It’s Time to Talk ‘Employee Performance’

By Helen Burrowes

Senior HR Consultant

The new year is a good time to look at how you can create a workplace that encourages higher productivity.  So now lets talk ‘employee performance’.

Performance practices enable people to thrive, develop and grow within the business.  People are the biggest asset to a business, they can also be one of the factors to negatively impact business achievements.  To improve performance in the business, consider these HR areas:

Job alignment

For employees to achieve, they need to understand their role and how this links with the business.  Having a clear role ensures that the employee understands what tasks they are required to perform, what performance success in the role means e.g. outcomes: sales targets, and the responsibilities associated.

Having clear job descriptions supports this practice. 

Performance appraisals and objectives

The appraisal supports a culture of feedback, people understand how they are performing against the expected standards.

People are aligned to the overall business goals/performance and are working towards the same goals and values.  Individual objectives help to map what is required, how it will be achieved, and the timelines associated. 

Learning and development

A key part of performance is recognising training requirements, and specifically where there are changes for the employees to learn new skills e.g. new systems, software, business trends, or to upskill in specific skills relevant to the role. 

Having a strategic development programme linked to performance allows the business to remain competitive, and adapt to the changing needs of the business and working environment.

Values

Where employees understand their role and how they fit within the overall aims and objectives of the business, they are more likely to feel an increased sense of belonging and engagement, and perform better.

Having line managers that are trained to get the most out of their people, to encourage and nurture their team, benefits the business and is a vital part of employee performance. 

The HR practices identified can support ‘employee performance’, working together as part of a performance strategy, and in line with business goal and objective setting. 

In addition to these practices, to retain employees, the business can consider other HR practices including promotion, reward, and recognition schemes, to retain employees.

For more information on how to implement an Employee Performance Strategy please contact us on 0345 646 0406 or fill in our online enquiry form and a member of our Team will be in touch, or alternatively email us at enquiries@nockoldshr.co.uk.