Employee performance reviews are fundamental for your employees' engagement. It can significantly improve performance of your business as we discussed in [previous blogs](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/tips-for-effective-performance-reviews). It is important that performance reviews become an ongoing conversation between a manager and a direct report to be effective. And most importantly, reviews should be honest and personalized to every employee. 

There are common areas to address when providing feedback to your employees in order to improve their performance. Especially for an inexperienced manager (or employee conducting a self-assessment), it can be difficult to conduct a meaningful performance review. Thus providing example phrases can be a good source of inspiration. We've created a useful list to keep in mind when conducting a performance review. 


But please remember; you should use this list as an inspiration and always adjust these review phrases to a specific team member. You do not want your employees feel the performance reviews are generic. Generic reviews can give an impression you did not care enough to devote time to provide them with personalized constructive feedback, which could have a negative impact on their engagement. Download a pdf version of this article with a list of all phrases [here](https://assets.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/7r8uywsrLsN0gGjQsVtM5a/a56f2f959fb021e2ec0c6485be81f2a8/70_useful_employee_performance_review_phrases_for_every_function.pdf).

![Areas to address in employee performance reviews](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/4sX0kjmfBJgvgxuIsoqOWu/dea33856ee98fb8c03faad3cfbf12dc5/Areas_to_address_in_employee_performance_reviews.png)

## Achievements review phrases

Setting goals and objectives is a key to maintaining performance of every employee. The performance review should address this area not only to improve their performance of your employees but also to strengthen their accountability to your business.

### Positive comments:

- Sets well thought-out goals and continuously strives to achieve them
- Works autonomously and uses own initiative to attain objectives and overcome challenges
- Improved xx by xx%
- Has a positive, results-driven attitude
- Is able to make informed decisions based on considered research

### Areas of improvement:

- Struggles to achieve set goals and reach objectives because of xx
- Lacks understanding of xx and could benefit from xx
- Makes uninformed decisions based on assumptions and needs to consider more data
- Tends to blame others and needs to take responsibility for their own actions
- Lacks focus in xx and can improve by xx
- Productivity

## Productivity review phrases
The success of your business depends on the productivity of your employees. Productivity is also a good indicator of their engagement and not addressing an issue could cause difficulties with developing and retaining talent. 

### Positive comments

- Significantly improved on xx since last appraisal
- Positively contributes to overall performance of the department/company through consistent and high-quality work
- Continuously strives to improve profits, productivity and performance targets
- Excels in identifying glitches, flaws or imperfections at the earliest possible chance
- Shows strong organizational and time-management skills

### Areas of improvement

- Has not improved xx since last performance review
- Struggles to finish tasks and reach the team standards
- Reluctant to upskill and gain xx expertise
- Shows lack of commitment in xx
- Seldom takes initiative without being asked to

## Leadership review phrases

Employees care about career progression and personal and professional development and leadership play an instrumental role in those areas. Moreover, developing leaders has been identified as one of major challenges for today’s businesses so why would you not make your best to help to close the leadership gap? 

### Positive comments

- Is a natural leader who creates inclusive culture in the company and enables other to grow alongside him/her
- Motivates colleagues and direct reports to do their best
- Successfully shows appreciation for individual achievements and builds an atmosphere of trust and positivity in the team
- Proved themselves to be an asset to the organization
- Embodies the company mission and strengthens company culture

### Areas of improvement

- Does not show leadership qualities and can be more supportive
- Tends to micromanage which can prevent others from expressing their ideas
- Uses position to impose power and control over others
- Fails to show appreciation and recognize achievements of team members and direct reports
- Does not act as a source of inspiration to others

## Communication review phrases

Communication skills are essential for any function and can have significant effects on overall performance of an individual and the business in general. As a manager you should ensure to provide constructive feedback on this area as supporting your employees to develop these skills and feel comfortable in voicing their ideas and opinions can be a game changer for your team.

### Positive comments

- Shows active listening skills
- Effectively communicates with colleagues, supervisors, partners and customers
- Clearly communicates ideas and thoughts in team meetings and conferences
- Is a constructive communicator and is capable of discussing difficult issues effectively and to the point
- Shows ability to build up on company culture through group facilitation and collaboration

### Areas of improvement

- Needs to improve oral/written communication skills
- Struggles to accept feedback and constructive criticism
- Lacks ability to effectively communicate ideas and thoughts to team members
- Refrains from asking questions even when issues need to be clarified
- Uses unprofessional manner/language when communicating with colleagues

## Teamwork review phrases

Effective collaboration and team work proved to have positive effects on a business performance and developing innovative ideas.

### Positive comments

- Effectively collaborates with people in (and outside of) the team to successfully reach targets
- Efficiently delegates tasks across the team
- Effectively shares knowledge and provides support to team members
- Brings positivity and enthusiasm to the organization and creates an inclusive culture
- Motivates colleagues to collaborate to reach common goals

### Areas of improvement

- Could try to help and support team members more for the success of the project
- Other members of the team feel they could behave in more approachable manner
- Should work on developing and maintaining professional relationships
- Fails to encourage a team-centered work environment
- Is not willing to share information with the team

## Creativity and Innovation review phrases

Creativity and Innovation did not become a buzz word for no reason. Implementing change and developing new creative and innovative processes, services and products is a way to retain success of your organization.

### Positive comments

- Shows curiosity and initiative to find new ways of thinking to improve projects and company performance
- Is able to come up with imaginative solutions to challenges faced by the team
- Is continuously striving to innovate processes and improve task/project outcomes
- Has a vision for a future of the company and applies creative thinking to implement it
- Continuously suggests fresh ideas in meetings and on projects

### Areas of improvement

- Lacks the initiative to take up more complex tasks and implement creative thinking
- Struggles to think outside of the box and take creative risks
- Struggles to develop unconventional paths to seek solutions
- Does not encourage creative solutions in his/her team
- Is afraid of making a wrong decision and implement change

## Flexibility and Problem-Solving review phrases

Flexible autonomous workers are a must-have to succeed in today’s dynamic society. Facing challenges, solving problems and an ability to work independently deserves pride and a lack of it requires actions. 

### Positive comments

- Shows strong analytical thinking and an ability to improve processes when old ways are ineffective
- Displays an ability to take on new challenges and up-skill
- Is able to use constructive criticism to improve and grow
- Displays the capability to independently solve complex problems
- Is able to emphasize with the customers/users and deliver value to them

### Areas of improvement

- Sticks to old methods and shows little effort to implement changes even if the results are poor
- Struggles to come up with new possible solutions when expectations are not met
- Tends to blame others and make excuses when problems occur
- Does not strive to develop new skills, and does not manage to focus on their goals and responsibilities
- Struggles to effectively overcome new challenges and find solutions to new issues

In addition to these general skills, individuals' technical and function-specific skills should be assessed in a performance review. Every performance review should be followed up by a one-to-one meeting to discuss any arising questions and discuss actions for career development and potential future training.

But again, make sure you only use these phrases as guidance for writing an effective review. Use concrete examples and data to make it truly meaningful and actionable for every employee.

__Download a free PDF version of this article below:__


[![70 useful employee performance review phrases pdf screenshot](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/1DfPpvm6jSxNvcN7fZ2mMv/0c508d24fe2de5a4041a6f43fbedc837/70_useful_employee_performance_review_phrases_pdf_.png)](https://assets.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/7r8uywsrLsN0gGjQsVtM5a/a56f2f959fb021e2ec0c6485be81f2a8/70_useful_employee_performance_review_phrases_for_every_function.pdf)


These employee performance review phrases will help you identify key areas to address and evaluate actions needed to improve one's performance or to provide employee recognition to retain best talent.

These performance overall employee review phrases will help identify key areas to address and evaluate actions needed to improve one's performance or to provide employee recognition to retain best talent

70 useful overall employee performance review phrases for every function

A list of important areas and useful phrases to address once conducting employee performance review

70 useful performance review phrases for every function

A list of useful employee performance review phrases and overall areas to address in a employee performance review

70 useful employee performance review phrases for every function

__Human Resources can seem like a bit of a black box from an outsider's perspective. Depending on the size of your organization, there may be just one person in the role or a large team. Even if you’re a growing small business though, there is a demonstrable benefit of having a dedicated resource to organize and standardize the employment process. After all the purpose of human resources is to ensure the long term success of the company by managing the needs of employees and allowing them to be effective in their roles. Let’s review some of the key functions of a Human Resources department to emphasize the importance of the role they play:__

![8 HUMAN RESOURCES FUNCTIONS](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/6wsp5oGQVIWR3I1g547I4O/8aa5a372a97a3e0ea05b1c9a8f3efb83/8_HUMAN_RESOURCES_FUNCTIONS.png)
## Recruitment and selection

It takes time and planning to attract and recruit highly talented employees. In addition to scheduling interviews, screening and communicating with a large pool of candidates, the HR team must also make sure individuals are a good fit for the company and team. Not to be overlooked is the [onboarding process](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/5-key-employee-onboarding-process-steps-to-master); making a good first impression can pave the way for a productive and engaged employee long term.

## Training and Development

Once we’ve found the best talent, it’s time to provide training to enable them to complete their assignments. Whatever the training is, it needs to be customized to the organization so that we understand the “why” when we begin to perform our role. Even professional employees have room for growth, and proactive companies anticipate and offer development opportunities for employees to grow their skills in ways that benefit both the individual and the organization.

## Company Brand and Culture

Often overlooked is the role the [Human Resources](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/company-culture-and-human-resources) plays in creating and maintaining the company brand and culture. Just as on-the-job training prepares employees to complete tasks, introducing new employees to “how you do things here” is important to make sure they feel included and are aware of how to communicate and interact with others. This is also related to the brand or the “who we are” of a company. Promoting and reminding everyone of the vision and mission of the organization ensure we are living up to those principles in everything we do.

## Safety and Health

If you think of a workplace in terms of Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, we first must make sure that everyone has their basic needs cover: comfortable working space, reasonable temperature and access to food/water, and feeling safe. In addition to supporting a comfortable work environment, HR should also have an open-door policy to hearing feedback and managing workplace misconduct that can lead to hostile work environments. Of course, physical safety is also of importance and HR may be involved in ensuring accessibility for employees in up to par. Many employers now offer no-cost healthy snacks for employees to incentivise healthy habits and increase productivity.

## Performance Management

Performance appraisals are important not only because they allow you to track performance over time, but they also can help identify areas for improvement and opportunities for growth. Although the review itself will likely be carried out by a manager and employee, the HR team is often responsible for tabulating and verify the results and taking or suggesting corrective action when required. The review process doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom: you can incorporate a second dimension of performance, like potential, to highlight where employees could set stretch goals to improve in the future.

## Succession Planning

Even the greatest companies to work for have turnover, but the best ones monitor and predict it both to intervene and keep talent but also to make sure vital roles are always filled. As a key player in choosing employees for advancement and management positions, Human Resources should take into account not just performance (being good at your job), but also reputation, feedback and leadership skills. This ongoing process links to recruitment as well, as the team should plan and be aware of current and future staff demand.

## Compensation and Benefits

While you might associate these two with the recruitment process, compensation and benefits should also be reviewed and update based on promotions, change in roles and other factors. Understanding what competitors and understanding the demand in the market is crucial to offering competitive incentives to maintain employees. Additionally, the HR department is often involved in evaluating and setting up perks programs that recognizse and reward employees for doing exemplary work. Sometimes small, intangible or personal gestures are as effective as monetary compensation.

## Compliance and Legal

Depending on your place of business, there are likely labor laws or other regulations that define the relationship between employer and employee. The HR team must understand these legal matters to ensure the company and the employee are protected. This may include, but is not limited to employee contracts, payroll legislation, regular leave calculations, and government and tax reporting.

In addition to these 8 areas, Human Resources frequently partner with other departments or functional areas to execute company objectives. For example, role definition may be handled in part by line manager and HR to ensure candidates are brought on board to fulfil specific needs. In conduction with the legal team they may also maintain and produce documents as required by law. And even not directly involved, HR works as a mediator between fellow employees, managers and executive leadership to settle disputes, disseminate information and provide advice.

As you can see, the role that HR plays is very important and can have measurable impacts on company performance. To manage this large workload, many organizations begin to use a Human Resource Information System, to track and document employee details. Contact us [here](https://www.peoplegoal.com/request-a-consultation) to find out more about how PeopleGoal is helping HR teams across the world maximize their productivity while engaging, motivating and developing their employees. Keep reading to find out more about [HR trends in 2019](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/hr-trends-to-watch-in-2019) and what you should be looking for in a [HR software](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/the-new-age-evolution-of-hr-software).

Having a HR department can have a long term positive effects on employee performance.  Whether you work in a large organization or a small business there are various options your HR department should cover.

8 Human Resources Functions

8 human resources functions

__You may have heard the phrase “Leaders are born not made” and if you’re like me, that sentiment is a bit unsettling. While there are definitely inherent personality characteristics that might help us lead a team. Although, some are more likely to step up and take the reins than other, this idea ignores our ability to learn and grow as individuals. Moreover, leadership requires adjustments based on the situation, the team and the vision for the future. How do you think the greatest leaders of the past 100 years would fare running your organization in 2019?__

The question is unfortunately impossible to answer and since we don’t have the time to argue Nature vs. Nurture at length, let’s cut to the chase - whether or not you think of yourself as a “leader” or not, there are things you can do to be effective at leading when the time comes. This happens by understanding the types of leadership styles and your own strengths and applying them appropriately. While there are millions of dollars and research poured into understanding leadership that can point us in the right direction, at the end of the day the practical, observable behaviors of a leader are more art than science.

Firstly, let’s talk a little about leadership because it is often confused with management. While the two are related and leaders do need to be able to manage people and projects they are not one and the same. Consider what Dwight Eisenhower said about leadership: __“Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.__” Think of management as the day-to-day, getting things done skills and leadership as the inspirational and motivational aspects that help us understand why we’re doing what we doing and supports us in our efforts.

Now we can discuss the most common types of leadership styles and for that we will draw for Daniel Goleman who wrote about the [leadership styles that get results](https://hbr.org/2000/03/leadership-that-gets-results):

![Effective leadership styles for managers in 2019](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/44YZeBqaEJ0CA2o14Y8tte/53ee386d4e93f5fb727d5c0662978e9b/effective_leadership_styles_for_managers_in_2019.png)


## Authoritarian

First we have authoritarian leadership, and as the name implies it focuses on control and chain of command to achieve results. While you don’t have to be a dictator to use this style, authoritarian leadership style certainly involves direct supervision, unwavering support of the message from leadership, and more one-sided feedback and communication than other styles.

## Paternalistic

Next is paternalistic leadership, which could rightly be renamed parentilistic (if that were a word), because the idea is centred around treating subordinates as a parent would. Proponents of this style would posit that creating a close-knit relationship based on trust will lead to higher loyalty and commitment rates because of a shared connection.

## Democratic

Democratic leadership builds upon the notion that a leader isn’t someone who necessarily knows everything about everything, but is someone who is willing to listen to others, able to synthesise opinions and concede to popular opinion within reason and when backed up by evidence. Using this leadership style can lead to more group buy-in as members feel they have a voice, but only works best when everyone has knowledge or skills to contribute and are willing to.

## Laissez-faire

Once again, borrowing from the political and/or economic behavioural science, laissez-faire leadership can be described as leaders who allow their followers to do work and make decisions as they see fit, with little direction or restraints from the leader. Although at times we do have groups who are mostly self-sufficient, laissez-faire can border upon not being a leader at all if we are not providing enough of a vision or incentive for team members to do their part.

## Transactional

Transactional or exchange leadership is built around rewards and punishments. Like a carrot and a whip, this binary style presumes that good outcomes and bad outcomes are influencing by either the fear of punishment or the anticipation of a reward. You can think of the relationship between leader and follower as process or transaction that has set rules and outcomes and doesn’t particularly concern itself with outside pressures or environmental factors.

## Transformational

Finally, transformational leadership is in some respects the opposite of transactional leadership. While the transactional leader is more concerned with keeping the status quo and only adjusting one or two factors to get results, the transformational leader is open to understanding what needs to be done to truly inspire followers and is willing to step outside their comfort zone and change how things are done to motivate others. This style is more focused on relationship building, charisma and inspiration to get other on board with the big picture and thus be convinced to complete their individual contribution.

Six is a nice, even number but the truth is these are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to leadership styles. And while there is [a lot](https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_41.htm) [more reading](https://hrtechweekly.com/2019/05/06/what-do-steve-jobs-tim-kobe-dan-goman-and-the-like-have-in-common-disruptive-leadership/) [you can do](https://joshbersin.com/tag/leadership-development/) [](http://www.apple.com/uk)on them, you’ve come here for the most effective leadership style that you can start using right now. So what is it??

You may have seen this coming, but the right answer is there is no right answer. All of these styles can be effective, given the right context. The most effective style will definitely depend on your skills, the situation, and the people who will be looking to follow you. But that doesn’t mean we can’t learn something from these styles.

## You are a leader

You are. Really. It may not feel that way and you might think you’re not ready, but we all have the ability to lead. It really comes down to the “why.” After all, it’s pretty difficult to convince somebody else to do something if you can’t even explain why it should be done in the first place. You will see your style shine through when you’re really excited about doing something and it is easy to engage others into being a part of it.

Ready to learn more about how you can engage others at your organization? Get in touch [](https://calendly.com/jeshua-rains)to chat about how PeopleGoal can help or [subscribe to our newsletter](https://peoplegoal.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=431c78bd5c463e06d7d0aba34&id=150d783371) for more tips and ideas.

Great leaders are behind a success of great businesses. There are various types of leadership styles that can help you lead your business and team members as well as to develop leaders yourself. 

Great leaders are behind a success of great businesses. There are various types of leadership styles that can help you lead your business and team members to success as well as to develop leaders yourself. 

Effective leadership styles for managers in 2019

Leader leading the dream team from her desk

Effective leadership styles for managers

Various leadership styles have various outcomes. Find out what is the best way to reach your targets and lead your team to success.

## What is a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP)?

A Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) is a formal document expressing any continuous and/or recurring behavioural and performance issues as well as planning attainable goals for a given employee. The PIP usually outlines a specific timeline for the employee to regain a level of standing at the organization.  A PIP is used to help employees meet goals which may they be struggling to meet, as well as attempting to curb maladaptive behaviours. At a reduced level, a PIP can be viewed as a probationary period for employees – with many people regarding a PIP as the initial stages of dismissing an employee. This may be the case in some situations, but PIPs can be beneficial for both the employee and the company (in many cases a PIP signals that the company want to keep the employee). A PIP is a structured approach targeting improvement through talent management strategy and formal documentation.  

Management will work with the employee to design a PIP, and is an attempt to facilitate discussion to discern the exact areas for improvement. In all cases, managers and HR representatives should continuously review the plan. This will help to ensure that employees are adhering to the outlined plan and that the treatment of employees who are on a PIP is fair. The manager should continuously monitor and provide the employee with feedback regarding their performance, and if needed may take further disciplinary action.

The ultimate goal of a PIP should always be to find a satisfactory solution for both the employee and the organization. Clear communication between the manager and the employee allows for a more effective PIP.

We have created 2 sample Performance Improvement Plans (PIP) which you can download for your organization. You can access them here:


- [Performance Improvement Plan - Sample 1](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BGU_c1vaeRZ4LavDXrhGULwh2NIaqU-KHHo9vAgrqLM/edit?usp=sharing "Performance Improvement Plan - Sample 1")
- [Performance Improvement Plan - Sample 2](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MLFP4QDmkItS1tInY6jdoJDUqIGMpnWi-H0ZSS5RQUM/edit?usp=sharing "Performance Improvement Plan - Sample 2")

## When should you implement a PIP?

PIPs are best implemented when an employee is struggling. Managers should be able to pick up on signs of an employee struggling.  Some of the signs that may suggest an employee is struggling are: decreased productivity; decreased engagement, those who are taking more time off or are becoming unpunctual. Beginning the PIP process should happen when there is a clear trend of negative performance.

Other reasons why you may implement a PIP include:
- During an employees’ probationary period with the company.
- If an employee has traditionally been a good employee but has been showing a recent anomalous trend in poor performance.
- If an employee is showing poor performance in a small number of areas, but shows good performance in most other areas.
- When your employee handbook does not have a proper strategy for performance improvement, the PIP offers a viable alternative.
- When an employee is experiencing personal problems which may have affected their performance recently.

## What are the benefits of a PIP?

There are a number of benefits associated with a PIP, namely: engaging employees by providing them with the power to change their performance and behaviours; provides employees with detailed feedback and specific areas for improvement and shows the employee that the organization recognizes individuals’ current challenges. Further, having a PIP process in place, the potential risk of litigation is reduced if performance does not improve and dismissal occurs.

## How can you improve the effectiveness of a PIP?

### 1. 	Set Clear Goals

Providing clarity achieves the employee to have total understanding of what their objectives and goals are. Conversely, not providing clarity will lead to the employee asking more and more questions as well as heightening their confusion. Employees need to understand what their specific objectives and goals are. The more precise the goals are, the easier achieving them should be.

### 2.	Communication 

The PIP is a collaborative process – employees and managers alike should be able to talk freely about their current difficulties as well as how they plan to achieve the superordinate goals. Employees may become disengaged and act with malevolence towards the PIP. As a manager make sure you provide clarity to the employee concerning your expectations. As an employee keep in contact with manager in order to follow the PIP as effectively as possible.

### 3.	Regular check-ins	

Almost as an antecedent from the previous point, regular check-ins are particularly important in improving the effectiveness of a PIP. Regular check-ins provide structure, but more importantly they provide a consistent direction, preventing employees from going off track.

### 4.	Root Causes

Perhaps there is an underlying root cause associated with the negative trend in their performance. Have they recently undergone a family bereavement or other personal issues? Is there something troubling them in their professional life – do they want greater challenges? Try and talk through any potential issues that the employee may have with honesty and respect. Discuss whether they feel it is getting in the way of their performance, and discuss how best to deal with it.

### 5.	Positivity

Although the employee is on a PIP due to areas which need improvement, there is almost always going to be positive aspects. Convey to the employee that they are a valuable member of the company. Emphasize the positive sides of their employment. No one wants to be told that they are bad at their job, and being placed on a PIP it is inevitable that this thought may cross their mind.

### 6.	Structure

We have talked about structure above and it is almost an overarching theme in PIPs. Perhaps the most important element of structure is creating a timeline of what you (as the manager) expects from the process. Organise regular check-ins as well as formal meetings with the employee and track their performance. Provide employees with a pre-defined structure as to what you expected and within a given time frame.

### 7.	Provide extra support and/or training

Don’t let the employee struggle on their own! A good tactic to improve the effectiveness of your PIP is to provide extra support. Harking back to point four: root causes – it is important to recognise that the result of poor performance may have been caused by a lack of training. If an employee has gone through a poor onboarding process with minimal support, they may struggle when given tasks with real responsibility. Moreover, if an employee receives a promotion or greater workload without the pre-requisite training then they are often going to struggle which will reflect poorly on their performance. 

Once you have identified a skill gap decide how best to bridge it. Think about formal courses, job shadowing a colleague or assigning the employee a mentor.

### 8.	Clarity in consequences

The aforementioned elements to making an effective PIP take a relatively positive outlook – and this is important! But it is also important to make sure the employee knows that there are clear consequences if performance doesn’t improve. There needs to be pre-defined, clear and transparent consequences outlined at the beginning of the PIP process.

