I have had a lot of client conversations since my last blog, responding to the proposals to reduce the unfair dismissal qualifying threshold and how this is going to force managers to actually manage performance, rather than fill in dodgy once or twice a year appraisal forms with forgettable buzzwords and pieces of advice! Or worse: hand things over to HR to deal with when the going gets tough.
The folly of annual/half-year appraisals means that people aren't managed in a timely way: it's done when the calendar tells them to and HR cajoles them! So, when it comes to managing performance they are generally putting things off unless someone is really 'bad'. I see this all the time - rushed probation/permanent employment confirmations even though 'we aren't sure about them' or worse: probation extensions because, well, we aren't sure about them! And holding onto people because its 'better the devil you know' or feels just too difficult to do anything about it.
Managers just don't have the inclination or the skills to manage performance on a day-to-day basis outside of the odd 121 chat. The dreaded 'objectives' are often terribly worded, are subjective and full of buzzwords, which then leads to conflict when the employee is trying to make a case that they have achieved them and the manager is begging to differ. Most non-sales performance is not result targeted - it's the individual's manager giving them suggestions around what they need to do differently!
So do take a look at our short video reimagining how you are writing these objectives and try and get them over on email or even conversationally to people NOW rather than waiting until the calendar-driven performance review process.
And here again is the managers three-point formula to maximise the chances of getting things right with new starters.
- Inductions/onboarding are mainly about getting up to speed. They should, instead be performance focused. After two weeks of settling in, everyone needs proactive, 'familiarisation/self-sufficiency' objectives for the next few months. Focused on understanding that system, knowing and following the procedures for X, being able to do Y without too much 'hand-holding'. A lot of this can easily be measured across and quickly tested towards the end of the probation period.
- Are they performing against 'quick-win' objectives they have been targeted with after the first couple of weeks. These are the things that tell us early-on that this person is already having an impact and delivering some results. It's not about settling in for months and 'observing' - this gives you virtually nil data when it comes to that all-important six month decision mark.
- What's the attitude and behaviour like? Not necessarily something you can target objectives with from the beginning - something you instead are going to see play out across those first few months. What is the real them like outside of those interviews! At the three month stage, identify the red flags if any - have the conversation - turn these into objectives (eg you want to see more of x and less of y). Are these habits they can develop in the way the org wants - or personality traits you can do without?
Objective-setting and managing attitude/behaviour are a massive part of our training here at Lightbulb - because just about everyone struggles with it. A new, different approach is required rather than just repeating the tired acronym SMART ad-nauseum to people and hoping that will do the trick!
Check out our Flexible, Painless People Management programme and our 'different approach' Managing Performance/Objective-Setting workshops
