How to get performance management working to the best of its ability

Having the talent to get the best out of employees is a management skill in itself…and having the right process to manage performance is an added bonus.

Being able to encourage workers to continually perform at a high level and to remain motivated is always going to be an advantage. Ensuring that there is also some direction to it will be of benefit to any enterprise.

For it to work well good performance management should include getting to know staff, developing good working relationships, assessing performance and understanding strengths and weaknesses.

Making employees aware of expectations, the skills they need to support the company strategy, highlighting what is being done well, pinpointing any areas of development, providing continuous feedback and reviewing performance and looking forward should also be part of the performance management process https://castleassociates.org.uk/blog/how-performance-management-done#4.

The procedure should accurately and fairly assess an individual’s job performance and be an established and effective system that advances the goals and objectives of an orgainisation.

ACAS describe what most Performance management arrangements should involve https://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=6608:

• employees being set performance measurements
• meetings between a manager and each member of staff to discuss their performance
• assessing employees against their performance measures
• a record of performance being kept.

Getting the process right can play a crucial role in the success of any business, as employees can be considered an employer’s greatest asset.

There has been much debate about the effectiveness of the traditional performance management process in the modern workplace. It has been said that the old fashioned performance management methods are irrelevant as they do not actually improve performance https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-33984961 .

Employees do need to know exactly what is expected of them. A yearly appraisal was once seen, and still is in some areas, as an appropriate and suitable way to assess performance.

The evolving trend for performance management is moving more towards regular and ongoing conversations with effective feedback on progress towards objectives.

There is no single technique that is used to conduct a review of performance that is considered perfect. The process is multifaceted, but what is vital is that it should align with organisational strategy and be appropriate for the type of jobs in question.

Employees are essential to the success of a business. In challenging times and times of uncertainty created by much debate and confusion about what the future holds with Brexit https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-32810887 getting the best out of staff has never been more important.

Irrespective of what is considered the best way to evaluate performance managers will have a key role to play. They will meet with the employee to discuss and determine how the individual is contributing towards any necessary goals.

Senior staff who lead teams or departments can inform employees of the business strategy and plan for the year, make them aware of how they fit within it and make sure they have the skills needed to enable them to do so.

It is inevitable that some workers may not perform as expected and reasons for this can vary.

Managers will also have to conduct those difficult conversations and identify any areas of poor performance, understand the reasons for it, identify what is needed to address any matters and take the appropriate action to deal with any issues highlighted.

If poor performance is caused by illness or a condition considered a disability under the Equality Act 2010 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance, managers will need to take this into account, and act accordingly.

We all like receiving good news and employees should get recognition for what they have achieved and done well. The bosses in any organisation help to provide direction and keep staff enthused, which is crucial if workers are to perform to the best of their ability.

Performance management can be utilised as a very effective tool by managers to motivate employees and to make sure individuals and teams meet strategic goals.

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