How to Optimize Performance Through Strategic Processes and Training Initiatives

Performance management is all about ensuring that employees work in cohesion and stay productive, motivated, and aligned with company goals, individually and within their respective teams.

The finest of HR professionals work hard with managers to create robust strategies to achieve these by no means easy goals.

With the rise of new tech and remote work, however, ensuring clear communication is the major objective.

Goal Setting and Alignment

Establishing clear, measurable, and achievable goals — preferably using the SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound) criteria — is one of the most important strategies for performance management.

Individual goals need to be aligned with organizational objectives and clearly outline how employee contributions influence the bigger picture. Since this is not easy to achieve, managers should rely on employee feedback and organize regular one-on-one meetings.

In this context, performance appraisals play a critical role as they provide an opportunity to review and document an employee’s performance over a specific period. Insights may serve to come up with updated training standards for eLearning and decide on promotions and career development plans.

Investing in employee development is a strategic approach that should never be overlooked.  Development initiatives should be tailored to individual needs and aligned with the organization’s strategic goals.

Boosting Communication and Engagement

Teams can be only as successful as they are capable of communicating transparently and honestly. In truth, even though the corporate hype in this regard is real, much relies on individuals themselves.

It’s upon businesses to come up with efficient strategies on how to build a supportive workplace and ensure there are multiple easy-to-use communication channels set in place. The rest is upon the goodwill of individuals.

Even though organizations are stubbornly relying on team-building activities and hybrid meet-ups, these often remain but platitudes to attract new hires. In fact, more and more employees are looking for “no corporate” workplaces, and managers are hardly pressed to decrease the number of meetings required.

Daily meetings appear to be rapidly losing popularity, with digital platforms replacing the need for daily goal setting.

Another issue is that businesses that employ people from different geographies inevitably require some of their workers to compromise on their daily schedules. That’s why irregular meetings are recommended, and they should be focused on briefings that matter.

Lastly, online communication leaves much to be desired, as non-verbal cues can be difficult to catch. Add to that cultural differences and potential technical issues and the matter can escalate fast.

One good idea that addresses the majority of these issues is video conferencing. As for messaging, it needs to be concise and to the point to avoid potential misunderstandings or confusion. Regular video check-ins can help all employees to keep up, voice their issues, and provide feedback.

However, employee engagement can get tricky for teams. That’s why HR teams need to work jointly with the management to establish proven processes for businesses and make sure to communicate them clearly during meet-ups.

Recognition and Rewards

Nothing motivates employees more than a clear prospect on recognition and rewards. Rewarding employees for their contributions encourages employees to perform better and keep motivated and engaged.

On the matter of actual rewards, they may come in various guises, with most typical ideas going along the lines of monetary rewards, promotions, public acknowledgment, and career development prospects. Note that timing is essential in this regard. Make sure that recognition is timely and meaningful, and that organizational values are aligned with your end goals.

Performance Improvement Plans

When performance falls short of expectations, managers and HR teams need to brainstorm a well-structured performance improvement plan.

As a rule, a performance improvement plan outlines specific areas for improvement, sets clear expectations, and provides a timeline for achieving the goals.

However, it should also include necessary resources and ongoing support to ensure the employee succeeds. In other words, the focus should be on development rather than on punishment.

Inspiring Trust

Building a supportive workplace culture greatly relies on trust. Not only does trust fosters a sense of security, but it also helps teams stay engaged and motivated.

Essential in this regard is to communicate expectations clearly, outlining employee roles, responsibilities, and desired standards.

The process should start early on, namely with onboarding. HR teams would do well to update documentation that details company procedures, job-specific guidelines, and policies and think hard about personalizing the rest.

For best results, employees should be involved in setting their goals as this practice builds trust and ensures that everything is well aligned.

Finally, make sure to encourage team collaboration and set up mentorship programs to inspire and teach less experienced employees. For best results, pair pairs from different teams to encourage employees to mingle and build meaningful connections.

Use performance metrics to monitor progress and adjust performance strategies accordingly. As for the rest, safely rely on employee feedback.