Anand is the CEO & Product Owner at Amoeboids.
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Upskilling is an integral part of the development of organizations, and its importance is increasing in today's rapidly evolving business environment. The task of upskilling is usually the domain of managers, and they are expected to instill confidence in their team members, communicate clearly and effectively, motivate their team to be engaged at work, and more.
The expectations placed on the shoulders of managers are not always well-founded, as the process of promotion in organizations rewards hard skills of an employee in their specific department, usually by giving them the role of manager. A significant portion of such new managers receive no formal training in managing a team and are left to figure out the best way to manage by themselves. Some try to emulate their seniors without understanding the reasons behind their behavior, and this can backfire when done mechanically.
Understand The Hindrances And Simplify The Upskilling Process
Evaluating people individually and dedicating time for one-on-ones is considered time-consuming, and performance evaluations often suffer because of it. The frequency of evaluations is another area of focus: Traditionally, performance evaluation is done once a year in organizations, but this is not enough for managers to identify and evaluate their team members—let alone coach them.
Making performance evaluations into an effective communication system is entirely in the hands of the leaders of the organization. Managers can empower their team members while operating within the parameters described by their evaluation process. Using available tools to simplify the task of performance management doesn’t take much time or effort. With trial options of various workplace-related apps and software, managers can check if a solution addresses the issues that they face regularly.
Open Up The Discussion
A performance evaluation, no matter the cadence of the process, should be visited by the manager and employee on a regular basis. Weekly and monthly discussions provide the best results, but the time factor can make some managers back off. In such scenarios, a quarterly interval can work. Once the frequency is set, instead of entering right into evaluation mode, managers can start by discussing wins and get employees in a relaxed state of mind. Once employees understand that their manager is trying to enable them to be better, managers can then mention points of concern.
Establish Trust Early On
If employees feel that the goals set aren't helping them, it doesn’t take long for them to feel disillusioned. Mangers, therefore, should arrive at an individual employee’s goals only after a thorough discussion with them. Not only does this provide employees an assurance that the organization wants what’s best for them, too, but it also provides employees with the steps and proper supervision. By encouraging employee empowerment, organizations can foster a dedicated group of leaders.
Solicit Feedback And Utilize Pulse Checks
The demands of the workforce are changing, with the younger generations forming the majority of the working population. The ask for feedback is increasing at organizations. Maintaining a consistent frequency also ensures that the process of feedback is a routine one for employees and not a personal attack on their working style or outputs. This lets them focus on the message of improvement—and not the tone of blame that some might hear.
Managers might be in charge of maintaining their teams and motivating them, but the chances of them faltering isn’t zero. That’s why it makes sense for them to solicit feedback from their team members, in order to understand the issues that might stop them from doing their best job. This also takes away the pressure on employees: With the option of providing feedback to their managers, they tend to approach the performance evaluation process as an interaction that will benefit all parties involved, instead of a critique session. Also, this helps in making the official performance evaluation discussions a normal affair—instead of the nerve-wracking experience some employees deem it to be.
Have Employees Evaluate Their Own Performance
Managers can see how the employees think they have performed when employees complete self-evaluation. There should not be much difference in both self-evaluation and manager’s rating. If a sizable difference exists on either side, managers can step in and help the employees as necessary.
Employees who rate their performance well but receive poor scores from managers might be unclear about the goals and targets that need to be achieved. In such cases, helping them align their career goals with those of the organization can provide clarity. Low scores on self-evaluations but high scores from managers show reduced confidence in employees, which managers can address by highlighting the achievement of the employee or by providing avenues where their contribution is not only recognized but celebrated.
Final Thoughts
Performance evaluations can be a force that takes organizations to new heights while keeping all its employees in the loop. With timely input from managers and other leaders, employees can improve their performance. The trust and transparency developed by such a feedback mechanism also allow managers to stay in touch with employees' needs.
