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Managing Employee Performance

A performance management system is a systematic way to examine how well an employee is performing in his or her job. The word systematic implies the performance evaluation process should be a planned system that allows feedback to be given in a formal manner. Performance management system is also called performance appraisal at times. According to a leading HR consulting firm, employee performance management is the process of planning and setting objectives, regularly reviewing, providing feedback and coaching employees and evaluating the performance of the employee at the end of the performance management cycle. Whereas performance appraisal refers to the process of evaluating and rating an employees performance at the end of the performance cycle.

An evaluation of the employee’s productivity and performances in line with the established standards and/or competencies with respect to the organizational goals. It is also done in order to monitor what the employee is doing in relation to what he/she is expected to do.

More often performance management is done for the purpose of but not limited to the following:

·       Compensation Review – increment in the salary or compensation package will be based on the outcome of the employee’s evaluation.

·       Performance Improvement – it will determine in which area, skill or competency the employee needs to improve.

·       Promotions – the result of the employee assessment will also determine if an employee is qualified for a promotion or;

·       Terminations – a consistent poor employee assessment may lead to employee’s termination.

There are different methods of performance management which includes:

1.       360 Degree Evaluation or Feedback. This is where multiple evaluations are being done which includes the self-assessment, as well as assessments form superiors and peers.

2.       SWOT Analysis. Wherein you determine the strength and weaknesses of the employee. In addition you will also recognize the opportunities and threats.

3.       Performance Interview. This is the last process of performance appraisal where the evaluation will be discussed to the employee.

At the end of every effective performance management cycle there is a process to manage poor performance and reward good performance in the form of increments or bonuses. The performance management should also define the process of providing feedback and coaching employees on a day to day basis to improve individual performance.

#employee assessment #hr consulting

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HR is set to become more crucial for companies in 2021 and beyond

COVID-19 has put us through uncommon difficulties that many did not think of at the beginning of this year. These unprecedented crises has put HR in the frontline to deal with issues relating to work, workforce, and the workplace. A common approach is emerging in response of HR leaders across the globe. Most HR leaders have resorted to a three-step approach to deal with the pandemic i.e. respond, recover, and grow. For most HR leaders the short-term strategy was to respond, the mid-term strategy to recover and the long-term strategy to grow. Whilst most organizations are still in the respond or recover stage, the practical approach for HR is still to’ think short-term and move forward one step at a time. The COVID-19 required an unusual response from HR leaders and the organizations depending significantly to re-organize work, workforce, and the workplace. There are substantial changes in ways of working due to reorganization which is leading to new learning and a “new normal” for organizations. Adopting and growing with the new normal will once again put the spotlight on HR. HR leaders need to identify key priorities for the next 12 to 24 months to effectively help organizations navigate through this pandemic. The new normal may not be entirely here yet. Many countries across the globe are experiencing the beginning of a second wave of COVID-19. Looking at the situation, it looks like HR leaders will have to adjust with shifting priorities & plan with multiple scenarios. Let us look at some of the key changes which are likely in the workplace in the next 12 to 24 months. These changes may be the new normal in the future & HR will need to be prepared to respond.

5 key changes leading us to the new normal

1) Remote Working : Employees were quick to learn how to work from home. Remote working will remain popular amongst large number of professionals even after the pandemic. This will force organizations to respond. HR will have to look for ways to engage and manage remote workers and overall organizational productivity. 2) Remote Learning : E-Learning will remain popular over the next couple of years and onwards, not just among kids but also for working adults. With changes in work models & reorganization the need for organizational learning will grow faster. HR will need to rework the learning & development experience for employees and ensure learning remains effective. 3) Rapid Upskilling & Reskilling : Employees will need to be prepared to deal with constantly and abruptly changing environments. Quick adoption of advanced technology will be the key to success for organizations in the coming years. This will require HR to evaluate resource allocation regularly and rapidly reskill or upskill employees to move from one part of the business to another. 4) Evolving Leadership Competencies : The COVID-19 has shocked economies across the world. Leaders are faced with unprecedented challenges to lead with the new normal. New technologies, remote workforce & client management are amongst top challenges faced by leaders. Organizations with strong leadership will sustain and standout in the future and HR will be at the centre to develop the future leadership competencies. 5) Agile Working : The shockwaves of this pandemic has shown organizations how to move faster and work in more agile ways. COVID-19 is forcing both the speed and scale of workplace innovation. HR Leaders are now finding more agile ways for organizations through new working models, cost optimization, compensation restructuring, up-skilling employees, redeployment of resources to build stability and sustainability for the coming years.