Hopefully following these guidelines, you will have a successful PIP. Following a successful PIP, it is important for the manager to remain somewhat vigilant. To make sure that your plan is effective, you cannot let the employee slip back into their old bad habits after a couple of months. Make sure to have routine check-ins, track their performance and have regular discussions about where and how they think they have improved (providing an element of positive reinforcement to the overall PIP process).


A Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) is a formal document expressing any continuous and/or recurring behavioural and performance issues as well as planning attainable goals for a given employee. The PIP usually outlines a specific timeline for the employee to regain a level of standing at the organization. Management will work with the employee to design a PIP, and is an attempt to facilitate discussion to discern the exact areas for improvement.

A Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) is a formal document expressing any continuous and/or recurring behavioural and performance issues as well as planning attainable goals for a given employee. This blog post will help you set up an effective employee performance improvement process.

Learn how to create a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) process for your organization and also understand the benefits of the employee performance process.

Performance Improvement Plans for employees

Performance Improvement Plans

Learn how to create an Employee Performance improvement Plan (PIP) proces.

How to make an effective Performance Improvement Plan?

Employee experience journey mapping can help you create positive experiences for your employees and improve the employee retention in your organization.

## What is an employee journey?

According to digital HR tech, an employee journey is “the time an employee spends at a company, starting when the employee applies to the organization and ending when the employee quits the organization.” And the time between those two moments is what creates the employee experience.

## What Is Employee Experience Journey Mapping?

Just like in a customer journey there are critical moments that have an impact on employee experience. These moments can significantly influence employee  performance . A technique increasingly used by many organizations is facilitating employee journey mapping to evaluate and improve employee experience in an organization.

## How to implement employee experience journey mapping?

### Segment your workforce

Similarly, to the varying customer segments having different needs, your employees are likely to have different experiences based on their interactions with your company. If you have any front of house employees, they will have very different experiences to your staff in the office. Experiences of staff with more technical roles such as engineering and IT will differ to those from marketing and sales.

Creating personas can help you develop effective solutions to meet their needs and behaviours. Therefore, to build up effective personas you should take into account the typical behaviours, challenges and gains of each of the segment rather than their demographics. To do so, you might need to involve people from different teams to really capture the various journeys they go through.

Luckily for you, there are some amazing templates that can help you bring your personas to life. You can download [a workbook from UX Design Kit](https://uxdesignkit.com/) that will not only provide you with a template to build up your personas but also provide you with understanding of user centered design and other tools such as interview format to evaluate the experience of your users or user journey templates. Similarly, you can download [an eBook on The Basics of User Experience Design](https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/what-is-interaction-design) by Interaction Design Foundation, that will provide you with templates and guides how to use them.

Moreover, if you really want to get into the needs of your personas [empathy map canvas](https://gamestorming.com/empathy-map/) can provide you with deeper level of understanding of their needs. It can also help you identify the gaps in your understanding of your employees’ behaviours and needs. By identifying these gaps, you can see what needs to be further researched in order to provide positive employee experience to your employees.

### Identify ‘Moments that matter’

Once you have segmented your workforce, the next step is to determine the ‘moments that matter’ for each of the personas. As we said before the experiences of each of the segment are likely differ and so the important moments are also likely to be different.

Yet, there are also moments that are significant to each of the employees such as the first day at work or first 1-on-1 meeting with the manager. The easiest way is to think back to your career and use your common sense. There are also various categorizations you can facilitate when mapping the employee experience. For example, Jacob Morgan in [The employee experience advantage](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Employee-Experience-Advantage-Employees-Workspaces/dp/111932162X) differentiates between specific moments (such as the first day at work), ongoing (communication between a manager and their employee) and created (such as a company mental health awareness week).

Tom Haak from HR Trend put together [a collection of moments that matter](https://hrtrendinstitute.com/2018/05/14/moments-that-matter-a-catalogue/) that can help you establish your own framework for each of the segments. You might also want to look at the employee experience from the perspective of employee engagement. That way you can divide an experience of every employee into 4 sections:

### Establishing employee engagement

Establishing engagement includes the hiring process since their saw your job advertisement until their first day with you. Organizations often overlook that the way how they manage their hiring process, the efficiency of their communication and information provided before an employee start their new job can have a significant effect on their employee experience. Similarly, onboarding process can affect the performance of your employees as we discussed in one of our previous articles. Thus, you should carefully determine each of the [steps in an onboarding process](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/5-key-employee-onboarding-process-steps-to-master) to engage with your employees from the day one.

### Engagement continuation

Once you have established engagement with your new employee and they feel comfortable in your organization and confident with their job you need to ensure to keep them engaged. Implement a performance management process including goal setting, ongoing feedback and regular reviews. This approach will allow you to keep your employees engaged and identify any potential challenges at their early stages.

### Employee re-engagement

Sooner or later every employee starts to lose their interest if they do not feel their career is progressing. Make sure to communicate what career [development](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/4-steps-to-design-an-employee-development-plan-that-works) is available to every employee. What are their opportunities for growth? Is there any training available to upskill? Maybe all they want is relocate? Are there any personal inflences affecting their work? Are they starting a family and need better life-work balance? Do they care for their wellbeing and need support?

### Employee disengagement

Like it or not, there will always be employees leaving your company for various reasons whether it is retirement, desire to progress faster or even completely change career. The important thing for you, is to ensure collecting the data from these employees. Schedule an exit interview with all of them. Is there an opportunity for further collaboration? Could they potentially become advocates for your business after retiring?

## Implement and align measuring strategy of different stages

What are the key metrics at each of these stages? Who is responsible for management of each of the stages? Your HR department is likely to be in charge of the hiring and leaving process while specific teams will be responsible for the others. Make sure everyone agrees on a consistent strategy. Lastly, do not make your life harder than it needs to be; collecting quantitative data will allow you for an effective analysis. Furthermore, make sure to implement the knowledge from feedback and data you already have. 

## Visualize Employee experience map

There are various employee experience mapping tools. Alternatively, you can make one in a table or draw by hand. You can do anything that would meet the needs of your company the best. And if you need inspiration Tom Haak also wrote an [article covering the trends in employee journey mapping design](https://hrtrendinstitute.com/2018/10/29/trends-in-employee-journey-maps/).

Employee experience mapping can help you provide positive experience to your workforce and retain the best talent. It can also help you identify the areas of improvement and evaluate the efficiency of processes in your organization. However, if you really want to make the most of it you should integrate it with employee engagement surveys. That way you develop an in depth understanding of the needs of your workforce. If you are interested in reading more, have a look at our blog on [best practices in employee engagement surveys.](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/best-practices-in-employee-engagement-surveys)

From start to finish, what does an employee experience? What is their journey like at your organization?

What is the journey on an employee like from start to finish? It's time to consider your organization's approach to Employee Experience Journey Mapping.

Employee Experience: From start to end.

Employee Experience Journey Mapping

What is Employee Experience Journey Mapping and why is it so important?

## "Human Resourses"

__Wait, that's not right...__

If you found this blog, chances are you’re one of 500 people each month who search human resourses with a third “s.” Welcome to the club! Don’t worry - we don’t have a spelling lesson planned for you. But we do think it’s a good time to discuss what Human Resources really is (regardless of how you spell it) and also how this often overlooked department can be the key to achieving the business performance you are targeting.

The idea of treating workers as more than just a labor source was a novel idea before the early 20th century. But changes to the workforce as well as the type of work required led to labor management in the 1920’s[.](http://consensushr.com/the-history-of-human-resource-management-hrm/) While it didn’t look exactly like a modern HR department, the purpose did revolve around similar tasks, like hiring, firing and settling disputes.

Fredrick Taylor’s scientific management approach and the ensuing research it inspired during this time began to look at improving efficiency of workers. This approach necessitates quantification and helped formed the idea of performance appraisals as we use today, but arguably relegated employees to being variables that could be tweaked as required.

