The Complete Guide to the Employee Performance Review

Not everyone is a big fan of performance reviews. Managers and employees dread it alike. And studies show that most leaders find it a sheer waste of resources. 

But then, why does every other organization conduct employee performance reviews? 

The answer lies in understanding its importance. In today’s competitive work environment, an effective employee performance evaluation system is crucial for retaining top talent and boosting engagement.

Employee performance review, or performance evaluation, isn’t just a process of identifying the most talented employees and rewarding them; it is about creating a performance-driven, data-backed, and employee-centered culture that helps employees and organizations accomplish bigger goals. 

Research has shown that organizations that conduct effective employee performance evaluations are 1.4 times more likely to meet their financial goals, have a more engaged workforce (2.7 times), and are 4 times more likely to encourage appropriate risk-taking.

 

research on employee performance review

 

Effective employee performance evaluations help employees and teams improve their performance and lead organizations to better business outcomes In this article, we will understand the intricacies of employee performance reviews and discuss the following:

What is an Employee Performance Review?

An employee performance review, or performance evaluation, is an assessment conducted by a manager to review the overall performance of an employee during a particular time period. The review provides managers with an opportunity to discuss the employee’s strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities. 

It is a two-way conversation that generally involves asking questions, offering feedback, setting goals and expectations, and making a rational and empirical analysis of an employee’s overall contributions.

A comprehensive employee performance evaluation allows for honest discussions on areas where employees excel and where they can improve

two way conversations in a performance review

A performance review is meant to leverage the talent by offering them guidance, appreciating their efforts, motivating them to perform better, and discussing the learning and development opportunities to enhance their skills. 

It is a process that helps managers identify the potential of their employees and offers a constructive approach to guide them on the path of their highest potential.

Performance evaluations serve multiple functions in organizations, but the most rudimentary among them are:

  • Ensuring effective communication and providing feedback to employees
  • Help change or alter the behavior of employees so as to make them more productive and aligned towards organizational goals
  • Planning for future assignments and projects based on the data gathered during the employee review process
  • Through a well-structured employee performance evaluation, organizations can identify skill gaps and provide targeted training for personal and professional growth.

For a long time, organizations have relied on traditional performance reviews of conducting annual assessments, but with the change in the global business market, most organizations are moving towards a continuous review process. 

Companies like Google, Adobe, Microsoft, and Accenture have completely replaced their traditional review systems with a more frequent and accessible process. It usually involves conducting frequent check-ins, providing on-going feedback, and establishing clear communication between managers and employees.

Performance Review Process Flowchart

The following infographic highlights the complete performance review process followed by organizations.

performance review process flowchart

Types of Employee Performance Review 

Performance reviews are constantly evolving. What was once a top-down approach has now metamorphosed into a holistic, continuous, and dynamic process. Though the top-down approach is still in practice, it is loaded with inconsistencies that cause disengagement among employees. 

A more practical approach towards employee development and engagement is to conduct continuous performance reviews. Frequent employee performance evaluations help managers and employees stay aligned on goals, reducing any surprises during annual reviews.

As modern HR strategies talk about improving the employee experience, it is important to incorporate a wholesome and action-oriented review approach that helps employees in their personal and professional development. 

Overall, organizations use different types of reviews to rate the performance of their employees. You can refer to the below list to understand which process will be more effective and suitable for your organization.

1. Annual Performance Review 

Annual Performance Review in a glimpse

A form of traditional review wherein a manager and employee discuss the various aspects of employee performance once a year. It usually takes into consideration the annual accomplishments, contributions, and challenges of an employee and offers feedback based on the discussion. Most organizations are transitioning from annual reviews to more frequent and actionable processes.

Also Read: Problems with annual performance reviews

2. Semi-Annual Performance Review

semi annual employee evaluation

Held twice a year, once at the beginning and the other one towards the middle of the year, semi-annual performance reviews provide opportunities for adjustments in the plan and to take corrective action, if required. 

3. Quarterly Employee Performance Review

quarterly staff reviews

Quarterly reviews help managers take quick action on the performance of their employees and make adjustments to the plan during the review meetings. It is a more proactive approach towards improving employee performance.

4. 30 60 90 Day Employee Performance Review

30-60-90 Day Employee Performance Review Process

30 60 90 Day performance review is a review process used specifically for new hires during their probationary period. Managers assess the performance of new employees on their 30, 60, and 90 day anniversaries and offer them support to easily transition into their new roles.