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A Guide in Managing and Engaging your Remote Employees

Until a few months ago, only around 5% of the global workforce was under the remote working model and knew of the benefits and challenges that came with it. However, the Covid-19 crisis has been an unprecedented event and led to the majority of the workforce to work from home. Working remotely, especially in the current scenario, comes with its own set of challenges, including lack of information access & supervision models, social isolation, and distraction at home among other things.

The challenges are even greater for managers and leaders who not only have to be efficient with the remote work practices but also keep up employee engagement. If you too are working to manage and engage your employees as they all work remotely, here are a few pointers to help you out.

A structured and predictable daily check-in

The key to being a successful remote working manager is not just in knowing what your employees are doing, but helping them to plan it as well. A daily call should be structured, predictable, and regular. It could be a one-on-one call for teams where everyone has independent tasks or a team-call for collaborative work. This should be a forum where the employees can discuss important items with you, provide updates, and get any queries addressed. There would be meetings beyond the daily check-in as well and this is where establishing a few rules for remote team comes into play.

Establish rules of engagement

As everyone works remotely, establish some rules for engagement will help to streamline communication. As a manager, set expectations for the frequency, ways, and suitable time for communication within your team.

For instance, employees should be aware of the best time to reach you (during the morning or later in the day), how to reach out during emergencies, and what channels to use. Keeping a tab on employees' communication with each other (to an appropriate degree) helps you ensure that they are sharing information as needed.

Set expectations

As employees are expected to continue to work from home for a while (and some, permanently), they need clear direction to ensure that they do not feel 'stranded'. What should they do after completing a particular task? Who are the points of contact for specific items? Similar to onboarding a new employee, remote employees must have clear directions on things like:

·       Getting help: The best way of reaching out to the manager, time as well as channel (call, text, email or something else)

·       Emergencies: Who to inform and what details to convey

·       Working hours and schedule: Working hours, hours per week, and what days to be available.

·       Goals: The type of output/results that you expect and the timeframe to achieve them.

 Emphasize each employee's presence in a meeting

Feeling integral and productive can be hard in virtual meetings. As the manager, you can help by engaging all your employees through the reduction of any distracting sounds, informing everyone who all are in the meeting, and pausing for feedback wherever feasible. Further, circulate the purpose, objective, and any other related details of the meeting in advance.

Enable and facilitate knowledge sharing

Knowledge sharing is crucial to employee development and the overall success of the company. With remote working, opportunities for knowledge sharing can decrease as they have fewer chances for social learning and in-person sessions. Try to make up for that through periodic knowledge sharing sessions virtually. There are a host of tools including Google Meet, Webex, MS Teams etc. to help with that.

Promote Peer to Peer Feedback

This form of feedback helps to connect all your remote employees. It allows for constructive communication and collaboration and helps employees learn from one another. A survey conducted by PwC revealed that over 60% of professionals would like weekly feedback. This goes up to 72% of employees who are under the age of 30. So if you have a younger remote team, remember that they seek more frequent feedback.

While remote working on a large scale may have started of necessity, organizations are realizing its value and it is surely here to stay. Amid all that, managers will have to adapt to this new normal and find new ways to lead and engage. These tips on managing your team remotely can be the starting point of doing just that.

#hr consulting #dubai