Even more workforce changes following the second World War and government regulations regarding workers and union saw the rise of personnel management. While conditions for workers were improving, the focus continued to be on industry relations and the perception of the associated rules being “red tape” began to from among employees.

Advances in the social sciences during the 60’s and 70’s helped to bring a more humanistic approach to understanding what factors influencing performance, but it wasn’t until the 1980’s that the term “Human Resources” began to take off. The idea was simple - employees aren’t just an input to achieving results; they are resources that add value but also require and deserve nurturing.

This is a (very) abridged version of the history of Human Resources and you the [Charted Institute for Personnel Development](https://www.cipd.co.uk/about/who-we-are/history) gives much more detail, but the question is what is HR in 2019? Or rather what should it be?

For many people, a Human Resources department seems like a back office only operation: maintaining the paperwork, reacting to complaints and monitoring performance. But as companies begin to face increased pressure, from management, employees and customers, the Human Resources department and the impact it has on a culture has never been more important.

The department is likely charged with finding and hiring the best talent, overseeing onboarding and training, managing benefits administration from payroll and insurance to absence and holidays, administering and validating performance appraisals, offering or approving personal development initiatives, handling workplace disputes and grievances, ensuring legal compliance to employee centred legislation, identifying and developing managers, monitoring turnover and succession planning, and holding exit interview. Even with the plethora of HR tools designed to solve each of these issues, managing all this while being accountable to both executive leadership and individual employees can be a tall order. How can we accomplish everything while still keeping the employee’s interest t heart?

The key to treating humans as resources seems to be treating them as well, or better than your customers. Enter the employee experience platform: far beyond a series of siloed systems requiring too many passwords and clicks, Such a platform delivers an integrated experience that not only eliminates the annoyances of HR requests but also streamlines solutions that enhance the overall experience of the employee.

Industry experts like [Josh Bersin](https://joshbersin.com/2019/02/the-employee-experience-platform-a-new-category-arrives/) are confident that this new category of software will be the next big thing in Human Resources. Centralisation of both employee and management tools will create better insights into the experience of employees and opportunities to improve the experience quickly.

Just as the field has adapted to changes workplace factors in the past, modern HR departments must adjust to support employees that increasing want flexibility, challenging and fulfilling roles and access to technology to help them perform. And in many sectors where talent is in high demand, it’s most important to not only attract the best fit, but also retain that talent and help them perform to their full potential throughout their employee lifecycle.

While we might often look to compensation and perks to solve retention issues, but engagement is arguably more important. [An engaged employee is someone who “is](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employee_engagement) fully absorbed by and enthusiastic about their [work](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wage_labour) and so takes positive action to further the organization's reputation and interests.” Measuring and cultivate a culture of employees with this level of commitment and buy-in to company results requires careful consideration of all the factor that influence an employees’ experience.

Ready to learn more about employee experience platforms? Get in touch to see how PeopleGoal's highly configurable platform can help you take your first steps in improving your employee experience today.

If you found this blog, chances are you’re one of 500 people each month who search human “resourses” with a third “s.” Welcome to the club!

What's the deal with human resourses?

Human resourses

What's happening in Human Resourses?

What's the Deal With Human Resourses?

__Have you noticed the ever longer and warmer summers? How about the long-lasting cold winters? If you have not watched Our Planet, the effects of climate change are becoming more tangible every year. As stated in [a report](https://www.wcva.org.uk/about-us/news/2018/10/ipcc-new-report-%E2%80%93-impacts-of-global-warming-of-15%C2%B0c-above-pre-industrial-levels) by the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change: ” Human activities are estimated to have caused approximately 1.0°C of global warming above pre-industrial levels, with a likely range of 0.8°C to 1.2°C “ And [the experts warn](https://edition.cnn.com/2018/10/07/world/climate-change-new-ipcc-report-wxc/index.html) that if we do not make a radical change we could reach a 1,5°C difference by 2030 and face a risk of extreme drought, wildfires, floods and food shortages for hundreds of millions of people.__

## Sustainability and employee engagement


Similarly, people are increasingly looking for jobs that provide them with a meaningful purpose. Alignment of personal values and work can have a strong positive impact on employee engagement. In fact, according to [a study by](https://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/ey-the-business-case-for-purpose/$FILE/ey-the-business-case-for-purpose.pdf) EY 89% of executives they surveyed said “strong sense of collective purpose drives employee satisfaction”.

The study further explains that leaders today face a challenge of revising the corporate-society contract with society and contribute to the societal wellbeing in a relevant way. In fact, companies that prioritize having a strong purpose tend to outperform those that do not. If you are still unsure [here](https://www.firstcarbonsolutions.com/resources/newsletters/august-2015-building-a-sustainable-workplace/building-a-sustainable-workplace/) are some further benefits of sustainable workplace.

Furthermore, talent retention and high employee turnover prove to be a challenge to organizations. As mentioned above, employees are increasingly driven by finding a higher purpose in their work rather than just financial stability and praise. Thus implementing sustainable initiative and finding ways how to lower greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint in your organization can have positive effects on employee engagement as well as the environment.

## Companies pioneering sustainable behaviour

As stated by [Bristol Green Capital](https://www.wcva.org.uk/about-us/news/2018/10/ipcc-new-report-%E2%80%93-impacts-of-global-warming-of-15%C2%B0c-above-pre-industrial-levels) just in Bristol over 900 companies pledged to work towards the shared vision of a sustainable city and [reach zero-net carbon footprint by 2050](https://www.bristolonecity.com/one-city-plan/). Increasingly more and more companies are linking their social responsibility with sustainability to try to reverse the climate change and create purpose in their organizations. [Through taking care of the community and the planet businesses can also drive profitability and growth](https://www.forbes.com/sites/adp/2018/06/12/use-sustainability-to-attract-and-retain-millennial-employees/#46c44036d00c).

According to [an article](https://ssir.org/articles/entry/engaging_employees_to_create_a_sustainable_business) by a professor CB Bhattacharya and Paul Polman, the key to creating a sustainable company is to get all employees personally involved in day-to-day corporate sustainability efforts. As they explain companies such as IBM, Mark & Spencer or BASF are implementing sustainability into every employee’s job making a sustainable business model the new norm. Whole company cultures of businesses including [Patagonia](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/hr-lessons-from-patagonia) or [Everlane](https://www.everlane.com/about) are rooted in sustainability. These companies embrace radical transparency, source ethically and create products that are expected to last for years.

And on top of that, [academic research implies](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325041932_Can_Corporate_Sustainability_Influence_Employee_Engagement) “that the more an employee perceive their organization to be involved in sustainability, the more likely they will feel a positive attitude towards the organization which may influence their behaviour.”

## How to develop an effective sustainability programme in your organization

To develop an effective sustainability program in your organization it should include these [3 types of programmes](https://www.greenbiz.com/article/4-reasons-fewer-employees-are-engaged-sustainability-and-what-do-about-it):

1. Role-based imperatives targeted to those employees that can drive direct change
2. Broader work-related initiatives that drive awareness and include entire organization
3. Personal initiatives that link professional and personal life

![3 STEPS TO DEVELOP AN EFFECTIVE SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMME](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/48KgRtigAMIcBE3iCAihIe/0636b58b6d1a5ad3a4d0b89a0558c426/3_STEPS_TO_DEVELOP_AN_EFFECTIVE_SUSTAINABILITY_PROGRAMME.png)

### 1. Role-based imperatives targeted to those employees that can drive direct change

Provide your employees with training on sustainability. Your sustainability programme will not work if the entire workforce is not onboard. Organize lunch and learn events, share digital resources, or encourage discussion among your employees. Cultivating Capital created [a list of useful videos](https://www.cultivatingcapital.com/sustainability-videos/) you can start with.

Empower your employees to take initiative and come up with new solutions to create a more sustainable business. Implement the solutions. It is likely they will have not only positive effect on the environment but also saves money for your business. You could also create a green team in your organization that will take the ownership of and manage sustainability initiatives.