5. 360 Performance Review 

Benefits of 360-Degree Performance Review

In a 360 performance review, employees get feedback from the people they deal with quite frequently. It usually involves input from the manager, direct reports, clients, vendors, customers, and employee self rating.

It is one of the most effective ways to understand the strengths, weaknesses, and behaviors of employees that affect their performance. Using a platform like Engagedly for employee performance evaluations can streamline the process and provide real-time feedback to employees.

6. Peer to Peer Performance Review

Pros and cons of Peer-to-peer performance reviews

It is a multi-rater approach in which co-workers review the performance of their peers and evaluate them on their skills, competencies, behaviors, attitudes, and various other aspects. Peer to peer review provides a holistic view of employee performance and helps weed out any bias and inconsistencies.

7. Employee Self Evaluation

It is a form of review in which employees assess their own performance during a particular time period. By highlighting their aspirations, goals, and challenges at work, employees give a fair view of how they think and feel about their work.

As per Arthur Worsley, Founder, The Art Of Living, employee self evaluation is becoming more integral to the efficacy and effectiveness of performance reviews. It allows management to understand where it’s doing well and where it needs to improve, according to the employees.

They are a great way to determine the essential areas each individual employee needs further support in. The more effective your support provision, the more likely that your employees’ performance will improve and the more likely you’ll be able to retain them for the long term.

Also Read: Performance Review Phrases And Wordings To Use

Benefits of Performance Review

The purpose of conducting performance reviews is multifaceted. It helps in setting a performance benchmark and evaluating employees against it. It helps managers identify their most potential employees and those whose performance is not on par with the set standard. Furthermore, managers use reviews to understand employees’ personal ambitions and align them towards organizational objectives. 

Performance appraisals help employees evaluate their own performance and provide them with comprehensive feedback to hone their skills and alter their attitudes and behaviors for higher performance and productivity.

Conducting continuous performance reviews can be extremely beneficial to your organization. Effective, planned, and structured reviews can help achieve the following:

  • Maintain a record of employee performance and use it to create a customized development plan for every employee
  • Identify strengths and weaknesses of employees and assign them projects based on this knowledge
  • Create a performance plan at the beginning of the year and set clear expectations 
  • Enhance employee engagement by making employees a part of the organizational journey
  • Increase performance and productivity by motivating employees
  • Improves communication between employees and managers
  • Improves organizational effectiveness and efficiency in achieving goals and objectives

Organizations that value employee performance evaluations tend to see higher engagement, as employees feel their contributions are recognized and valued.

Performance Review in a Hybrid Workplace (Process)

Effective performance reviews can lead organizations towards success. It helps increase employee engagement, productivity, and the overall efficiency of the organization. Furthermore, it helps both managers and employees improve relationships and collaborate to achieve higher goals.

But then why do most managers and employees feel uncomfortable just with the idea of a performance review?

According to a survey conducted by Gallup, only 14% of employees agree that performance reviews inspire them to improve. Another report by Deloitte found that 58% of HR managers think of performance reviews as an ineffective use of time. 

Traditional performance reviews with a top-down approach do more harm than good. Most leaders believe that traditional performance reviews are ineffective and actually make the performance worse about one-third of the time.

Max Wesman, Chief Operating Officer at GoodHire, views traditional performance reviews as ineffective and a waste of important resources. As per him, traditional performance reviews, which were once a cornerstone of the workplace, have since faded into obscurity as the global workplace takes shape and adapts.

Most workers resent the performance review process—as do many managers—owing to its focus on punishing and reprimanding rather than fuelling positive change. In response, formal appraisals have since been gradually replaced with frequent, informal check-ins that reward employees for productive behavior rather than chastise them for past mistakes.

The challenges of employee evaluations have been further aggravated by the hybrid work environment. 

Most managers haven’t met their team members in-person, which leads to biases and unclear perceptions about their performance. With a growing number of employees opting for remote and hybrid work, it becomes increasingly difficult for managers to provide fair and accurate evaluations of their employees.

To ensure consistency and fairness, HR teams often design standardized employee performance evaluation criteria that align with company goals.

If you are facing similar challenges, then follow the below employee performance review process to conduct meaningful employee evaluations in a hybrid workplace.

Create a Standard Employee Evaluation Criteria

To avoid any bias and inconsistencies creeping into the process, it is better to create standard evaluation criteria. Managers should discuss the criteria with employees before the start of the year. HR managers and leaders must ensure that every employee is aware of the performance evaluation process being followed by the organization.

