Using Performance Management to Achieve Multiple Purposes – Part II

Informational objectives

Performance management systems serve an important informational purpose because they are a means to communicate. First, they inform employees about how they are doing and provide them with information on specific areas that need improvement. Second, related to the strategic purpose, they provide information regarding expectations of peers, supervisors, customers, and the organization, and what aspects of work are most important.

Developmental objectives

Overall, performance management helps employees develop and grow because it improves communication, clarifies roles and expectations in terms of career paths, and includes useful feedback. First, performance management systems serve as an important communication device. One, they inform employees about how they are doing and provide them with information on specific areas that need improvement. Two, related to the strategic purpose, they provide information regarding expectations of peers, supervisors, customers, and the organization, and what aspects of work are most important. A second aspect of the developmental purpose is that employees receive information about themselves that can help them individualize their career paths. For example, by learning about their strengths, they are better able to chart a more successful path for their future. Thus, the developmental purpose refers to both short-term and long-term aspects of development. Third, as I mention earlier, feedback is an important component of a wellimplemented performance management system. But for feedback to be useful, it needs to be used in a developmental manner. So managers should use feedback to coach employees and improve performance on an ongoing basis. This feedback allows for the identification of strengths and weaknesses as well as the causes for performance deficiencies. Feedback is useful only if employees are willing to receive it and the organization takes concrete steps to remedy any deficiencies. You should try to create a “feedback culture” that reflects support for feedback, including feedback that is nonthreatening and is focused on behaviors and coaching.

Source:

Performance Management for Dummies

By Herman Aguinis, PhD

2019, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey