It’s no laughing matter when you spend a lot of your time managing difficult employees, dealing with conflict, poor performance or low morale. It sucks a lot of your time and energy and it’s frustrating when you know there is so much to do and achieve!

The answer is a good Performance Management process, that engages and motivates your staff and makes them accountable. Sadly, whilst most managers know they should be managing the performance of their staff better, many are not sure how.

The good news is there is now enough research and evidence to prove people are not motivated or engaged by the traditional annual appraisal of past performance. The research shows that motivation, job performance, and morale increases when employees have the opportunity to regularly talk about their ideas, concerns, goals, achievements, strengths and contribution to the team and organisation.

Not only does regularly managing performance increase engagement, motivation and loyalty, the research shows that managers of high performing teams confront poor performance directly and quickly. These managers inspire higher performance because they make it very clear that they will not tolerate poor performance.

If you want to know more about how to develop an effective Performance Management process, click here to download my FREE Practice Guide, and read below my top 7 tips about making managing your staff easier and more effective.

Top Tips

1. The management of performance should be a way of life, a regular dialogue that engages people and motivates them to be contributors to your organisation, not just passive players.
2. Success depends on what the organisation needs to achieve.
3. Have a process that is structured but flexible.
4. It is the process that is important, not the system.
5. Gain management support and train all supervisors how to manage effectively.
6. Effectively communicate and involve all employees in the process – their buy-in is critical!
7. Regularly measure and monitor your performance management approach and systems so you know they are achieving the outcomes you desire, not wasting people’s time or, even worse, having a negative effect.