Bonus Tip: Use a real-time performance management system like Engagedly to create a standardized process for employee evaluation.

Review Employees Based on Their Monthly, Quarterly, or Annual Goals

Evaluating employees based on the achievement of their goals is the best way to conduct performance reviews. Whether your employees work remotely or from office space, setting and tracking goals helps keep their efforts aligned in one direction. 

Moreover, employees have something to look forward to every day. They are clear about their tasks and responsibilities and know that their performance appraisals will be based on the goals discussed during the performance planning process.

Bonus Tip: Use aspirational and committed OKRs to monitor the performance of your employees.

Use 360-Degree Feedback for a Comprehensive Performance Review

Using 360 degree feedback provides employees with a more equitable, fair, accurate, and holistic review of their performance. It also helps in eliminating personal bias as there are multiple reviewers in the process. 

In fact, research has shown that feedback from peers is more effective at improving performance and enhancing engagement in the workplace.

Bonus Tip:  360 degree feedback should be conducted every quarter to monitor changes in an employee’s performance and provide them with guidance to overcome any challenges.

Use Performance Management Systems to Track Employee Performance

A performance management system like Engagedly helps in continuous tracking and analysis of employees’ performance and provides insights to leaders to take appropriate action. It provides an overarching mechanism for evaluating performance, creating customized learning paths, and developing talent towards optimal performance. 

Talent Management Software

Tips for Conducting Effective Performance Reviews

Just like an effective employee evaluation review drives performance, an ineffective one leads to disengagement and can even leave employees feeling disconnected from the organization. It is therefore important to understand how to effectively conduct performance reviews that support employees and encourage them to work towards their betterment. 

The crux of conducting employee reviews is to create a conducive environment that encourages employees to openly talk about their achievements, challenges, aspirations, and inhibitions. 

Performance Review Employee Experience Infographic

Managers must ensure that they provide a positive environment for their employees to ask questions and be more involved in the review process. 

The following tips will help both managers and employees get the most out of their review discussions.

Performance Review Tips for Employees

Be prepared for the review process

Preparation shows that you value the review process and are invested in your growth. Take some time beforehand to think about your recent projects, accomplishments, and any challenges you’ve faced.

For instance, if you worked on a significant project, come ready to discuss the role you played, the skills you utilized, and how it impacted the team or company goals. Being prepared will make you feel more confident and help you share your achievements clearly.

Keep records of accomplishments handy

Having records of your achievements makes it easier to back up your statements. Instead of relying on memory, jot down highlights as they happen. For example, if you received positive feedback from a client or solved a tricky problem, note it down in a digital or physical file.

During the review, you can refer to these records to remind both yourself and your manager of the contributions you’ve made. This shows initiative and makes it easier for your manager to assess your impact.

Listen carefully and ask for clarification

Reviews can sometimes cover areas for improvement, which can be hard to hear—but listening carefully is essential. If your manager mentions a skill to work on, don’t hesitate to ask for examples to understand their perspective.

For example, if they say, “I’d like to see you improve your communication with other departments,” you might ask, “Could you give an example of a time I could have communicated better or a specific way I can improve?” This shows that you’re committed to growth and open to constructive feedback.

Ask more questions to have a clear and effective discussion

Asking questions not only makes the review more productive but also highlights your desire to improve. You might ask about areas you haven’t received feedback on before.

For example, “How do you feel my problem-solving skills have developed over the last quarter?” or “Are there additional skills you think I should focus on?” This can open up the conversation, allowing you to learn about expectations and opportunities for growth.

Discuss your personal and professional goals

Your review is a perfect time to align your career goals with the company’s objectives. Be honest about where you’d like to go within the organization.

For instance, if you’re interested in moving into a leadership role, share that. You could say, “I’d love to grow into a project lead role eventually—do you have any advice on skills I should work on to make that happen?”

Managers appreciate employees with vision and a willingness to plan for the future.

Ask for help in areas you need improvement

Everyone has areas to improve on, and being proactive about asking for help shows humility and a growth mindset. For example, if you’re struggling with a particular software tool, mention it and ask if there are resources to help you improve.

You could say, “I’ve noticed that I could be more efficient with [software/tool]—is there a training or a resource you’d recommend?” This approach not only shows your commitment to excellence but also opens the door to helpful support from your manager.

