The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on how businesses operate and how employees work. As we begin to emerge from the pandemic and return to a more normal business environment, it’s important for organizations to reevaluate their performance management strategies and make any necessary improvements.
To do this, we need to rethink performance management, seeing it not as the work of an atrophied muscle that needs to be stretched every six months, but as a muscle that can be trained constantly – and ultimately make every employee of the organization stronger. This approach does not begin with rethinking of performance measurement, but with the very concept of performance objectives.
Goals should go down from top to bottom and be visible to everyone. In other words, a manager can have a set of goals, and each direct reporter can have a set of tasks that are built into each of the manager’s goals. In a continuous performance management system, it should be marked when one of the employees achieves a set goal, so that colleagues and the manager know that this piece of the big picture is completed.
Cascading goals can be updated or adjusted in the event of a strategy change or in response to a failure. And, the best part, during the summing up, you can quickly and fully see when, by whom and what exactly has been achieved. In other words, improving performance management should not be about rethinking the performance evaluation process, but about changing the approach to setting and achieving goals.
Here a few ways for organizations to improve performance management practices and better support their employees as they navigate the post-pandemic business landscape.
- Increase focus on employee well-being
The pandemic has highlighted the importance of employee well-being and the need for organizations to support their employees in this area. This could involve offering resources such as mental health support, flexible work arrangements, and opportunities for professional development. By prioritizing employee well-being, organizations can improve overall job satisfaction and performance.
- Embrace remote work
Many organizations have had to rapidly adopt remote work due to the pandemic, and many employees have found that they prefer this arrangement. As a result, it may be worth considering making remote work a permanent option for some or all employees. This could involve investing in the necessary technology and infrastructure to support remote work, as well as developing clear guidelines and expectations for remote employees.
- Rethink performance measurement
The pandemic has disrupted traditional methods of performance measurement, such as in-person evaluations and annual reviews. Organizations may want to consider alternative ways of evaluating employee performance, such as ongoing feedback and check-ins or the use of performance management software.
- Foster a culture of continuous learning
The pandemic has demonstrated the importance of being able to adapt and learn new skills quickly. Organizations can support this by promoting a culture of continuous learning and providing opportunities for employees to develop their skills and knowledge.
If you want to know more about performance management system and what kind of benefits it provides to guarantee that organizations’ strategic goals are met., check out “A Quick Guide to Effective Performance Management“, where you’ll find out:
- What is an Effective Performance Management System
- How to Get Started with Performance Management
- 8 Ways to Improve Your Performance Management Process
- How Does Technology Support the Performance Management
