Articles : Being Proactive When It Comes To Performance Management

By Fiorella Callocchia, BA, CHRP

We all know and can see the significant impact the current state of the economy is having on productivity, morale and teamwork in the workplace. Companies are desperately looking for ways to do “a lot more with a lot less” while trying to keep the remaining employees engaged and motivated.

But what do employees really need right now from their companies and managers to stay positive, productive and focused? The short answer: regular communication, feedback and information from their managers along with ongoing support.

According to a recent study cited in the February 2009 issue of HR Magazine (Society for Human Resource Management), almost 3/4 of employees say their productivity has dropped since their organizations let people go.

Organizations may face a new business direction, new strategic goals, reconstructed teams and changes in reporting relationships so they need to determine if their current system for managing and driving employee performance still makes sense.

If companies want to weather the storm and see themselves through these challenging times, they need to critically look at their existing systems as well as take proactive steps to ensure each and every employee is giving it their all. Here are some ways to increase workforce performance & productivity:

• Communicate any new business goals and strategies to the team. Be clear and candid about how the company is doing. When employees lack information, they often think the worse and can easily lose focus.
• Revisit employee goals to ensure their efforts and time are focused on "mission critical" activities. Projects and initiatives that were a priority before may not be under these circumstances. Meet with employees to agree on and establish new goals that give them a role in delivering the business strategy
• Clarify responsibilities and performance standards. If employees are expected to perform additional duties, this needs to be discussed and reflected in a revised job description. Do not assume or expect employees will simply “pick up the slack.”
• Set clear performance indicators and give employees specific targets to meet. Be sure to reward and celebrate successful results.
• Review the key skills for success. Take a look at competencies that are required in the new work environment including teamwork, cooperation, initiative, resourcefulness, continuous learning and financial acumen.
• Encourage continuous improvement and better ways effective ways to deliver products and services. Dig out the old “suggestion box” for new ideas and ask employees to work together in teams to generate innovative ways to save money without compromising quality.
• Reward & recognize value-added contribution. Money and budgets may be too tight to give bonuses, but employees who go above and beyond to ensure the vitality of the business need acknowledgment.

Taking proactive steps to manage employee performance will not only deliver bottom line results but also high levels of engagement and satisfaction. As a company, you will need both to be around once the storm passes.

Fiorella is President of HR Impact - a management consulting firm specializing in creating customized, practical and innovative workplace solutions. Check us out at www.hrimpact.net Phone: 905.337.0293 fiorella@hrimpact.net