to set their own goals and helping them achieve them. It is also crucial that you provide the tools needed for success, as well as make sure they are aware of the consequences if they do not meet their goals.
Make sure you’re giving employees what they need for success.
Performance management isn’t just about setting goals and measuring results. It’s also about making sure that employees have what they need for success. You may be surprised to learn how many companies don’t provide training or resources that help their employees succeed, but this can be one of the most important things you do as a manager.
If someone has been doing the same job for years and knows how everything works, it might not seem necessary to send them off for training–but what if there’s a new piece of software? Or maybe there are some changes coming down the pipeline that would require them to change some aspect of their daily routine? In these cases, it could make sense for you as a manager (and even your company) if they spent some time learning something new before diving into those tasks with little experience or knowledge.
It’s also important that your entire team has access to tools needed for their jobs: computers; printers; projectors; etc.. You should make sure everyone has access 24/7 so no one ever misses an important deadline due out at 9am tomorrow morning because their computer died last night after being left on all weekend long without any power source plugged in nearby!
Set clear expectations about what is expected of your team members on a day-to-day basis, and give them the tools they need to succeed in their roles.
In order to avoid miscommunication and ensure your employees understand what is expected of them, it’s important that you have clear expectations. For example:
- Are they expected to work on weekends?
- What kind of work hours are they required to be at the office?
- Are there any specific requirements for travel schedules (e.g., how long an employee can stay away from home)?
In addition to setting these expectations, give your team members the tools they need in order for them to succeed in their roles. This may mean providing training opportunities or other resources such as software programs or equipment that can help make their jobs easier and more efficient. Having a good understanding of what each person’s responsibilities are will also help ensure that everyone knows what’s expected from them when performing their duties every day at work
Be transparent about how employees’ performance will be evaluated and how that information will be used to guide decision making around pay, promotions, or other career opportunities.
You should be transparent about how employees’ performance will be evaluated and how that information will be used to guide decision making around pay, promotions, or other career opportunities.
If you don’t have a formal performance management system set up yet, it’s important to communicate this clearly with your team members so they know what’s expected of them in terms of the work they produce–and can plan accordingly for their own development needs down the road.
When it comes time for an employee review meeting (or any time during the year), it’s essential that you explain exactly where each person stands on their journey toward achieving their goals as well as what steps need to be taken next in order for them move forward successfully.
No one likes performance management, but if you do it right it can help keep your organization healthy and growing at an effective rate
Performance management is an important part of maintaining a healthy organization, but it can be easy to lose sight of this fact. It’s easy to get caught up in all the work that needs to be done and forget that people are at the heart of everything you do.
Performance management is not just about measuring your employees’ progress and setting goals for them; it’s also about building relationships with them, so that when those goals are met (or not met), both parties know what steps will need taking next time around. A good performance review should leave everyone feeling like they’ve accomplished something together–whether that means getting closer to achieving their personal development plan or simply having had a chance to talk things through with their manager or peers.
Conclusion
If you want to keep your organization healthy and growing at an effective rate, it’s important that you implement a performance management system that works for everyone involved. This means starting the process early on in the year so that you have time to make adjustments as needed before it becomes too late. Your employees should also have input into how their work is evaluated and what kinds of rewards (or punishments) are given out based on those evaluations; this helps build trust between all parties involved in making sure everyone knows what they’re doing at all times!
