That time is long gone when you could’ve asked this question! Today’s corporate world, 80% of which is functioning virtually, has long since embraced performance appraisal software and have understood the significance of having one in place. In fact, since the pandemic hit, you’ll know that there’s a steady change taking place with respect to employee performance management and employee engagement. The performance review process is, not so quietly, being replaced by employee performance appraisal software.
This is not a death knell for the performance review process as such. But it signals that nobody has patience for the old ways of carrying out a performance review process anymore. To be honest, the process has long been due for a change.
When did it all begin?
The concept of the performance management began the in early 1900’s. Several sources have mentioned several different names so it is hard to pinpoint who exactly came up with the idea. But one thing all the sources agreed upon was the fact that performance management seems to have come into being sometimes during the early 1900’s. But it wasn’t until the 1950’s that the concept of performance management really picked up. Employers began to understand that in order for employees to perform well or to be motivated to perform well, they needed encouragement and motivation.
Since then, performance review cycled through many different iterations, including Jack Welch’s rank and yank system at General Electric and Google’s prolific use of goals and objectives to motivate employees.
Also read: Why do you need a Real Time Performance Management Software
In present times however, there are a lot of conflicting ideas about what constitutes performance management. Many companies which were once pioneers in the performance review process, such as General Electric, Enron, IBM, Motorola etc have either done away with the processes that brought them recognition or have themselves dissolved. The current trend is of course to get the review process off papers and take it online. In the past few years, so many software applications have appeared on the market. Is it any better than the traditional performance process? Definitely!
Here are three ways in which employee performance appraisal software can improve the performance review process and drive employee engagement:
Ease of Use
The problem with traditional performance reviews is that so many of them heavily rely on paper. It becomes a cumbersome task to take all of that paper and consolidate it into a review. With software on the other hand, all you need to do is input your review, most performance review software applications will even collate all your performance reviews into one handy document.
Realtime and Continuous Feedback
Performance review applications make it easier for employees and managers to give continuous feedback. Feedback works best when it is given and received at regular intervals and is real-time.
Continuous feedback isn’t something that is just reserved for a certain breed of employees. Constructive feedback is for everyone. It can help struggling employees improve, it can help good employees become better and it might even help struggling employees figure out they are suited for different job roles.
Also read: 6 Reasons To Invest In A Performance Appraisal Software
Options for further Add-Ons
Most employee performance appraisal software applications come with a whole host of features that help aid the performance review process. Engagedly for instance, also has the OKR module which allows you to add and monitor goals and objectives for employees, 360 multirater feedback module, a continuous feedback model, all of which can be utilized during the performance review so that managers have a broad and comprehensive overview of how their employees are doing. Additionally, these features also make tracking an employee’s performance a lot easier.
Engagedly is offering a suite of products part of its Remote Work Toolkit free to any organisation, until Sept 30th, 2020.
The Coronavirus has affected the way we work today and for months to come. Unprecedented events require unprecedented measures. We at Engagedly believe it is our responsibility as socially conscious corporate citizens to help equip organisations with additional tools and resources during this time of crisis.
Do you want to know how Engagedly can help you with seamless Performance Evaluation? Then request for a live demo.
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.