PAM's Talent Management Blog

Increase Employee Engagement and Output with Talent Management

Talent Management is an important tool in business and it is aimed at bettering the performance of individuals with organizational activity. It typically incorporates training, education and development. However, what does this all mean and why is it important for your company to practice it?

Talent Management involves the efforts of both the individual and the company. It is a joint ongoing effort that is aimed at upgrading the employee’s knowledge, skills and abilities in relation to the job they do, ensuring that they become the beneficiary of the organization as well as themselves. To achieve the best results from this effort you have to balance the career goals of the employee and the company’s requirement to get work done as efficiently as possible. This is true regardless of the level of the job, although the scale of the management will vary significantly given the scope of roles within the company.

Why implement a talent management process? The simple and most obvious reason would be that an emphasis in talent management can make a major difference to a company’s performance. A better trained or developed workforce can accomplish more as employees achieve more skills and experience with advantages for both individual and organization.  The result would be a more efficient company and a happier workforce who can enjoy what they are doing and take more pride in their work. The payoff of this efficiency will be reflected in the company’s services to their customers.

Retaining employees that have spent time and effort growing into an organization is one of the main concerns for a company. It is time consuming and expensive looking for new staff and then having to start again. Offering employees an opportunity to improve their skills and performance, as well as develop new skills is often an important factor in staff staying with their employer. This growth and expansion is also going to be extremely beneficial to the company also.

Assessing the employee’s performance including areas of strength as well as weakness would usually be the first step in implementing a talent management process and typically can lead to a discussion between both parties culminating in a development plan or outline of steps to be taken to achieve necessary goals. It is also important to have a method in place to monitor this development. It will often involve training, educating and eventually developing the ways in which the employee’s tasks can be completed more efficiently, as well as encouraging the employee to develop new skills. These areas can be tracked and monitored with a talent management system to ensure efficient deployment of these processes resulting in happier employees and a stronger organization.

How has your company addressed talent management with your employees?

Creating Behavior Based SMART Goals

When we think of goals we typically think of areas of performance that are quantifiable and measureable.  Reduce errors by 50% or increase sales by 15% are examples of measurable goals.  The two biggest challenges in creating behavior based goals are setting the time frame and measuring the behavior change.  Here's how to do that:

• The measurement is "observation and feedback"
• The time frame is "now - ongoing" (unless training is required beforehand- the training takes place and then the behavior should be observable)

Here's an example of a behavior based performance issue translated into a SMART goal (you'll probably get that this person was rude and nasty in his email communications):

Goal: Jack is most effective when dealing with colleagues/peers in person. When conflict arises I would like Jack to forgo email communications as a first resort and instead utilize his in person communication skills where he comes across as collaborative and respectful. Increase of in person communication with an emphasis on consistently utilizing respectful business language communication skills. Hold off resolving conflict with email as the primary communication medium.

Complete By:   Now- ongoing

Measurement: Observation and Feedback 

Conclusion: When goals are put into writing there is a better chance that the employee will successfully meet the new expectations.  Behavior based goals can and should be translated into specific, measurable, attainable  relevant, attainable and time bound objectives. 

- Jamie Resker, President, Employee Performance Solutions

Jamie is recognized as an established thought leader and innovator in the area of performance management.  She is the originator of the Performance Continuum Feedback Method®, a tool for systematically diagnosing employee performance issues and development opportunities and crafting messages about even the most sensitive behavior based issues. For more information on Jamie or the Performance Continuum Feedback Method, visit http://www.employeeperformancesolutions.com/.

3 Keys to Making Difficult Performance Discussions Easier

It is clear that the key reason people avoid giving feedback is not because they don't understand the problem but rather because they don't know how to craft a message that is sayable and hearable.

Put the focus on the positive, desired performance rather than highlighting the current negative performance. The result is a message that you can deliver without having a bottle of Alka-Seltzer at your side and your staff can hear without going off the rails. 