### 2. Broader work-related sustainability initiatives

In order to make the sustainability truly embedded in your company culture it is essential to promote it internally and externally. Firstly, ensure that your company mission reflects your values. Secondly, praise and recognize the efforts made across internal communication channels and provide proactive employees with rewards. Facilitate external channels such as social media and local TV or newspaper to share the efforts with the wider world. It will help you develop a reputation for caring for the right thing, attract talent as well as you might inspire other organizations to implement sustainability into their business.

Reducing impact of your organization can be a scary and longsome process. Fortunately, there is a myriad of [resources](https://www.bps.org.uk/sites/bps.org.uk/files/Member%20Networks/Divisions/DOP/DOP%20Going%20Green%20The%20Psychology%20of%20Sustainability%20in%20the%20Workplace.pdf) and companies that can help you make this happen. Large companies such as [Deloitte](https://www2.deloitte.com/ru/en/pages/risk/solutions/sustainability-and-csr.html) as well as smaller companies such as [Cultivating Capital](https://www.cultivatingcapital.com/), [Southwest Environmental Limited](http://www.southwest-environmental.co.uk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvL6zyIqe4wIVipTtCh2x0QeqEAAYAiAAEgKEsPD_BwE) or [Eunomia](https://www.eunomia.co.uk/) in Bristol can help you develop a tailored strategy for your business.

### 3. Personal initiatives that link professional and personal life

Enable your employees to follow their personal values in their workspace. Enrich their experience with an opportunity to volunteer and participate in local causes and non-profit organizations and charities. However, you have to make sure they are aware of these opportunities and communicate them in an inclusive dialogue. If you want to get involved with local causes that fit your business vision but do not know where to start you can find an organization that will help you get involved with your community.

In Bristol, [Semple](https://semble.org/) partner local projects with businesses and volunteers to ensure they get the support they deserve.

Lastly, make sure to develop a matrix to measure the environmental effectiveness of your sustainability programme as well as its impact on employee engagement. An easy way to do so is to create an [employee engagement survey](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/best-practices-in-employee-engagement-surveys) targeted on your sustainable initiatives.

Environmental issues are everyone’s problem, although it is not enough for individuals to implement changes to their lives. Businesses should lead this change.

Employees are increasingly driven by finding a higher purpose in their work. Thus implementing sustainability to your workplace can have positive effects on employee engagement and the environment. 

Employees are increasingly driven by finding a higher purpose in their work. Thus implementing sustainability to your workplace can have positive effects on employee engagement as well as the environment. 

Sustainability in the Workplace

Sustainability in the workplace

Sustainability programmes are becoming a must have to organizations due to the growing environmental issues. They can also positively impact employee engagement and save enhance profitability of a business.

The success of your company vastly relies on how well your employees perform their tasks. However, understanding how to maximize employee potential can prove difficult and subjective. Nonetheless, we’ve compiled a shortlist of things you could try to optimize performance.

Before you delve into ways how to improve employee performance, it is vital you ascertain the reasons why your employees may be underperforming. The four most common reasons why employees may be underperforming are:

- Understanding: Do they understand the tasks they are being set?
- Capability: Do they have the aptitude and the training to do the job properly?
- Resources: Do they have the resources to do the job?
- Willingness: Do they have a willingness to do the work?

In order to understand where the poor performance stems from you must keep an open mind without jumping to conclusions. Vital to this is how you communicate with your employees, allow for an open discussion surrounding any issues that may be causing underperformance and how you address them directly.

![How-To-Increase-Employee-Productivity](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/ZpWXozlpW3xAOEBScXzxl/26607eb1238ca3e12b38bc68a3ddfa24/How-To-Increase-Employee-Productivity.jpg)

For instance, you may find it is personal/domestic issues that are the cause for the decline in performance, therefore you may need to adjust regular standards for the employee whilst they work through the issue. If this is the case, you must make sure the rest of your team know without sharing personal details why you have made these adjustments for transparency, and to avoid any suspicions of favouritism which may have a negative effect on morale.

Once you have found which aspect, or aspects that the employee is underperforming in, there are a couple of steps you can take to address the issues in general:

## 1. Create an engaging workplace culture.

[Research suggests](https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/11-employee-feedback-statistics?__hstc=108336221.8bdfcf84e539a1de2df3819d1e04cbaf.1534700358991.1534700358991.1534700358991.1&__hssc=108336221.1.1534700358992&__hsfp=541679824#sm.0000zms0qmo2hdbfror1ndhcdwatv) that employees are more engaged and motivated to work hard when they are recognized for their work, given regular feedback, kept in the loop and have the ability to collaborate between teams and employees. Moreover, your organization is a team, and just as in sport, each member must be invested in the end goal, or in other words, the company vision. Most of all employees want to feel appreciated, so take time to [create an employee appreciation culture](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/how-to-create-employee-appreciation-culture-in-your-organization) in your organization.

## 2. Communicate clear expectations.

Make sure employees know what is expected of them, keep communicating with them so that they stay on the right path, make sure that they can explain to you what they are doing so that you know they themselves understand.

## 3. Encourage wellbeing at work

Without stating the obvious, employee wellbeing is critically linked to performance. [Studies suggest](https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/SHR-01-2018-0009) that good employee wellbeing is vital to staff performance and productivity. So make sure you have steps in place to both monitor and take action to improve employee wellbeing. These can be via providing a gym membership, having mental health awareness days, having a cycle to work scheme or keeping your office a social place by hosting events after work hours. Either way, you should [strive to reduce stress](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/work-stress-awareness-what-can-help-an-employee-and-employer-perspective)!

## 4. Provide development opportunities

No one wants to be stuck in the cliché ‘dead end job’, so make sure your employees aren’t! Provide them with opportunities for lifelong learning, make sure they are constantly trained to use any new software or hardware implemented into the organisation. Furthermore, make sure you have development plans organised for each employee, as this gives employees the ability to adapt their performance and achieve their objectives.

## 5. Motivate by performance

You need to work closely with your employees to create a motivating environment in which to work. Three ways in which you could increase motivation are by setting [performance goals](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/how-to-set-clear-goals-for-your-team) whether they be [OKR’s](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/objectives-key-results-are-OKRs-really-the-panacea-for-goal-management) or [SMART](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/a-guide-to-smart-goals) goals, providing performance assistance via resources and training and by providing performance feedback, [but make sure its constructive](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/6-principles-of-constructive-feedback)!

All of these processes can of course be digitized. This will not only improve the experience for your employees, it will make the processes in your organization more efficient. Furthermore it will allow for a more streamlined way of communication for you and your team.

The success of your company vastly relies on how well your employees perform their tasks. However, understanding how to maximize employee potential can prove difficult.

The success of your company vastly relies on how well your employees perform their tasks. However, understanding how to maximize employee potential can prove difficult and subjective.

How to Improve Employee Performance

How to improve employee performance

Making sure your business is performing well is a collective effort. It is highly dependent on the performance of your employees. Below are some effective ways how to boost performance of your workforce.

__Now that we know [what employment engagement is and why it matters](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/why-employee-experience-matters), let’s deep dive into how you can accomplish it. We won’t waste any time, here’s 30 ways you increase employee engagement:__

## 1. Show flexibility

Employees are increasingly expecting flexible benefits at work, but you don’t have to offer every possible option under the sun. Just proving that you’re willing to take responsible requests into consideration will build buy-in and rapport.

## 2. Ask for feedback

If you’re not already promoting a culture of 360 feedback, it’s a great time to start! Remember to solicit feedback on how departments and management are doing to gain actionable insights. Making it easy to give feedback will increase participation.

## 3. Use feedback

Getting feedback and not using it is like leaving money on the table. Even if some good ideas for improvement aren’t immediately doable, acknowledge the issues and show the feedback has been received.

## 4. Share results

You don’t have to offer stock options to make employees feel like they have a stake in the company. Include them in the company performance, both good and bad, to show accountability and connectedness.