Also Read: How to conduct performance review for managers

benefits of performance assessments

Performance Review Tips for Managers

Prepare for the review meeting

Preparation shows respect for the employee’s work and time. Before the meeting, go over the employee’s recent projects, the feedback they’ve received, and your own notes. Think about specific points you want to discuss and jot them down so you’re organized.

For example, if an employee led a successful project, be ready to acknowledge their effort and anyways they exceeded expectations. This preparation helps set a constructive tone and makes the meeting more focused and productive.

Keep employee performance notes handy while conducting the review

Having performance notes on hand lets you back up feedback with concrete examples. Rather than giving general feedback, refer to specific instances where the employee performed well or encountered challenges.

For instance, you might say, “In the last quarter, I noticed your strong communication skills during the team presentations, which helped clarify our project goals.” Keeping notes handy allows you to give accurate feedback that feels relevant and meaningful.

Be specific about the feedback

Specific feedback is more actionable and leaves less room for confusion. Avoid vague statements like, “You need to work on communication.” Instead, try saying, “In meetings, I noticed that when you shared project updates, some details were missing.

Being more thorough could help the team stay aligned.” This gives employees a clear idea of where to focus their efforts and provides a path for improvement.

Talk about behaviors and attitudes that help employees excel

Highlighting positive behaviors and attitudes can reinforce what’s working well and motivate employees.

For example, if an employee consistently shows initiative, acknowledge it: “I’ve seen how proactive you are in tackling issues before they escalate—it’s a quality that strengthens the whole team.”

This positive reinforcement encourages them to continue those behaviors, building a stronger team culture.

Keep compensation out of the review

Separating compensation discussions from performance reviews helps keep the focus on development. It allows employees to concentrate on growth, feedback, and career goals without being distracted by financial discussions.

If compensation is brought up, gently redirect: “Today’s meeting is all about your development and goals. We’ll discuss compensation separately to give each topic the focus it deserves.”

Cite instances and examples of both good work and areas of improvement

Balance your feedback with both positive reinforcement and constructive examples. For example, if an employee exceeded expectations on a recent project, highlight it specifically.

Conversely, if they missed a deadline, explain how it impacted the team’s workflow. Specific examples—both positive and constructive—make the feedback feel genuine and well-rounded.

Be more empathetic and involved

Empathy goes a long way in helping employees feel valued and understood. Approach each review as a conversation rather than a one-way critique. For instance, ask, “How do you feel about your current workload?” or “Are there any challenges I can help you with?”

This shows you care about their well-being and fosters a supportive environment where employees feel safe to discuss issues and aspirations.

Learn how to write performance reviews effectively

Written performance reviews should be clear, structured, and constructive. Invest time in learning how to frame your feedback in writing so it reflects what you discussed in person.

Use a balance of positive observations and constructive points, and end with a note on future goals. For example, “In the next quarter, let’s work on increasing your project management skills.

I believe this will play to your strengths and give you more opportunities for growth.” A well-written review reinforces the conversation and gives employees a document they can refer back to.

Employee Performance Review Best Practices

There is a fine line between an effective performance review and a bad one. When done right, performance evaluations lead to motivation, goal alignment, and enhanced productivity and engagement.

On the contrary, a badly conducted review can stray your employees from the path of optimal performance and can even lead to disengagement and frustration among them.

A performance review is an opportunity for both managers and employees to create bridges and find ways to overcome challenges and celebrate accomplishments. That’s why it is suggested to conduct frequent reviews rather than wait for problems to grow bigger. 

Without proper execution, performance reviews fail to fulfill their purpose and eventually lead to a waste of time and resources. The review process laid out in the previous section, along with the below performance review best practices, will help to get the most out of the discussions.

Best Practices Performance Review Process

Prepare for the review meeting beforehand: Keep performance records, accomplishments, awards, and other related documents handy. If you use a performance management system to keep track of employee performance, then make sure to go through the performance history before starting the review meeting

Also Read: 5 Ways to improve performance review process

Employee Performance Review Template

A performance review template helps conduct effective reviews in a strategic and action-oriented manner. A customizable template allows reviewers and human resource managers to make adjustments to include/exclude the evaluation parameters and create a standard performance review form for employees. 

Depending upon the areas of assessment, you can use different evaluation forms to have open and two-way communication with your employees. Furthermore, it helps keep track of employee performance records in one place and can be used during appraisals. 

