What is Performance Enablement? Vs traditional performance management.
In the business world today, evaluating employee performance and giving comprehensive feedback help keep employees afoot. It allows them to embrace their professional progress and supports their desire to grow, which directly boosts their productivity.
While traditional performance management limits the creativity of employees with top-down decision-making, performance enablement empowers the employees.
Performance Enablement is a strategic approach to maximizing the full potential of employees, by providing them with the right resources and work environment they need to function effectively. The primary purpose of this strategy is to foster openness and dynamism in work operations through the use of frequent and constructive feedback to help employees reach their set professional goals.
Traditional performance management, on the other hand, leaves organizations to operate on quarterly performance assessment systems, which is an inaccurate approach to employee appraisal. Conducting performance reviews quarterly or bi-annually discredits the efficiency of employees all year long, and credits their recent performance, giving room to evaluation bias.
Unlike the performance management system, the enablement model decentralizes feedback power to every member of staff in an organization. Employees just don’t have to work to the expectations of the manager alone, but in the interest of the team as a whole. This way, they are able to improve teamwork, align the
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The role of technology in ‘enabling’ people at work.
When it comes to improving business operations, technology always comes to the rescue. With the advent of a comprehensive cloud-based platform like Grove HR, organizations can easily incorporate the performance enablement model in their systems.
Here are a few ways Performance Enablement technology serves as a breakthrough from the static performance management approach:
Simplifies enablement processes
Performance reviews can be configured and submitted with just a few clicks when HR technology is used. These automated systems help organizations select and combine core participants in the review process. They also feature accessible and customizable review templates for different departments, so reviews can be conducted immediately and frequently.
Enable cross-functional feedbacks
Dynamic businesses are moving away (partially) from the traditional org structure to allow greater collaborations and agility. HR technology allows organizations to conduct performance reviews at different levels: org-based, project-based, and peer-to-peer. This way, reviewers can be matched with their reporting line to evaluate and discuss their performance in recent projects or with their direct-line managers during general evaluation programs.
However, performance appraisal is a sensitive exercise, as derogatory words can hurt employees. So reviewers are advised to use safe performance review phrases to give constructive feedback.
Scales performance
Human Resources and core review participants can schedule reviews ahead of time instead of relying solely on brainpower to remember every task. HR software solutions also feature automatic reminders that notify core participants of the review process the time and the deadline of each session, to encourage frequent feedback.
Increased communication
An improved communication system also encourages trust between employees and managers. With the adoption of HR technology, employees can always tap into an effective communication system anytime, anywhere. These software tools allow team leaders to create project-specific groups to speed up the actualization of certain plans and ideas.
Also, organizations don’t have to limit the expansion of their workforce, as these software solutions improve internal communication even with remote workers on board. Since it is cloud-based, all conversations can happen in real-time and be accessed for future references in cases where the difference in time zone acts as a limiting factor.
Better access through a mobile connection
The functions and features of Performance Enablement technology are also accessible on mobile phones. Now, every employee can work on the go, give and receive feedback as well appraisals easily.
Employees can stay connected to the office without having to be physically present at their workstations. People can now put their time to good use whenever they’re motivated to, without having to wait till they can lay hands on their office computer.
How big companies are conducting Performance Enablement?
The top dogs in the corporate world are no stranger to the efficacy of the Performance Enablement approach. They understand the concept of this model and how it contributes to the success of their business.
Here are a few companies that adopted the performance enablement model that boosts creativity and productivity in their workforce.
Netflix
Becoming the world’s biggest online streaming platform doesn’t happen overnight. Netflix has since created an enabling environment for its employees to bring out their most innovative sides. The Netflix employee appraisal method involves the elimination of annual reviews and the inclusion of real-time performance reviews. Members of its workforce are permitted to write their honest feedback in a text box to anyone, regardless of their hierarchy.
A ‘stop, start or continue’ template is also used to assess the performance of managers and employees by indicating what they should stop, giving suggestions to what they should start, and praising existing actions that they should continue. Effective communication, transparency, and hard work have made the online streaming company, one of the major movers in the business world.
The social media giant has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the performance enablement model. The performance appraisal strategy of Facebook consists of a performance Summary Cycle – conducted bi-annually due to the dynamic nature of their products, a 5-peer 360-degree review to maintain authenticity, a two-week calibration period to eliminate bias, and a suggested rating curve to promote healthy competitions.
The 360 reviews and performance assessment lies at the core of the performance review system of Facebook. These components form the basis of their compensation structure, as results from each performance exercise decide which employees get bonuses, raises, and other benefits.
The work environment at Google is one to admire. The multinational tech company provides the resources both the employees and managers need to develop. Its adoption of an innovative grading system, OKR – Objectives and Key Results, helps them track their growth and accomplishments over time.
With Google’s two-way performance review exercise, employees first get to evaluate themselves at the self-evaluation stage and get evaluated by managers and peers at the 360-degree stage. This helps employees compare how well they perceive their performance to how well the organization does. And to eliminate bias and reward hard work, managers at Google organize two meetings, one to assess the outcome of the evaluation results and the other to discuss compensations and benefits.
Open the door to Performance Enablement
Performance enablement is crucial to the success of your organization. The process is endless and dynamic, as work operations and workforce demand are susceptible to change. And to adjust to its dynamism, comprehensive knowledge on this emerging topic is required.
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