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Why is that? The short answer is that it’s too simple to not follow through with the very components required to make the system work well.
In order to actually motivate employees to perform at their best, a performance management system should be tied closely to organizational and personal goals and should be a means for employees and managers to stay continually on the same page. It can also house employee development plans.
So, where does it all go awry? There are several ways that a well-meaning organization can miss out on the benefits of a performance management system. Here are 10 of the biggest mistakes—try to steer clear of them!
1. Not Giving Employees Timely Feedback
If the only time an employee hears of how he or she is performing is once per year, there are bound to be some surprises in there. Many managers use the existence of a performance management system as an excuse to delay giving feedback until the formal review period—but this is a recipe for disaster. The formal review period should be just that: a formal summary of status. There should be no surprises at that time if employees are given feedback at appropriate times throughout the year. In other words, this should not be the first time an employee hears how he or she is tracking against goals and expectations.
Does your performance management system provide you and your employees with effective ways to measure how their jobs—and your company—are faring?
Join us on January 15 for tips on how to optimize performance management, and avoid mistakes that can be difficult to fix at best. Learn More.
2. Setting Inappropriate Goals
For example, consider these simple missteps:
- Not tying employee goals to company goals. If employee goals are set randomly, they may help individuals achieve their goals but may not bring the business any closer to achieving its organizational goals or mission. Ideally, individual goals should be clearly linked to company goals.
- Failing to set stretch goals. Goals that are set at levels that are easily achievable without any extra effort don’t motivate employees to perform at their best. Goals should be realistic, but they should require some effort to achieve and maintain; otherwise, the system isn’t helping to motivate behaviors.
- Creating goals that are not measurable or objective. There should be a clear understanding of what it looks like to achieve a goal and how it will be measured. Goals need to be specific, measureable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (commonly referred to as "SMART" goals). Goals should not be vague.
Also, remember that goals should be updated as needed for changes in the business’s situation, and should be reviewed often to see whether you’re on track.
3. Failing to Follow Through on the Performance Appraisal Schedule
Even worse than not providing timely feedback is not providing feedback at all! If managers cannot be bothered to treat the program with the respect it warrants, then why bother even having a system? Employees will get discouraged if they’re never given feedback.
4. Not Explaining Clear Paths to Improvement
Even if a performance management system is used well and employees are given appropriate feedback, the system can go awry if an employee needs to improve but does not understand how to do so. The performance management system should have a clear path for employees to meet expectations as well as a clearly communicated plan for when they don’t.
How can you develop a rapport with your employees so you know what motivates them? Learn how at our live webinar on Optimizing Your Performance Management System: Communication & Follow-Up Strategies for Best Results.
5. Not Documenting the Process
The rating of employees should be justified, and that justification should be put into writing. The appraisal should be clear, complete, and easily interpreted (that is, able to be correctly interpreted) by a third party.
6. Ignoring Problem Employees
This is a problem on multiple levels:
- It decreases employee morale because others don’t feel like problems are being addressed.
- It can make other employees resentful that they cannot get away with the same actions as their coworkers.
- It fails to solve productivity problems. Managers often mistakenly think that giving a performance review that is better than the employee deserves will be a motivator—but instead it sends the signal that the poor performance is acceptable.
- It can be a legal nightmare if the employee is later let go for poor performance and there is no record of performance reviews indicating a problem.
In tomorrow’s Advisor, we go over the final 4 of our 10 flaws of performance management systems.