A performance review template should be

  • Clear, concise, and easy to follow
  • Provide an in-depth analysis of the evaluation parameters
  • Offer insights to gauge the overall employee performance
  • Assist in the development and career planning of employees

Concluding Words

Performance reviews don’t have to be dreadful. Instead, they should motivate and empower employees to make strategic changes to be more productive and resourceful for the organizations. Only by making reviews continuous, ongoing, and action-oriented can organizations get buy-in from employees and use the data insights to leverage their talent and achieve higher goals. 

Employee Engagement

How To Improve Employee Productivity In 2024?

Improving employee productivity can be a challenge, especially when most of the employees are newcomers who are also new to the industry. In fact, according to a study by Academia, the employee productivity rate is decreasing day by day, which has created an atmosphere of panic for employers. But you don’t need to worry, as there is a solution to this problem. 

There are many tried-and-tested ways to improve productivity that are quite effective. In this blog, we’re going to reveal five such ways that will help you improve employee productivity.

What is Employee Productivity?

Before we begin to learn about ways to improve productivity, we need to know what employee productivity is. It is not just a way to evaluate employee performance but also to know if the employees are working to their full potential. Business leaders want their companies to compete with others in their industry. For them to do so, they need an engaged workforce that will increase productivity.

Employee productivity is an assessment of the efficiency of a worker or group of workers. Productivity may be evaluated in terms of the output of an employee in a specific time.

As a general rule of thumb, it’s best to find ways for your employees to feel like they’re spending their time working toward something meaningful. This can make employees feel like they’re a part of something bigger than themselves. In that case, it is likely to have a positive impact on productivity. Encourage a positive work culture and team engagement. Tracking each employee’s performance so that you can share the feedback with them will go a long way toward enhancing their growth and development in the company.

Also Read: Employee Engagement on Productivity

Why Measure Employee Productivity?

Before you even think about improving workforce productivity, you need to ensure that you can measure your employees’ performance in a meaningful way. There are multiple ways to measure an employee’s productivity; for example, you can track how many files are processed or what percentage of clients have been contacted per day. You need to clearly identify what you want your employees to do and then build a way to measure it. Otherwise, you will never know if they are achieving their targets.

Why Employee Productivity Might Be Low?

In today’s day and age, organizations have to fight common contemporary factors that often hurt employees’ productivity levels. Factors such as long working hours and irregular shifts can cause mental health issues among employees. While these factors might not affect every individual who works within an organization, they do play a pivotal role in lowering the productivity levels of individuals. 

It’s essential to understand what caused your low productivity before improving it. Chances are, several factors contributed to the problem. At times, when employees are working remotely, they can feel disconnected from their workplace, and can be challenging to supervise—and that can hamper their performance. It can also be due to a lack of clear objectives or expectations. Time management can also be an issue, for example, some people need more structure than others and may struggle with setting their schedules or meeting deadlines without some guidance from you.

Also Read: Reduce Anxiety at the Workplace

How to Improve Productivity In the Workplace?

Managers spend a lot of time working on an employee’s growth and development. Still, sometimes they lack concrete tools to help them achieve their goal. If you are having productivity issues, here are five tried-and-tested ways to improve your employees’ productivity:

1. Increase Visibility and Access

You can encourage your employees to be more productive by increasing their visibility and access to resources. It’s pretty easy to get into a rut where employees are frustrated with limited software or equipment access, but it’s just as easy to change that.

Bring in a consultant if you need assistance in helping your staff upskill themselves. Then, work with them on creating a timeline for training. The end result is an engaged workforce aligned with the organization’s vision, with increased motivation and overall productivity.

2. Set Clear Expectations

As a leader, it’s up to you to set clear expectations. Connect with an individual employee or a group to assess their career goals and figure out areas of improvement. 

Some companies have structured annual reviews that are handled by managers. If your company handles performance reviews more informally than that, then your first step should be setting clear expectations about where people should focus their attention and how they can improve. 

3. Goal-Setting and Tracking

Delegating tasks is a tried and tested way to get employees up to speed. Encourage your employees to take on as much responsibility as they can handle and learn from their mistakes along the way. You could say that managing smart employees is really about managing their development, which requires some investment of time and resources. Ultimately, it will improve employee performance and productivity in leaps and bounds. 

