In the organization’s plight to give effective performance development programs to employees, it is necessary to ensure that key aspects are given much attention. The entire process is a collaborative effort between the employee, the supervisor, and the organization; the supervisor facilitates the performance review, and thereafter, tackles on the key aspects: defining career goals, making assessments of the skills and competencies of the employee, as well as the drafting of developmental activities and setting of timeframes for each.
Whatever transpired during this session will be forwarded to the appropriate department in the organization (human resource) for recording, approval, and support.
Career Goals
In performance development, one of the very first things to identify is a career goal. It is imperative that what the employee hopes to achieve over time is clear to him, and as such, these must be outlined during the early stages of performance development. Sitting down and discussing career goals is undoubtedly one of the toughest things to do, as many people, even successful ones, do experience moments in their life wherein they seem unsure of what it is they hope to get out of their career.
However, in performance development, this challenge must be faced as objectively and clearly as possible. Individuals who ask themselves the following questions would help set clear career goals for themselves:
1. What are the things I am most passionate about?
2. Am I happy with the kind of work I am doing right now?
3. What is keeping me from getting career advancement?
4. What do I need to do to get a promotion?
5. Where do I see myself 5, 10, or 15 years from now?
Goals need to be specific, and they need to be written down. Moreover, it is necessary that one also set proper expectations in order to avoid any unwanted surprises in his quest to achieve his goals.
Assessment of Skills and Competencies
As part of performance development, skills and competencies are measured and assessed to determine if these are sufficient to help the individual achieve his goals, and for the organization to also know if this employee has what it takes to help them meet their overall objectives.
There are many ways to employ skills and competencies assessment, but in essence, it should recognize the required skills and competencies of the organization. For skill assessment, ideally, the methods of measurements used should be based on the specific skill to be assessed. For example, a communication skill assessment should involve either a speaking test or a writing test, or even both.
On the other hand, competency assessments are based more on observations conducted by the person’s direct supervisor, as competencies are more often than not, observable traits that can be measured better during actual application. In some cases, there is also a need to conduct objective-based tests using a series of tests requiring short, one-word answers, true or false questions, and even multiple choice tests.
Part of the performance management sessions between the supervisor and the employee involves the drafting of developmental activities that will aid the employee to improve weak areas of his performance. Each activity is given a timeline where it will specifically state when and for how long these developmental activities will be used.
SMART Roadmap
SMART is a well-known acronym in the language of business used particularly in goal setting; it means Specific, Measurable, Appropriate, Relevant, and Time-bound. SMART can be used in creating employee goals that will be both useful and effective to the employee as well as the organization.
• Specific-the goals need to be clearly defined, understood by both the supervisor and the employee.
• Measurable- the goals should be defined in numerical form, or should be quantifiable. For example, “Increase daily sales to 20.”
• Appropriate- the goals should be set specifically for that person, and not some generic goals.
• Relevant- the goals should be attainable, realistic, and aligned with the key responsibilities of the employee. Additionally, goals should support the overall objectives of the organization.
• Time-bound- the goals should have a deadline. Vagueness on when goals need to be accomplished will only keep a person from achieving the set goals. A good example of a time-bound goal would be “Increase daily sales to 20, starting on June 25th”