## 5. Be Social

Incentive internal networking. Hosting small events that encourage people to know who they are working with can help build lasting relationships. Make it easy to find and connect with others by using internal profiles that highlight both work and extracurricular interests.

## 6. Provide Essentials

It’s probably not surprising to you that [92% of workers](https://www.ultimatesoftware.com/happywork) [](http://www.apple.com/uk)say not having access to technology to do their jobs makes them dissatisfied with their work. Being able to do the work asked of them effectively is one of the first steps to getting engagement.

## 7. Provide non-essentials

Some employers go all out in providing office amenities, but it can be as simple as offering [healthy snacks](https://officepantry.co.uk/). Not only does this promote healthy employees, it takes away the minor inconvenience of running out to find something.

## 8. Recognise when it’s due

We all like to know our work is valued and integral, so find ways to give recognition for doing a great job. Recognition badges are a great start and can be linked to perk programs, physical trophies, and more.

## 9. Take away inconveniences

Minor annoyances add up over time. Take a pulse survey occasionally to see what minor issues are contributing to workplace unhappiness. Loud environments, parking issues, even the temperature in your building can make the day-to-day that much harder.

## 10. Offer perks that matter

Tying perks to performance or recognition is a great way to incentive hard effort, but it’s important to make sure the perks you offer are actually desirable. Think beyond the gift card and include multiple choices that offer everyone a little something.

## 11. Focus on building teams

There are many types of teams that may be formed for work. And while sometimes they come from necessity, the teams that form organically around a common cause are likely to form long term relationship and foster a spirit of collaboration.

## 12. Make interactions easy

With the increase of de-centralized work spaces, it’s even more important to make communication easy. Tools like Slack or Microsoft Lync can make us more available but also consider conference rooms and capabilities.

## 13. Share goals

Do your employees know off-hand what your business objectives are for the quarter? Do your managers know what each direct report is working on? Make goals transparent across the organization can help motivate everyone to do their part.

## 14. Make reviews collaborative.

One-sided review can be perceived as management being secretive or heavy handed. If you want engagement, why ask the person who’s being reviewed how they feel about themselves?

## 15. Remind them of the why

Your mission, values and principles should be in the forefront in the work you do. Remind employees of how their individual efforts support the company objectives and how achieving those objectives benefit them and the community.

## 16. Help them set goals

Setting goals is important, but not always easy. Working together to make goals that combine both work skills and interest help make tasks have more purpose and feel less like “work.”

## 17. Make time for face time

It’s easier to send an email, but they’ll will never replace the connection from a in-person conversation. This small investment of time can reap big benefits.

## 18. Be responsible (socially and corporately)

At the end of the day, your business output might not be something that an individual can relate to. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t engaged if they feel the organization is doing what’s right. Support causes that matter to employees and consider what makes you proud to work where you do.

## 19. Consider the physical environment

Everyone wants work-life balance and if the work environment feels rigid and uncomfortable, we’re not doing our best work. Just like providing the technological essentials is key, having a space that supports employees will help them do what they need to do.

## 20. Consider the work environment

Before anyone can be fully engaged, they need to feel safe. Intimidating tactics, harassment and other inappropriate behaviour should have no place in the work environment and strict policies and enforcing will help create a safe space to work.

## 21. Encourage staying late

If you have an awesome work environment, why leave? Schedule events in the workspace that aren’t work related. If we associate the place we work positively and with more than just doing our job, it can be easier to get up and come in in the morning.

## 22. Treat employees like customers

Measuring your NPS? Why not an employee NPS? Employees have as much, or more potential to promote your brand and business if they feel positively about their experience. Just like potential clients, employees need nurturing throughout the employee lifecycle.

## 23. Manage your managers

For many employees, their manager is their first line of interaction/intervention and the relationship they have with their manager heavily mirrors how they feel about the organization as whole. Good employees aren’t always good managers but you can help develop good managers via extra training and mentoring.

## 24. Be transparent

Engagement starts with trust - there’s no way around it. If you want someone to do their best, they need to know that you have their interests in mind. Your internal audience should be the first to know good news and bad.

## 25. Have fun

Work is work, but when there’s a chance for it, show everyone that it can be enjoyable too. Common experience and positive association when things are going well can carry through two crunch time as well. What’s something small you can do in 5 minutes time to make someone smile?

## 26. Encourage innovation

It’s easy to get wrapped in assigned tasks and end up overlapping efforts by doing our jobs inefficiently. Workplace innovation requires time to reflect, a supportive environments to new ideas, and a good understanding of the “why” behind work tasks.

## 27. Open up your roles

The corporate ladder is dead. Compensation and promotions are important considerations, but adding fulfilling work that may fall outside a typical role structure not only makes our jobs more interesting overall, it can match hidden talents you already have internally to key business requirements.

## 28. Communicate and then communicate some more

No one likes to be left out of the loop or look they missed an important memo. Use tools that share relevant news and deadlines to teams, departments and the whole organization effectively.

## 29. Promote learning

Educational opportunities rank high on prospective employees’ consideration list. Consider how investments in workshops or even just time-off to develop relevant skills can reap benefits longterm. If you have experts in-house, you can offer lunch and learns and other internal opportunities to share knowledge.

## 30. Provide clarity

Ambiguous or contradicting work expectations lead to frustration and turn-over. Explaining work requirements clearly allows for input from both parties and when we agree over what must be done holding everyone accountable is much easier.


Ready to learn more about how you can improve your employee experience and get more engaged employees? Contact us for a consultation and demo on how PeopleGoal can help.

Employee engagement continues to be a challenge for organizations in today's dynamic society. Luckily for you, there are some effective tips to engage your workforce 

Employee engagement continues to be a challenge for organizations in today's dynamic society. Luckily for you, there are some effective tips to engage your workforce.

30 Tips to Increase Employee Engagement

Tips to increase employee engagement and increase employee productivity

Tips to increase employee engagement

Employee engagement continues to be a challenge for organizations in today's dynamic society. Luckily for you, there are some effective tips on how to increase employee engagement

### *__“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know…”__*

We all know the phrase, but does it continue to exist in the workplace today or has nepotism been curtailed? According to [research by HRZone](https://www.hrzone.com/community/blogs/cv-library/is-your-workplace-in-danger-of-nepotism), __81.4% of those hunting for jobs in the UK believe that nepotism continues to exist in the UK__. A further 61.3% disclosed that they have either seen nepotism occur in the workplace or have been the victim of nepotism.

## What is nepotism?

Nepotism is the practice among those with power and/or influence in favouring friends and relatives. This is particularly pertinent in the workplace where those in a position of influence will be more likely to choose others for jobs based on their relationship to them. It could also mean favouring particular staff as they are better friends or have better relationships with them.

Nepotism can manifest itself in the form of workers getting jobs for which they are unqualified for. It may also manifest in employees getting away with certain behaviours or misdemeanours, or managers bending the rules for some employees and not others.

## What are the disadvantages of nepotism and the issues which it causes?

Nepotism has the potential to produce a cascade of issues in your workplace. Favouritism conveys a likelihood of employing potentially weaker employees. It can cause great feelings of resentment or disdain among colleagues. If employees feel that someone is being disproportionately well treated, it can create a toxic or hostile environment. This in turn has an effect on staff morale, engagement and productivity.

Nepotism can also create toxicity in the employee at an individual level. Employees who feel their career development is being stunted as a result of nepotism will grow resentful and agitated in their current role. This in turn has repercussions for the organization. On the other hand, those who are benefiting from nepotism in the workplace may experience isolation from their colleagues. In this sense, nepotism can be viewed as a double-edged sword in damaging employee experience and morale.

## Dealing with nepotism in the workplace

The first and perhaps most important step is determining whether you are experiencing or seeing nepotism in your workplace. Is it that other individuals are experiencing an unfair level of favouritism or is that person genuinely qualified for that promotion?