The key here is to trust your team. When you do, you’ll see employee engagement and satisfaction increase dramatically, which should translate into increased output over time as well. Don’t try to be everything for everyone—it may seem like a lot of work at first, but it pays off in employee engagement in terms of encouraging your team’s productivity over time.

5. Use Employee Productivity Tools

Learning how to improve employee productivity is all about having access to good tools. This can be in-house software or off-the-shelf applications that are available online. All of these offer ways to get more work done and improve processes, allowing you to spend less time on manual work and more time focusing on activities that help boost your bottom line. 

If you can find tools that can better connect employees and empower them at every level, you’ll notice a real increase in their productivity. Invest in those tools that have proven value for your specific business needs and goals.

6. Measure Performance Periodically

It’s not always easy to find that one sure thing that makes employees more productive; there are usually a number of factors involved. However, if you take a look at any employee review website and search for tips on improving employee performance, you’ll notice that most revolve around giving employees room for improvement. 

Make sure you share feedback with them on a regular basis and try to avoid looking at mistakes as signs of failure. Pay attention to each little detail. Just remember—don’t rush things! It takes time for new hires to become familiar with your company culture and standards.

Scaling Up Productivity

Businesses frequently look for strategies to motivate staff to work harder in an effort to increase productivity. The use of bonuses and commissions is one of these strategies. You’ve probably dealt with performance-based incentives if you’ve worked in sales or customer service. Although these techniques may be useful in some situations, they aren’t always reliable. In fact, if something looks too good to be true, it probably is, as with many other things. 

According to a recent Stanford University study, offering a small wage raise has a greater impact on productivity and job satisfaction than introducing commission-based compensation systems. In the end, commission-based pay is less effective than simply paying people what they earn based on their time spent at work because it may appear like an easy method to inspire employees—especially those who don’t feel personally motivated by their professions. Naturally, employing wage raises doesn’t imply you should stop using any other employee motivation strategies; instead, think about how each strategy fits into your overarching strategy for enhancing employee satisfaction and productivity.

Conclusion

There is no universal way to boost employee productivity. But if you use these five tried and tested ways that we have shortlisted, you will be able to help your employees enhance their productivity and boost their career growth.

While no one can say for sure which method is best for you and your team, we believe in practicing what we preach. We’ve seen first-hand how rewarding it is to invest in individual development of our employees.

Everyone comes to work excited and ready to take on new challenges, because they know their manager believes in them and their growth potential. When people feel appreciated and valued by those around them, they want to keep those relationships strong. So invest in employee development!


Employee Engagement

Rating-Based Performance Reviews Don’t Measure Performance Accurately

On paper, it is easy to see why rating-based performance reviews are popular. They are easy to do, quick, and fairly painless. Automated rating-based performance reviews further simplify the whole process.

Continue reading “Rating-Based Performance Reviews Don’t Measure Performance Accurately”

7 Common Questions Related to Setting OKRs That Are Achievable

You will find it difficult to successfully operate a team without defining proper goals and objectives. It would be taking a stab in the dark. Your bright personnel will be useless if they don’t have a shared goal to strive toward. That is where setting apt OKRs come in to play.

 

Have you ever wondered how the industry’s behemoths slaughter the market with ever-increasing profits? The key is to use OKRs.

 

You might be wondering what setting OKRs are and how they operate.

 

Without further ado, continue reading to find how to create a sustainable OKR approach as well as some practical examples you can use in your management to accomplish more in less time.

What Is an OKR?

OKR stands for Objectives and Key Results. It’s a goal-setting strategy that dates back to the 1970s. OKR was popularized by John Doerr, a prominent venture capitalist. It lays the groundwork for outlining your organization’s goals over a given period of time.

 

We know that every project or task needs to be completed on time. OKRs are often created and assessed during the lifetime of a project. They may also be used in the future to see how successfully you completed the tasks before.

 

The fundamental principle to follow while setting an OKR is to set an aim and three to five expected or desired outcomes. These important outcomes are clear and quantifiable actions and contribute to the achievement of goals.

An essential reason behind setting OKRs is ensuring that everyone understands what they want, need to accomplish, or is expected of them.

 

Now that you have learned about OKRs, you might be wondering how they differ from another similar concept which is KPIs or Key Performance Indicators.

