Great Employee Performance Management Means Back to Basics

Ensuring the achievement of organizational goals is dependent upon effective employee performance management.

In our recently published Whitepaper entitled, Goal Alignment: How Successful Organizations Social-Network Performance Management, my colleague, Dr. Amanda Seidler, and I discuss the challenges organizations face in using goal setting and goal alignment to reap the benefits of effective employee performance management.  Bottom line: Technology that is easy-to-use and seamlessly fits into your business processes will bring about success.

Are we on the road to nowhere?

Execution and driving results are directly linked to the concept of goal alignment. Although most people would agree that the idea of aligning individual performance goals to organizational goals makes complete sense, many organizations admittedly struggle to make that happen.  Without goal alignment, employees and managers throughout the organization are likely going to believe that they are on the road to nowhere. Given the importance of goal alignment to the bottom line, why is implementing something that seems so worthwhile such a challenge?

One Mile at a Time

To answer this question, we need to reflect on the basic concepts of performance goal setting. Structured goal setting is one of the simplest and most efficient ways to provide clear direction to employees and motivate them to take action. Goal setting sets the stage for goal alignment.  In addition, managers must take the extra step to make sure the employees understand how their goals directly link to department and organizational goals. Goal alignment provides a map for employees to follow, illustrating how their efforts and results contribute to moving the company to its desired destination.

Organizational goals require a complex set of skills and capabilities that no individual or functional area can possibly possess. These strategic goals will only be achieved when everyone in the company is working, executing their own individual goals, to deliver optimal results. Taking the time to set individual and departmental goals that directly link to strategic goals will build momentum and increase energy toward goal accomplishment. All employees will see how their unique skills and contributions have helped move the organization forward.

Technology Can Make It Easier

Employee Performance Management technology is an important tool in facilitating goal alignment and execution.  Over the past decade, I have worked with many organizations to employee Performance Management as a tool to mobilize employee efforts around organizational goals. Organizational leaders and every other involved party can leverage real-time visibility and collaboration to facilitate goal alignment and completion through the use of Employee Performance Management software.

Download our Whitepaper to learn more about how you can use technology to improve the Employee Performance Management process.

Related Resources:

Article: Using Development Goal Setting to Drive Performance.