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Companies Need to Transform Their Approach to Performance Management

The traditional method of conducting periodic staff appraisals is limited and outmoded. Today, there is a more reliable performance management option. The model traditionally adopted for performance measurement was based mainly on how successful an employee may have been in achieving one or more pre-agreed goals.

This approach is inherently flawed for a variety of reasons. Firstly it takes no account whether or not the necessary support, knowledge and facilities were in place to ensure the set goals could actually be met and within the time allowed. Secondly, the process is entirely subjective. It is, therefore, prone to discrepancies due to personal biases that could influence an assessor’s opinion of a worker’s capabilities and unfairly limit their opportunities for career advancement. In practice, even combining third-party observations with input from self-appraisals still fails to eliminate subjectivity.

Often, the outcome of appraisals is attached to incentives, such as bonuses or holidays. However, although these may encourage workers to try harder, it takes appropriate skills, experience and knowledge to achieve a company’s goals. So what is the solution?

At Orgro, our performance management team offers a more objective approach to appraisal. The results reveal any areas that need improvement. Based on those findings, we can structure appropriate training to help companies develop the competence and enthusiasm essential for business success.

A holistic approach to performance management

Even the acknowledged industry leaders do not always realise their full potential. Managers, team leaders, and every employee play a part in achieving a company’s aims and objectives. However, whether they can effectively perform their respective roles depends on several factors. In practice, the best route to business success is to identify and implement whatever measures may be necessary to optimise the working environment.

To ensure staff perform at their best, a company must create and maintain a culture where workers are empowered through learning opportunities and presented with challenges that facilitate and encourage them to improve their performance. Orgro believes that a holistic approach to perfecting performance management offers underperforming businesses the best way to grow and prosper.

Improving business performance through more effective management strategies is a significant component of the highly successful Orgro organisational development programme, whose overall focus is coping with the constantly changing demands of the modern business world. Our holistic approach to performance management targets every aspect necessary to optimise a company’s core activities. This philosophy has been instrumental in helping to ensure the programme’s success while explaining its growing popularity with many of South Africa’s business leaders.

We will now examine the main components of the Orgro organisational development programme in more detail to understand how it works. Its content covers all the elements known to be essential to achieve individual and corporate improvements and includes the following topics:

Setting meaningful goals:

Goal-setting provides focus. We undertake to set goals that are achievable and aligned with the company’s business plan and mission statement. Success is contingent on individual skills and support; addressing these crucial requirements is also part of the programme.

Performance assessment:

Managing business performance successfully also requires choosing the best personnel to tackle each task. Tho Orgro programme includes advanced job profiling techniques to identify those best suited to each of the many roles typical of modern business.

Motivating staff and encouraging greater engagement:

Sadly, the only thing that keeps employees reporting for work every day is often the promise of a paycheque at the end of each month. This attitude inspires neither loyalty nor productivity. Targeted interventions help promote accountability; staff develop a sense of inclusion, a feeling they are part of a team whose success is important to them and not merely to faceless shareholders.

Effective Incentivisation:

Workers are encouraged by incentives. However, to be effective, they must also be appropriate. An opportunity to attend a training course can help boost an employee’s career path while simultaneously helping to meet crucial business targets can sometimes prove more effective than a cash reward. Orgro’s professionals possess the necessary knowledge and experience to help South African businesses develop reward programmes that maximise performance and inspire employee loyalty.

Do you need the Orgro performance management programme?

If your business may be struggling to compete or you feel you could do better but are unsure what to do, you may need to revise some aspects of your operation. Please feel free to get in touch to learn more about how our programme can boost your company’s performance.