6 Ways Performance Review Software Can Help You Revamp Performance Management

by Srikant Chellappa Aug 16,2016
Engagedly
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with Srikant Chellappa, CEO

To quote a tried and test proverb, old is gold. But not when it comes to HR practices. HR practices need to reflect the world and times we live in, and our current work environment as well.

You cannot project yourself as a company of the future when your HR practices would be more suited to an organization that is living in the 1960s. Seems a bitter pill to swallow but it is the truth. Performance review software has slowly but surely been edging its way into the HR world. If you belong to the old school or have an inherent distrust of software and what it claims to do, then this article is for you.

Performance review software can help you get out of a performance management rut. Here is how:

1. It makes the review process easier (and faster as well)

It does away with the clutter of the traditional performance review and instead automates the entire process. Instead of an administrator hounding employees and managers alike to finish reviews or turn them in, the software will automatically remind users that they need to submit reviews by a certain date. Employees will not have to write out reviews painstakingly, one by one, rather they can complete a few reviews in the space of an hour!

2. Can collect and collate data into something  that you can gain useful  information from

One of the biggest benefits of performance review software is this: you can feed some information into the software and it will collect the information into something that can be easily read or understood.

At the end of a review cycle, administrators can see performance trends across the organization, see which users have performed exceptionally well, see the performance graph of a user over a period of time etc. The amount of information that can be gleaned will obviously vary from software to software but all the same it is a benefit. Also, the time taken to collate all that information is insignificant. On the other hand, imagine people sitting and doing this by hand. Time-consuming and painstaking right?

3. Gives administrators leeway to  explore new practices

With traditional HR practices, trying something new (within the process itself) is a big gamble. There’s no data to tell you how the new introduction will fare and there’s no way of immediately knowing what people think about it. On the other hand, with software, administrators can sit and tinker with their performance review processes. By testing the process out on small sample sizes at first, they can refine the process until they find something that works for them.

4. Finds more favour with the tech-savvy generation

Your HR practices need to also match the sensibilities of your employees. Older employees might prefer to stick with traditional practices, but younger or tech-savvy employees might not. When employees cannot fully understand a process or know how it works, they will not take part in it fully or take part in it at all.

If your organization is made up of employees who are tech-savvy, then they will be more inclined to adopt review software as opposed to traditional performance review processes.

Also read: Performance Reviews With Social Recognition Improves Overall Adoption And Engagement

5. Reduces the hassle of scheduling

Another benefit of performance review software is that is allows administrators to set up a review cycle within a matter of minutes. The rest of the review cycle is triggered by the software itself. Administrators need not worry about tracking a paper schedule and reminding employees. The software does that for them.

6. Can help identify problem spots quicker

At the end of a review cycle, when administrators can view the entire cycle, reviews and statistics, it is easier to identify problematic areas or employees,  and then nip the problem in the bud or review it even more closely. While this can also be done with traditional performance reviews, it is a process that happens far too slowly and sometimes that allows the problem to balloon unchecked.

At the end of the day, performance review software is not a magical tool that fixes all problems but it definitely can help an organization, especially if you are looking to make the shift from traditional paper-based reviews to performance appraisal software!


Engagedly’s performance review module aims to make performance reviews simpler and easier. To see how the module works, request a demo!

Author
Srikant Chellappa
CEO & Co-Founder of Engagedly

Srikant Chellappa is the Co-Founder and CEO at Engagedly and is a passionate entrepreneur and people leader. He is an author, producer/director of 6 feature films, a music album with his band Manchester Underground, and is the host of The People Strategy Leaders Podcast. He is currently working on his next book, Ikigai at the Workplace, which is slated for release in the fall of 2024.

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