OKRs vs. KPIs

 

Although both can be considered as performance indicators, they serve a distinct and different purpose. Here are a few differences between OKRs and KPIs:

 

KPI OKR
KPIs are critical measures used to assess how well a team is meeting its objectives. These measurements are often quantitative in form and correctly describe the current state of the product. OKRs, on the other hand, are related to wider corporate goals. KPIs are primarily tied to individual ability.
KPIs are used to control daily operations and assess the performance of a certain process or activity. OKRs, on the other hand, are primarily concerned with measuring goals and priorities in order to measure operational success. The OKR framework places a greater emphasis on strategic goals, identifying a goal, and brainstorming strategies to achieve it.

Advantages of OKR

Do you know how the giants like Google, Intel, Spotify, Target, Airbnb, and ING have become these huge beacons of success?

 

They are some of the major businesses that employ OKRs in their daily operations. Of course, you don’t need a large workforce to get the benefits. The continuous usage of OKRs by small and big businesses demonstrates the value of goal management in providing direction and objectivity.

 

Implementing and setting OKRs will offer you an edge over your competition when it comes to getting the job done and keeping yourself and others accountable. “At the end, you may look, without any kind of arguments: Can I do it or can I not do it?”, remarked the Father of OKRs, Yes? No? Simple. There are no judgments in it.”

Also Read: 5 Things To Look For In An OKR Software

Questions About Setting OKRs That Are Achievable

The primary question that needs to be answered is how to set up an org-wide process of setting OKRs.

Setting up a procedure for OKR alignment might take varying amounts of time and effort based on the scale and structure of your business. We’ll go through the fundamentals in this part to help you plan for success. You may use the sample OKR cycle shown at the conclusion to figure out how to get started right away, after reviewing the following considerations for setting the OKR process.

1.   Timing

Timing is a crucial consideration while setting up the procedure. Our goals should not just be time-constrained. We need the goals modeled in a way that will surely give us some feedback on our work. The best way is to set achievable targets and regularly monitor them. Many businesses follow a quarterly schedule, but it’s important to include time for planning, implementation, and assessment.

2.   Keeping It Simple

Concentrate on goals you believe you can accomplish in the specified time. Many employees believe they must contribute to every department’s goal and end up overstretching themselves. Prioritize your goals based on what the company most requires. Remember that the amount of targets you should have depends on how difficult they are and the time and energy you have.

3.   Cascading the Objectives

Employees, sometimes, struggle to recognize how their profession contributes to overarching corporate goals and achievement. What can a payroll clerk do to assist their organization in reaching 10,000 users? The answer is cascading the goals from the corporate level to the department level to the individual level.

4.   Be Specific

When establishing objectives, consider multiple approaches to achieve the desired outcome. Create a detailed strategy on how to reach your goal. Consider how performance may be measured for each major result. The more precise you are in setting goals, the more clear your expectations will be. With clear objectives, you’ll know precisely everything you need to accomplish your aims.

5.   Stop Worrying About Stretch Goals

Managers are sometimes concerned that setting simple goals may be a hindrance for an employee in the way to reach their full potential. Are stretch goals, on the other hand, a good idea? It depends entirely on how authentic they are. Employees will not like being given unachievable assignments if incentives are used to inspire them. Ambitious objectives are excellent, but they shouldn’t be set up to fail.

6.   Connection to Performance

Considering the fact that setting OKRs should push us beyond our perceived boundaries, it’s critical to establish a criteria for success and separate them from the performance evaluation process. For example, some companies, like Google, utilize a 70 percent success rate as a metric. We’re just not thinking big enough if we’re constantly reaching 100 percent. However, if it appears that we aren’t functioning to our full potential because we don’t meet the maximum level of our OKR, it can be disappointing and daunting.

 

If your organization and the employees solely connect setting OKRs with an assessment process at the end of a year or month, they’ll be more motivated to set objectives that are simple to attain. While quantification aids in benchmarking and identifying opportunities for improvement, our entire performance is much more than a collection of numbers.

7.   Celebrate the Achievement

When you accomplish a goal, reward and acknowledge yourself and others. Positive behavior helps in the maintenance of optimal practices. Don’t only acknowledge work at the conclusion of a project; acknowledge incremental progress as well. Encourage everyone on your team to post their OKRs openly and form a support system.

Conclusion

Executive leadership should maintain that the organization, as a whole, shares both the triumphs and mistakes as a method of identifying areas for development and celebrating hard work. Personal development should be greatly promoted because it is tied to corporate performance and growth. As there is a high level of faith in individual responsibility, being accountable should not be something to be afraid of but rather an opportunity to shine. Thinking outside of established boundaries should be encouraged, resulting in a work atmosphere where any ambition appears feasible.

