Learn how performance management software can take your company from strength to strength.
A key role of any HR department is to ensure that all people-related processes are running smoothly and efficiently. Great HR teams track performance and are constantly looking for ways to increase productivity within the company. If performance and productivity are key concerns for your organisation, then look to transform your performance management systems with the use of modern and intuitive software.
Modern performance management software has a lot to offer, particularly when used in conjunction with a continuous approach to performance management. It can facilitate regular check-in conversations, encourage in-the-moment feedback, enable the agreement of SMART objectives that are aligned to your business goals, and provide guidance to managers on the key performance management skills.
1. Performance management software provides open channels of instant communication
Communication is vital within any organisation. We exist in a world of real-time interaction, and this is something that is now expected within the office environment. Regular, future-focused performance discussions and real-time feedback is now a necessity — and for good reason. Studies have shown that accurate feedback can increase company performance by 39% and in-the-moment feedback can increase employee performance by 12%.
It makes no sense to limit feedback and performance discussions to just an annual or bi-annual event. These should be an everyday part of good management. Performance management software can step in to facilitate the communication process and make feedback more regular. Clear Review enables employees and managers to interact in the moment, and feedback can be instantly exchanged via desktop, smartphone or tablet. The interface used is user-friendly and highly intuitive, ensuring high levels of user adoption.
2. Performance management software encourages regular check-ins with employees
A key concept of continuous performance management is replacing the outdated annual appraisal with more regular, future-focused ‘check-ins’. Though HR might initially be concerned with the willingness of managers to schedule and adhere to multiple meetings, in our experience managers are surprisingly open to this, especially if they understand the benefits. A Gallup study demonstrates that employees who have regular one-on-ones with their manager are three times more likely to be engaged than those with infrequent sessions. Engagement, of course, has positive knock-on effects on performance with highly engaged employees being 22% more productive. Organisations who meet with employees to review goals and performance are also twice as likely to be in the top quartile of financial performers. This demonstrates the need for physical, person-to-person discussions between employees and management, and leading organisations such as Adobe and Deloitte have led the way with this performance management trend.
Performance management software assists HR in this area. Regular check-ins are integrated into Clear Review’s core software, so email reminders can be sent, action points can be agreed and shared, and important notes can be stored online for later reference. HR have full visibility of who is and isn’t checking in regularly, something that is simply not possible with a paper based system.
3. Performance management software assists with performance reviews
Performance reviews can be laborious, but modern software can simplify the process in a number of ways. Clear Review’s Viewpoints feature seriously reduces the time taken to conduct a review, as it allows a set of performance and talent questions to be configured which can be answered quickly and easily by managers. Managers’ answers are more insightful than those given as part of an appraisal because they are based on the manager’s knowledge gained via regular check-ins and feedback throughout the year. Answers to the Viewpoints questions are automatically compiled by Clear Review into an Excel spreadsheet for easy analysis.
4. Performance management software allows for SMART goal setting
Performance management software is designed to allow managers and employees to collaborate on SMART objectives. These goals are essential for employees so that they have a clear idea of their priorities and deliverables. The software also assists by ensuring that these individual objectives support, and are aligned, to overall organisational goals, using a process recommended by experts at the CEB. Performance management software allows for flexibility, and goals can be added and updated at any time to reflect changes in business requirements.
5. The best performance management provides guidance on good performance management
One unique feature provided by our performance management software is that it gives users guidance and advice on good performance management best practice and skills through built-in animated videos. This is particularly important for organisations that lack the time or budgets to run regular performance management training. Relevant topics include giving effective feedback, setting objectives, and holding a productive performance discussion.
With technology and software advancing at such an impressive rate, it is clear that companies can only remain competitive and successful if they utilise the performance management tools available to them. Take care when selecting your software provider though as there are important differences that could make all the difference to your organisation. Clear Review is based on the latest research into performance and engagement and our team are experienced and knowledgeable HR experts who understand what it takes to be a high performing organisation.