Performance Achievement
What is it?
Performance achievement is a strengths-based approach to supporting employees to achieve the best for themselves, their teams, and the organisation. The approach embraces frequent learning and growth at every level. It requires continuous communication between the employee, manager, and team, and involves ongoing coaching and collaboration.
How is this different to traditional Performance Management?
Traditional performance management has 3 key ingredients:
- setting expectations
- tracking progress
- corrective actions or rewards.
This approach involves an annual review of expectations set at the beginning of the year, which have often evolved and have little relevance by year end. Shifts in plans and unmet expectations aren’t necessarily a reflection of the employee, though it may appear that way during a performance review.
Performance management approaches performance retrospectively, focusing on fixing or perfecting the past, rather than proactively preventing issues and looking toward the future. The employee receives a year’s worth of feedback all at once, which can be daunting for both the employee and manager. This approach does not inspire the employee’s development and can lead to disengagement. What employees really want is constructive feedback and coaching in real time.
Why is performance achievement better?
Unlike performance management, performance achievement empowers individuals to proactively assess their performance and seek development opportunities. A manager can focus on coaching and supporting the employee.
Why is performance achievement important?
When employees have ownership over their own learning and growth, they tend to be more engaged in the workforce. According to current research, businesses with the highest employee engagement are more lucrative, productive, have higher customer satisfaction, and better attendance rates.
What’s different about INS’ performance achievement model?
INS’ performance achievement approach recognises teams as key players in performance achievement and can be used to further activate your organisation’s Capability Framework. Team members model and extract performance from one another, facilitating a natural development of new capabilities. Teams with shared goals can inspire camaraderie, and promote psychological security, increasing employee engagement and ultimately, achievement.
How do I transition my team/organisation to a performance achievement approach?
INS’ evidence-based Performance Achievement and Growth Model and accompanying implementation guide will facilitate your organisation’s smooth and effective adoption of performance achievement. Our guide contains specific proven actions your organisation can take now to encourage an achievement-based approach.
A Capability Framework can also help your organisation achieve workforce management goals. Capability Frameworks offer a new focus for performance that staff are embracing as a welcomed new direction for both their personal and professional development. A Capability Framework effectively establishes expectations for employees and managers, provides employees with continual coaching, and creates a strong sense of accountability in your workforce.
