Performance management has traditionally been recognized as a complicated task, especially in this era of hybrid working. Trying to keep track of employees’ performance when they work remotely and are not in the office can be challenging. An outcome of this is that conventional, one-size-fits-all performance indicators may be outdated in the present time. It may not be applicable to quantify how many hours a worker devotes in front of a desktop computer to determine productivity. Companies will be more productive if they assess employee performance based on outcomes, contribution, and quality, so conventional methods must be reconsidered.
How can companies adapt their performance management strategies to a hybrid working setup? Here are five pieces of advice before taking action.
Set Clear and Specific Goals
Organizations should set expectations that are realistic and beneficial. The first rule is to set specific goals. Setting measurable and attainable goals is not only morally correct but also essential in the hybrid workplace. Rather than yearly goals, companies should focus on setting clear, short-term, adaptive, and achievable goals.
Before setting targets for your staff, you must examine your company’s objectives. It is meaningless to assign specific goals to employees if they do not correspond to the firm’s overall purpose. Align your own goals with your team, unit, and company. It will allow employees to see where they fit into the broader picture and how their job contributes to the company’s goals and objectives. It also promotes internal organization transparency, which is crucial in the hybrid workplace.
Communicate in Person at Crucial Phases of the Work Process
For performance assessments and check-ins, face-to-face communication is essential. If your staff work in your office, meet with them in person. If you have remote employees, schedule an alignment meeting through video conferencing tools and applications. It also gives these sessions a more personal touch.
To get the most out of this practice, Human Resource Management leaders must maintain the momentum of evaluations and encourage supervisors to check in with their direct reports on their career aspirations, growth, and professional goals. Although performance reviews are a good reminder to check in with employees about their performance, managers should have regular coaching conversations with their team members.
Obtain Feedback From Those Who Have Close Working Relationships With Team Members
Aside from a manager’s feedback, it should also be solicited from direct reports, colleagues, executives, and senior leaders. This will allow them to add feedback and evaluations from a colleague familiar with the worker’s daily activities, resulting in a more thorough examination. Allowing only one person to decide on an employee’s performance evaluation might result in a biased assessment and deprive the employee of valuable feedback that can help them grow personally and professionally.
Spend Time With Your Employees to Reduce evaluation biases
Building stronger ties with those directly in front of you is a natural tendency. As a result, managers may feel that employees who work close to one another are more efficient and productive than their hybrid coworkers. Leaders and supervisors may interact with some employees more than others in a hybrid setting, which may result in proximity bias.
When remote workers are kept informed, receive advice, and see that their demands are being recognized and addressed, they feel empowered to do their best work. On the other hand, managers can see the benefits of a more engaged, collaborative workforce, which leads to a better corporate structure and more motivated employees who produce even better results.
Purposeful Managers Training
Managers should be trained to help their companies implement new performance agreements. Instead of assuming that all managers are highly capable, they should be equipped to assess performance based on outcomes, targets, and results. It may be a valuable decision to train managers to handle unpleasant conversations. Employees must be able to share any concerns about lost productivity without fear of backlash concerning income or progress.
