Step aside traditional performance management, it’s time to take a more human approach.

In the modern workforce, there has been a move from the traditional box-ticking process of traditional performance management to give this process a more human approach. The yearly annual review is becoming a fortnightly coffee catch up and the goal setting is becoming less focused on ratings . What does this mean though?

Well, this regular face-to-face approach is definitely one that works and builds a supportive, engaged, and collaborative culture. It allows employees to regularly benchmark their performance and work to ensure they are doing what is required and more so that they are progressing. They can also see what their upcoming work and projects will look like and what is expected of them. It also allows them time where they can build relationships with their boss which can only help their career.

Also, for the business this means flexibility and agility to move to business needs, setting short term goals. It allows for a continuous dialogue and with the team to build an engaged collaborative team environment and ensure they are focused on their objectives. With the move away from performance reviews and the semantics involved, which with the wrong employee can have negative outcomes. Now, we are moving towards processes, for example, called capability building, which can only help drive positive performance.

Netflix moved away from a process-driven culture as they believed eventually this drives out high performing employees, they instead allow their employees to make their own decisions to reach the end goal. They employ adults and treat them like adults, investing in high performing employees and building and maintaining a culture that rewards high-performers.