Key #1: Identify the Performance Issue

Identify the negative behavior that is holding the individual back not a problem for most people. Then describe it in the opposite, positive terms.

For example, if the employee lacks finesse when dealing with clients and behaves like a bull in a china shop the manager would ask for the employee to develop a more polished and professional style.

When an employee makes frequent mistakes the manager would talk in terms of developing more accuracy.

For the employee who chronically complains that everything is a problem, but never offers any solutions, the manager might ask the employee to develop a problem solving approach.

Key #2: Be Specific about the Desired Change

It is important to get specific about what you mean by a more polished and professional approach, more accuracy or a problem solving approach. For example, What I mean by develop a problem solving approach is that when you first notice a problem that is preventing you from getting your job done to first think through a solution and then approach me if it's something you need my help with.

Key #3: Detail the Benefits of Making the Change

Lastly, it is useful to explain to the employee the benefit of developing the performance area. Ask yourself Why do I want the employee to make this change?

In the case of the chronic complainer who never offers solutions their behavior most likely creates negativity, wastes time and garners complaints from co-workers who are sick and tired of listening to this person drone on about what's wrong.

So, the here's why I'm asking you to focus on this part of the message would sound something like this, The reason I want you to focus on solving problems is that people will notice and appreciate a how do I make things better around here approach, it will make more constructive use of the time we have and it will bring more positive energy into the team.

Notice how the message is still honest yet it talks in terms of what WILL happen when the employee develops a problem solving approach.

These keys are the core of the Performance Continuum Feedback Method, a step-by-step methodology designed to make anyone comfortable delivering even the most difficult feedback.

Conclusion

Talking in terms of the desired performance versus the current undesired performance serves two purposes:

1. We are more likely to initiate the discussion because the wording makes it more comfortable to deliver the feedback.
2. The employee learns what is expected (as opposed to focusing on what's wrong) with their dignity intact

Bypassing negative performance descriptions and the resulting negative employee reaction allows the employee to respond more positively; ultimately facilitating the move towards the solution phase of the discussion the ultimate goal of feedback.

A simple rule of thumb is to provide the employee with the opportunity to receive the feedback and make progress on the issue. Only when it is clear that the employee is unwilling or unable to make progress should more extreme measures be used -- such as disciplinary action or documented performance plans.

- Jamie Resker, President, Employee Performance Solutions

Jamie is recognized as an established thought leader and innovator in the area of performance management.  She is the originator of the Performance Continuum Feedback Method®, a tool for systematically diagnosing employee performance issues and development opportunities and crafting messages about even the most sensitive behavior based issues. For more information on Jamie or the Performance Continuum Feedback Method, visit www.employeeperformancesolutions.com.

Establish an Action Plan for Performance Results

Prior to the interview with the employee, the manager should prepare a loose "action plan" to address the weaknesses of the worker. Ideally, this plan should be unveiled at the end of the interview, and encompass a series of steps to help the worker improve performance. The action plan should consist of three distinct parts:

• Areas to Improve
• Resources Available
• Measurable Results

Areas to Improve

In order for an employee's performance to improve, he or she needs specific areas to focus on. Generally stating that employees simply need to "perform better" is not enough guid­ance, and can often lead to frustration on the part of the employee. Instead, a list of specific areas to improve should be agreed to by both parties. This will empower the employee to work toward improvement and boost morale. 

Resources Available

Employees should be assured that they will receive the necessary tools to help them im­prove their performance. These resources might include education, software programs, or other work aides. Resources should also always include periodic feedback sessions with the manager, and manager-sponsored coaching or mentoring. Providing employees with the tools they need to succeed will help improve the performance of the entire organization.

Measurable Results

In order for performance improvements to be met, the manager should set a list of desired performance objectives. Employees will be evaluated on their ability to meet these objectives, given the tools and resources available to them. The manager should make it clear that employees will be reviewed on these objectives during the next review period, or some interim period, when appropriate. Performance appraisal software can make these checkpoints easy to remember and complete.

Do Performance Reviews Boost Employee Morale?

Over the years, I have worked for companies who promote performance appraisals and those who don't.  I have had to give performance appraisals and have been on the receiving end of them.

I for one like to know where I stand and if I am doing the job that is expected of me.  I wish to excel and be a top performer, however, if I don't know what the expectations or goals are, how do I know if I am meeting the performance standards that are expected of me?  If I am not receiving periodic feedback on my performance with goals, standards, and expectations, how can my supervisor fairly rate my performance?   Knowing what is expected of me and wanting to go beyond that, increases my satisfaction with my job and my morale within the company.  

I finally realized what motivated me would most likely motivate the employees that reported to me.  I developed goals and standards for each of my staff members.  I presented them to each and discussed to get their buy-in.  They knew why they had these goals, what their importance was, and how they fit into the company objectives.  They then felt they were contributing to the overall success of the company and that their contribution was important.  They wanted to do a good job because they knew what the standards were and what the expectations were.  Most people do not want to fail in meeting expectations.  I continued to give them feedback throughout the review period so they knew exactly were they stood.  The morale in my department was greatly improved and every staff member was appreciative to know where they stood. They excelled and achieved the goals and standards that were set for them.

Are Your Performance Appraisals Fair?

It has been just recently that I have realized the importance of documenting employee performance throughout the performance review period and setting performance standards and expectations.  I have been in HR and payroll management, consulting, and sales for the past 25+ years. Currently I work with performance management software in the development of the software and providing demonstrations and webinars on performance management. I have read books and articles and talked with HR managers about performance management and the importance of effective performance reviews.  In doing so, I have come to the conclusion that I, as a manager of 15 employees several years back, did an injustice to my staff by the reviews that I gave them.

I was responsible for performing an annual review for each of my staff members. As everyone knows, HR and payroll departments are hectic, usually understaffed, and not the most important part of an organization. I never seemed to find the time to document a staff member's performance whether it was exceptional or not acceptable.  When it came time for the annual performance review, I had not documented any of the past 12 months of performance, and what I could recall was probably the last 3 months.  If the performance was bad in the last 3 months, that was on the forefront of my mind, and I had forgotten the previous 9 months of good performance.  If the last 3 months were exceptional, I may have forgotten that in the past 9 months they had dropped the ball many times. 

The other thing that I realized is that what I was rating or evaluating my staff on was purely my perception. There were no set standards or performance expectations, and I did not have a way to measure them.  How were they supposed to know what was expected of them?  How was I supposed to rate them?  Well, I most likely did not rate them fairly, if I had given them standards and expectations and had monitored and documented their performance throughout the year, I would have been able to provide an objective and fair performance evaluation.

Do you set standards and expectations for your employees?

- Sue Erickson

Tip #2: Use SMART Goals

Clearly communicating employee expectations can mean the difference between a productive workforce and one without direction. You may already have a process for setting employee goals. But are the goals clear to your employees, and are your employees achieving them?

The SMART goal concept tests a goal on five key factors that ensure that the goal is clear and appropriate for the employee.

1. Specific - The goal must answer the W questions like who, what, where, when, and why.

2. Measurable - This the goal must answer the question how much or how many. If you can't measure it, how can you assess it, and how will you know when it has been accomplished?

3. Agreed Upon- All parties including the employee and the supervisor must agree on the conditions of the goal. They must believe that the goal is appropriate in expectations and timeline.

4. Realistic - The goal must be something that is out of reach but not impossible to achieve. The accomplishment of the goal must still represent significant achievement.

5. Timely - The goal must identify a deadline for achievement.

Here are some examples of how measuring goals against the SMART qualifications can improve goal setting.

Original Goal	SMART Goal
Improve cold calling skills.	Increase the number of leads derived from cold calling from 7 to 10 per week by July 12.
Improve employee engagement and satisfaction.	Schedule three events for employees and their families by December 31.
Increase customer satisfaction.	Administer and respond to a customer satisfaction survey by June 30.

What standards does your company use when creating goals?