A recent success story shows that a performance review process can be effective with the right training, tools, and communication. Our client is a global professional services firm headquartered in Beachwood, Ohio. We started working with them after their CFO expressed the desire to make their process more effective and reached out to us for help.
Our initial assessment of the performance review process uncovered these challenges:
- A multi-step process that was resource-intense but ineffective;
- Little understanding among managers and employees of the overall goals of the process;
- A review form that was difficult to use;
- A lack of meaningful or relevant feedback to employees;
- Managers who had varying levels of experience/knowledge for delivering an effective performance review to their staff.
We worked collaboratively with our champion at the company to define the steps of the process and develop a new streamlined form that was easier to use and more meaningful. The form focused on reviewing employees’ performance directly related to job duties and competencies based on the company’s core values. The form also utilized a simplified rating scale that communicated what employee scores actually meant and identified areas where performance could improve.
We met with the management team to roll out the new process and discussed the ways in which the information collected would inform decisions on employee training and development. We coached managers on the process and encouraged them to look at the annual review as one component of an ongoing, two-way dialogue between manager and employee.
Following the review process, we were able to present data on an aggregate basis of the employees’ strengths and areas for development which was factored into the HR plan for the year.
Overall, the improved communication, revised template, scoring and managerial education created a collaborative process between manager and employee, enabling a dialogue for managers to provide more meaningful feedback to their employees.
Do you need assistance with designing a performance review process that works for your organization? Contact us at
oa@oahumanresources.com or 216.586.4762, and check out our
blog for more helpful resources.
