Reinventing Performance Management
Performance management is a process that identifies and measures an employee’s current level of performance and provides feedback to help employees improve their performance. It also encourages employees to set goals for their performance and measure the outcomes. The following are the ways managers can reinvent performance management, according to pain management specialist Jordan Sudberg.
1. Coaching their employees
In the past, managers only supervised people and provided feedback on a disciplinary basis. Nowadays, managers have become more innovative in providing feedback. They should coach their subordinates rather than merely offer input during meetings. To encourage employees to improve their performance, the manager should guide them in setting goals and developing strategies to reach their targets. The manager should also guide his subordinates on handling work-related challenges, such as working with a difficult customer or responding to a budget cut.
2. Providing helpful feedback
Feedback is very important in helping employees improve their performance. It also helps them understand their duties better and helps managers determine whether they are the best person for a job. However, feedback should be relevant to the target employee. The manager should avoid giving general feedback that does not provide direction for improvement. In addition, the manager should avoid providing negative feedback during meetings, as it will discourage and insult employees. Instead, the manager should give positive reinforcement as praise to encourage employees to do a better job and use negative feedback as a last resort if needed.
3. Setting performance goals that benefit both the employee and the business
Setting goals that benefit only one party is not useful. Performance goals should help both the employee and the business. The manager and employee should agree on specific steps to achieve the goal. They should agree on how to evaluate progress and what support is needed from other business areas or external resources, such as consulting specialists.
4. Giving frequent performance-based recognition for good work
Recognition motivates employees to perform well at work. Positive feedback not only gives positive reinforcement but also helps employees feel appreciated. An employee should receive frequent feedback and recognition to keep him motivated. The frequency depends on the nature of the job, job performance, and an individual’s performance history.
5. Offer learning and development opportunities related to performance goals
To expand employees’ skills, the manager should provide training. The manager should also offer learning and development opportunities relevant to the employee’s duties. The manager should consider which training and development opportunities will help employees reach their performance goals. Such options could include skills training, on-the-job coaching, mentoring, or on-the-job training programs offered by outside specialists such as consulting companies or departments of education at a local university. The manager should encourage employees to participate in these programs if they find them beneficial and if they will help them accomplish their performance goals more effectively.
According to pain management specialist Jordan Sudberg, a company’s success depends on the performance of its employees. Performance management is an essential process that helps managers and employees meet their common goals. By reinventing performance management, managers can help their employees reach these goals more easily and effectively. Coaching subordinates, providing helpful feedback, setting goals that benefit both the employee and the business, giving frequent performance-based recognition for good work, and offering learning and development opportunities related to performance goals are ways managers can reinvent performance management.