 

Does this seem like a place you would want to work at? If you want to create the perfect workplace, start by establishing an OKR-based culture of continual development and progress, helpful feedback, and transparency.


Do you want to know how Engagedly can help you set up a perfect OKR system in your organization? Book a live demo with us.

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Over 74% of Leaders Expect Shifts in Employee Performance and Learning Processes Amid COVID-19 To Remain

In a recent research study conducted by Engagedly, survey results showed companies have accelerated towards a more continuous approach to talent development with higher levels of engagement from leadership.

Continue reading “Over 74% of Leaders Expect Shifts in Employee Performance and Learning Processes Amid COVID-19 To Remain”

6 Must-Haves For An Employee Performance Review Software!

Employee performance evaluation is one of the most important aspects of the workplace. Many organizations have discarded their traditional paper-based performance reviews for a digital solution; employee performance review software and they are right in doing so!

A performance review software can help you keep track of employee performance more accurately. You can clearly communicate your performance expectations with your employees and stay connected with everyone.

Also Read: Employee Engagement Tips To Avoid Burnout

There’s a wide range of performance review software available online for you to choose from. Depending on your organization’s requirements, you can select the software that best suits you. But don’t forget to go through this list of must-haves for performance review software before you choose one!

Customizable Review Templates

Performance review templates make the performance evaluation process more organized and help you follow a specific standard for evaluating each team. There is performance review software that has sample review templates for different departments in an organization. The problem here is that these sample templates are not usually customizable.

Having a customizable review template allows you to change the contents of the review template based on changing work practices and industry trends. So, customizable review templates in performance review software are a must-have!

Ease Of Use

In every article so far, we have mentioned that software should be easy to use and understand; we stand by that maxim in this article too. The performance review process should be easy to understand and implement in an organization.

There are many performance review software out there, which have many features but are very confusing. Software should follow a process to execute a specific action. A performance review software should have a concrete procedure to carry out performance evaluation, without affecting other activities in an organization. It should be simple and understandable and shouldn’t take employees hours just to get familiar with the software. So a simple user interface and a clear procedure are must-haves!

Also Read: You Received Negative Performance Review, What Next?

Continuity Of Performance Evaluation

Performance evaluation is not a ‘one-time in a year’ activity. It is important to continue it at regular intervals throughout the year. Choose a performance review software that supports performance evaluation anytime throughout the year.

This helps you keep track of employee performance efficiently and perceive their personal development.

Performance Review Competencies

When you evaluate the performance of an employee, it is important to list out the performance review competencies.

Example:

Competency: Analytical Thinking

Representative Behaviors:

  • Approaches a situation or problem by defining the problem or issue; determining its significance; collecting data; using tools such as flow charts, Pareto charts, fish diagrams, etc. to disclose meaningful patterns in the data; making inferences about the meaning of the data; and using logic and intuition to arrive at conclusions or decisions.
  • Approaches a complex task or problem by breaking it down into its component parts and considering each part in detail.
  • Carefully weighs the priority of things to be done.

In some software, there are competencies that are already listed for you to choose from and some software allow you to create performance review competencies yourself. Having an option to choose/ create competencies gives you an opportunity to add more to a performance review.

Associated With Goals And Objectives

When evaluating the performance of an employee, you need all the details of their performance over a particular period of time to keep the review accurate. Not many software give this option but associating individual/organizational goals and objectives with their performance review can help improve the quality of the review.

Choose a performance review software that allows you to associate employee goals and their progress with the review for reference.

Also Read: Smart On-Boarding Practices That Go A Long Way

Self-Evaluation

Sometimes it is very important to assess yourself accurately. Self-evaluation gives you a chance to improve yourself and contribute to organizational productivity. You cannot do it without having a proper system to measure your performance.

A performance review software must allow you to assess yourself accurately by allowing you to create your individual goals, check in to them, and use these as references to measure your own performance.


If you want to know how Engagedly can help you with performance reviews, request for a demo!

Request A Demo

4 Tips To Track And Measure Employee Performance

Productive employees are vital to every organization. Productivity depends on how well employees understand their goals & objectives and act on them. But how do you measure employee performance?

Most employers want to know the secret behind measuring employee performance effectively. Here are a few simple tips that can help you do it right.

Continue reading “4 Tips To Track And Measure Employee Performance”

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