Managing employees is by no means an easy task, but it is essential for the longevity of your business and your career. These days, leadership teams are looking for ways to manage their employees without the dreaded performance evaluation.
In 2017 and beyond, managers will look beyond formal assessments to discuss an employee’s performance, with more effective and personable approaches taking their place. If you work in human resources or a business management role, explore the best new ways to provide feedback without leaving employees fearing the worst.
Informal Check-ins
Unlike performance assessments, an informal check-in is a casual chat between a manager and their employee. In the privacy of your office or even during a walk on the street, you can get a better understanding of an employee’s work performance.
The goal is to communicate with employees, allowing them to bring up any concerns they may have. This informal, two-way conversation is the perfect way to guide the worker on what they need to achieve, whether it’s meeting KPIs or completing additional training. Informal conversations can also be the best way to understand ground level issues that you may not have otherwise been aware of.
Short-Term Goals
Replace long-term objectives with short-term goals to increase employee performance. Gone are the days of yearly objectives and employee analyses. Setting short-term objectives can help workers retain their focus. It also gives you the opportunity to check in with and recalibrate your team more regularly.
The traditional, once-a-year meeting is still acceptable but it might be a good idea to shift this to a group setting. It’s a good opportunity to recognise and celebrate team victories and individual successes while still tracking the longer term progress of your employees. Think of it as an effective conclusion to a year of short-term reviews.
Management Software and Apps
Cloud-based software can improve the interaction between managers and employees and reduce admin time for HR managers. As well as this, HR managers can keep track of an employee’s progress and performance for analytical purposes.
Technology is helping managers all around the world to harness different numbers and insights. Use these stats to give employees a better idea of how they are performing at work and to provide focused, forward-thinking feedback.
Human resources management is a career that is both rewarding and exciting. At Crown Institute, we offer many courses tailored to suit your future needs. If you would like to learn more about our business and management courses, get in touch with us today. Call us on 0800 357 316, email us at info@crown.ac.nz, or fill out our enquiry form online!
