Sridhar Ganesh

An Agile Performance
Management Process
Employees no longer want a checklist of objectives recited to them but expect
to be involved in developing their individual goals and the plans for achieving
those goals. So what will be the future of performance reviews?

While clearly
communicating
company and indi-
vidual goals is an
essential step for any
Management & Development

business, commu-
nication alone is not
going to get you far
emphasizes goal setting, measurable
results, collaboration, frequent feedback,
flexibility to meet the changing organi-
zational needs and effective coaching. It
builds on a basic performance manage-
ment model by being frequent and regu-
lar, yet flexible enough to accommodate

P
organizational changes and every employ-
erformance management has no longer want a checklist of objectives
ee’s unique abilities and ambitions, and
undergone several changes over recited to them. They expect to be involved
requires supervisors to be more facilita-
the past few years. The most in developing their individual goals and
tive as distinct from being directional. The
dramatic of course has been the plans for achieving those goals. This
basic performance management model that
the introduction and practice mind-set results partly from a connected
businesses claim to practice has in most
of the 360-degree feedback system. The world, wherein messages and texts fly
cases fallen short of employee expectations
traditional performance review meet- instantaneously: Millennials are used
in terms of clarity of goals, evaluation as
ings between supervisor and employee to instant communication. Workplaces
well as the frequency and quality of feed-
were in most cases a tick in the box! With today are as connected as any online social
back. To begin with, here are some simple
time, those got reshaped into a more network, so employees and supervisors
steps to get the Agile PMS right.
results-oriented performance manage- communicate in real time. Performance
ment process. Recently, though, forward- feedback doesn’t need to wait for a yearly
Define Work Goals and Objectives for
thinking companies have begun adopting review.
Employees
an agile performance management process As businesses increasingly embrace
It is unfair to expect employees to meet
— an approach with the adaptability the concept of “agile”, organizational
performance expectations or company
needed in today’s workplace. Agile perfor- processes have also started to show signs
goals if they have not been clearly outlined.
mance management essentially mirrors of agility.
Doing this is the first step towards effective
the modern work environment, and the
performance management. And the second
people in it. Workplaces, particularly in Agile Performance Management
step is to communicate the goals, and there-
the knowledge economy, have evolved from Agile performance management is an
after, constantly review these goals in the
a hierarchical top-down structure to an approach to employee appraisal and
light of the business environment. They
open, collaborative one where multiple development that replaces the traditional
ought not to be seen as cast in stone for the
teams and management levels join forces annual employee reviews with an ongo-
year! Quite often HR heads have a common
to achieve a common purpose. Employees ing and interactive process. This approach
complaint that employees are neither
32 | April 2019
 responsive, not do they come forward to not about giving (as is commonly misun- progress meetings, these meetings can be
ask questions when they are confused or derstood) but is indeed a dialogue with an held monthly, quarterly, or as often as you
unclear about something. The reason for employee to identify, what is going well think fit. Some companies have weekly
this is that almost always, employees are and what is not and having strategies for reviews, but we believe that such frequent
either unclear or uninformed about their improvement of the latter. This process of meetings could cause fatigue. Group
performance objectives. This problem can a dialogue cannot wait till the HR gets into reviews are more effective in shorter dura-
be avoided with clear communication and its annual review cycle. Instead, it should tions, while individual performance should
frequent dialogues. In order to set their be done in real time and integrated into ideally be tracked on a monthly basis.
goals and ensure that each employee is the company culture. Timely performance The meeting objectives should include:
informed, reduce the scope for ‘loss in feedback conversations are the best way to • Follow up on goals
translation’ due to poor communication, reassure your employees and their work • Addressing peer reviews
and digitize the process. Most good HR while also shaping their work effectively. • Recognizing high performers, discuss-
software systems have built-in goal-tracker You would be amazed to know how many ing their goals and growth trajectory
options that allow for objectives to be younger employees thrive on the involve- • Discussing company goals and aligning
defined, goals to be set, and milestones to ment that the management shows in their all employees to that goal
be recorded. progress, and the direction they get from
the reviews. Work towards Pre-emptive Management
Track Goals, Don’t Let them slide The end-goal of an effective performance
While clearly communicating company Don’t Ignore Small Details of Peer management system should be to have
and individual goals is an essential step for Reviews a workplace that practices pre-emptive
any business, communication alone is not Peer reviews are useful because they allow management. In simple words, this means
going to get you far. It would be a good idea co-workers to praise other co-workers and that your employees always know what
to integrate these goals into the HR soft- highlight positive aspects of their perfor- is expected of them, and they also have
a digitized, trackable progress record.
And finally, rewards and incentives are
the most effective way to show employees
Management & Development

Almost always,
employees are
either unclear or
uninformed about
their performance
objectives
that you care, that you have noticed their
efforts and you want them to keep up the
good work. Validation and recognition go
a long way!
ware that allows for goal-setting tracking mance, as well as point out where improve- These six strategies for effective perfor-
and an alert system if targets are slipping. ments can be made. When this function mance management may seem simple,
In order to foster a ‘smarter’ workplace, one is digitized, there is further scope to help but they can work wonders when imple-
needs to invest in a smarter system. If your employees to work together, build better mented. When companies get their people
company’s HR management system doesn’t communication, and assess where they can involved, see them as contributors not
have scope to customize these settings, it’s improve themselves while watching their just cogs, the right work environment for
time to consider an upgrade. This would colleagues. However, it is very important success is guaranteed. However, there
also be a good time to listen to your employ- that all peer reviews should be studied to is no single agile performance manage-
ees. Are they complaining that the existing ensure that no claims, concerns, praises, ment definition. Each organization has to
system is hard to use? Or does your present or other comments go unnoticed or unad- decide how to structure its own processes
software low on employee engagement? dressed. The right performance software to best suit its needs. An agile performance
should be able to help you collect frequent management process engages employees in
Engage in Frequent Performance feedback, giving you options to implement a year-round, continual process of individ-
Dialogues and customize the reviews. ual development so that they become active
The single biggest distinction of the Agile participants in cultivating their strengths
PMS is its ability to engage in dialogue Set the Agenda, Set the Frequency in ways that benefit themselves and the
frequently to track and review perfor- Extending on the strategy discussed in entire company.
mance. Good performance feedback rein- point no 2, setting aside time to meet with About the author

forces strong skill sets and positive behav- your team and seeing how things are going
Sridhar Ganesh is the MD & CEO of
iors while showing opportunity areas with with your set goals and objectives is impor- Adrenalin eSystems Limited
a clear path for improvement. Feedback is tant. Also known as progress reports or
34 | April 2019