Implementing performance management systems: From evaluation to excellence II
SEVEN Integrating Employee Feedback Just as it is with corporate goal setting, collaboration for effec - tive performance in volves integrating a system that gives employees the opportunity to engage or provide feedback. This is critical because most of the operations in the workplace and more direct interactions with customers are made by employees on the lower rungs of the corporate ladder . Some of the famous tweaks in the production model of successful organizations were made by mid- level and low- level employees who see opportunities that top manage - ment might be tone- deaf or oblivious to. These insights are invaluable because they offer perspectives that can increase the form utility of what is being produced. This is because the business cycle is not complete until the goods or service is delivered to the customer and feedback received. This also enhances job satisfaction for the emplo yees because they se e themselves as part of the big picture.
8. Instituting An Improvement System
This largely speaks to trainings but improvement is holistic. Training here applies to both managers and subordinates because it takes two to tango; the lack of training can sabotage productivity because one ignorant fellow with power can lead an organization down to ruins. Leaders and team members must constantly upskill because competence on one level can quickly become incompetence on a higher level. These could be owing to changes in within the organi zation or outside the organization. For example, after an organization secures new funding from investors or become quoted on a stock exchange, it has effectively become a different organization because its scope of operation has widened and the scale of production has to be increased owing to the new demands imposed on it by new stakeholders. Training interventions should be data- driven and vision- inspired; in response to the current needs of an organization and a preparation for its future.
9. Recalibrating The Performance Management System Itself
For organizations that are actively learning and growing; they know that it is never what they started with that they continue with – changes are a part of their success story. Tweaking a performance management system doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s not productive or yielding the desired results, it’s because little changes can have huge consequences. Sometimes, managers need to relax certain timelines because the strategic priority of an organisation might have changes from speed to accuracy, thus the focus might be more on qualitative outcomes than just quantitative outcomes. This happens mostly when organizations are expanding and have gained significant notoriety, it means that they come under more scrutiny for compliance from regulatory authorities, investors and the business community.
For example, 1Tesla is not necessarily focused on mass producing electric cars so that the markets are flooded with them; owing to the highly technical nature of the car which includes self- driving features. This year alone, Tesla has recalled about 200,000 cars owing to a software error that could have prevented the rear- view cameras from displaying. This came barely two months after more than two million of its vehicles were also pulled from the market for autopilot issues. It had to double down on quality control so that it doesn’t lose its reputation as the world’s leading manufacturer of electric vehicles.
10. Automating The Process
The performance management system is not a one- off tool; it’s a continuous process that never really ends – it’s an end- to- end play. If allowed to be operated manually, the performance management system would fail because it would be tiring and monotonous to start the same process all over again. Leaders should learn a thing or two on how the universe works – everything is designed in cycles, loops that are intentionally co- ordinated to such that there is really no difference between a start- point and a stop- point.
In a performance management system where the five core components are specifying expectations, monitoring, meeting employees’ developmental needs, the use of appraisal and rewards – the last component ( rewards) should seamlessly introduce the first component ( specifying expectations).
Implementing performance management systems requires a lot of critical thinking and emotional intelligence because execution can be the difference between successful organizations and failing organizations. Productivity is so important that it cannot be happenstance; therefore managers should become aware of the moving parts that make increased productivity possible.
1https:// www. forbes. com/ sites/ ca ileygleeson/ 2024/ 01/ 26/ teslarecalls- nearly- 200000- vehiclesover- rearview- camera- softwareissue/
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About Dr. Abiola Salami
Dr. Abiola Salami is the Convener of Dr Abiola Salami International Leadership Bootcamp and The Peak Performertm. He is the Principal Performance Strategist at CHAMP – a full scale professional services firm trusted by high performing business leaders for providing Executive Coaching, Workforce Development & Advisory Services to improve performance. You can reach his team on hello@ abiolachamp. com and connect with him @ abiolachamp on all social media.