In all the years we have been helping organisations in this area, time and time again we have come back to three core foundation stones that have to be in place:
- Clarity in terms of what you expect from people – role, goal, objectives, behaviour.
- Regular reviews to connect and keep on track.
- Recognition – both achievement AND effort!
If you think about the Performance Management Cycle, this is critical for overall success and will minimise the risk further down the line of effort and energy being misdirected.
We find that the more organisations insist on and make time for these steps, the less they will need to be drawing on other areas such as formal Performance Improvement Plans or indeed Disciplinary matters. Most people come to work with the intention of doing a good job – so most people just need to know “what good looks like” and that they are on the right track towards it, with a bit of encouragement, motivation and acknowledgement of them moving in that direction.
We recognise that good people management takes time and requires effort – but we also know that it SAVES time and effort in the long run if you see it as in investment of your time today rather than a drain on your time when things are going wrong.We also know that one of the biggest influences on the performance people deliver is the strength and quality of the relationship they have with their line manager – again that is something that is further enhanced with regular, robust practice of those three steps. In fact, it is suggested that people who have: - A good relationship with their boss,
- Clarity in terms of what is expected,
- Feel supported and encouraged to achieve it,
can invest as much as an extra 20% effort in their job. Add that together across the whole organisation, throughout the year, and you will see why investing in your people really is investing in your business. |