Performance management

The brief

A large New Zealand corporation wanted to start assessing not only 'What' employees had achieved in their role, but also 'How' they had gone about achieving it. The new system was to replace the outdated once-a-year performance review and be robust enough for use by everyone from senior executives through to department managers.

The solution

All job descriptions were updated to ensure performance criteria statements were behaviour-based and measurable. The organisation's values were translated to behaviours within each job function. Managers were consulted about the ability to conduct four review sessions per year, with an eye to developing coaching opportunities at every stage.

Every management level was trained in the skills necessary to conduct a coaching based performance review. This involved the Learning Wave associates working with over 700 managers from throughout New Zealand.

The result

There was an average 30% skill level increase in managers' abilities to conduct performance reviews and a 65% increase in skill levels in relation to understanding the nature and purpose of coaching their direct reports.

Managers said the new system and the training had opened up more in-depth conversations with their direct reports about performance and development opportunities. It translated the organisation's values from 'words on a piece of paper' into 'the way I go about doing my job'.

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