If there are clear signs of nepotism make sure that you approach this problem carefully. A wrong approach - i.e. storming into your manager's office - is not advised. Make your strategy for dealing with it clearly documented and easy for employees and managers to work with. Here are a few advisable strategies:

### For Employees 

__1. Make sure to document specific incidents__

Take notes and document specific incidents of nepotism. Try to substantiate your claims by gaining other witnesses.
 
__2. Gather others’ experiences and opinions__
 
The advisable alternative to a coup-type approach!  Ask probing but not uncomfortable questions to your colleagues to gain further knowledge.

__3. Talk it through with a confidential individual at the organization__

Set up an appointment with a HR professional in the organization or identify a third-party individual who is higher up than you to help. Try to organize your meeting to raise as little suspicion as possible. Remember to be professional and concise during your meeting. Remember that you have the opportunity to have more than one more meeting with more than one person to help substantiate your claim. 
  
__4. Behave professionally__
 
Regardless of the strategy you choose to use, a key characteristic for dealing with nepotism is to behave with professionalism. Continue to work as you would normally and approach issues of nepotism with decorum. Behaving unprofessionally and without a certain level of dignity is likely to backfire and stop you from reaching your overall goal.

### For Employers

It may be difficult for employers to envisage how they can negate nepotism in the workplace, but it is possible.

__1. Anti-nepotism policies__

Anti-nepotism policies restrict related individuals from working in the same department or company. Employees who adopt these policies need to state the cases which concern nepotism. For example, policies may prohibit one relative from supervising another or from married couples from working together.

A thoughtful and well-defined anti-nepotism policy should allow for the employment of friends and relatives while avoiding the associated complex and operational issues.

__2. Create viable communication channels__

Organizations may be committing nepotism without even realising it! Provide employees with proper communication to discuss where nepotistic biases may lie in the company. This provides employees with greater confidence in expressing their unhappiness in a polite and diligent manner. 

__3.	Develop a viable internal promotional structure for relatives and friends__

When employing friends and relatives it is important to be objective about the grade of job they should be employed in. This will show to others that they haven’t received the job based on nepotism, but their pre-defined level of skill and experience. It also provides friend and family members with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and as to why they may deserve a promotion in the future.

![DEALING WITH NEPOTISM IN THE WORKPLACE](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/2t4YP3wHKtNqNH7jdZAkqy/cdf9484d2104edb6942b33bf14e1fbf3/DEALING_WITH_NEPOTISM_IN_THE_WORKPLACE.png)


Want to read more? Check out our other [blogs](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog)! Interested in this topic? Maybe you’ll like [What makes a Good Team?](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/what-makes-a-good-team)

How can employees and employers alike deal with nepotism in the workplace? At first glance it may be an inevitability, but there are things which can be done to negate the drawbacks of nepotism.

How can you deal with nepotism in the workplace affecting your career?

How to deal with Nepotism

If there are clear signs of nepotism, make your strategy for dealing with it clearly documented and easy for employees and managers to work with. We have a few advisable strategies for you.

How to Deal with Nepotism in the Workplace

__It may seem like a bit of a Schrodinger’s cat situation: how can you observe your employee engagement while not disturbing it? Unfortunately we can't simply ask everyone, “Are you engaged?” but we can use a bit of the scientific method to develop engagement surveys that produce meaningful, actionable data. First we have to define what we really mean by “employee engagement” and why you should be concerned with measuring it.__

## What is employee engagement?

[Gallup](https://www.gallup.com/workplace/236570/employees-lot-managers.aspx), who has studied employee behaviour and engagement for over 35 years, defines an engaged employee as someone who is “involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work and workplace.” To take this idea further, [Mike Rickheim](https://hbr.org/resources/pdfs/comm/achievers/hbr_achievers_report_sep13.pdf) of Newell Rubermaid reminds us that engagement is "more than just a warm, fuzzy thing. It’s about giving people the tools they need to succeed in their careers, which in turn drives the outcomes that we’re seeking in the marketplace.”

Having a workforce of engaged employees can make a real impact on business performance. We might naturally expect that engaged employees are more likely to stay with their organization and recommend the company to others, but Gallup also found that [companies with engaged employees outperform their competition in earning per share by 147%](http://www.gallup.com/services/190118/engaged-workplace.aspx). Sadly they also found that on average [only about 15% of workers worldwide are engaged](https://www.gallup.com/workplace/229424/employee-engagement.aspx?g_source=link_wwwv9&g_campaign=item_236570&g_medium=copy).

One more thing to keep in mind as you design a process and survey to measure employee engagement: [70% of the variance in how engaged employees are can be tied back to their managers](https://news.gallup.com/businessjournal/167975/why-great-managers-rare.aspx?g_source=link_wwwv9&g_campaign=item_236570&g_medium=copy). Regardless of what organizational efforts you put forth, it’s reasonable to assume that the way an employee sees their direct manager is a large part of how they feel about the whole company.

Now that we understand what employment engagement looks like and why its worth the effort to measure it and tie it to company performance, we can get down to brass tacks. Here’s some tips and advice to nail your engagement survey.

### Anonymous and they know it

It’s generally advisable to make the survey anonymous, but don’t forget to stress that fact with participants. If you’re using a vendor to run the survey (bonus points if they support [fully customisable and automated surveys](https://www.peoplegoal.com/engage#engagement-surveys)) you can reinforce that fact with employees before they begin. They'll feel comfortable knowing they can be totally honest and not singled out based on the results.

### Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

Just as you are likely eager to know the results of the results of your engagement survey, so is everyone else! It won't be possible to address every concern that is raised from your survey, but the first step is to acknowledge the issue. If the problem can’t be solved right away, it will be an easier pill to swallow if employees understand why and know that they are being heard. [Find more in-depth information about communicating results here](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/boost-your-employee-engagement-survey-communications).

### Make employees the customers

Customer experience or employee experience? NPS or eNPS? The real question is “why not both?” If you’re already set up to monitor how your customers feel about your company then you’re already at an advantage to bring those insights internally. Think of employees just like customers: more than just revenue or talent but a potential brand ambassador who willingly buys in to and promotes your brand.

### Keep it short

[Responses to surveys](https://doi.org/10.2501/IJMR-2017-039) trail off the longer they are, and to get a true pulse of engagement you’ll want to get as many responses as you can. Aim for the 10 minute/20 question range for online surveys and let your participants know up front what to expect so they can plan to complete it when they are comfortable and have time to reflect.

### Be inclusive

While there are certain cases for targeted surveys, at least one of your initiatives should include all employees. This isn’t just a suggestion to get your numbers up; it’s also a push to get representative data. Each employee experience is valuable and can give insights to larger, underlying concerns.

### Timing

There is no magic formula here, but the timing and quantity of your surveys is an important element. Think about the average turnover, your performance review process and other large milestones your employees are working towards throughout the year. Shorter pulse surveys can be sent more regularly, while your longer, comprehensive survey to all employee might be better timed every 6 months or so.

### Reverse engineer it

All the definitions of employee engagement can only go so far - your definition will be different because engagement is tied to your purpose. Start by thinking of what your organization does and how that's accomplished, then create a persona of what an engaged employee would look like in a perfect state. What real-world obstacles might be standing in the way of employees reaching their full potential? You don’t have to ask leading questions, but this strategy can help you include topics that you might not otherwise have thought of.

### Think cause and also effect

The highest performer in your company is not necessarily the most engaged. The team that needs the most improvement might not be the most likely to leave. Take the time to consider, and ask about, extenuating circumstances that make particular roles more difficult than others.

### Frame and phrase

While the long game might be to increase productivity, customer happiness and the like - don’t forget the immediate payoff: to have a genuine sense of how employees feel and what you can do to make them successful. Posit the survey and questions in such a way that it’s clear the interest of employees is considered and their feedback is appreciated. Basically, don’t be like [Dilbert’s boss](https://dilbert.com/strip/2009-11-25).

### Ask for feedback

You don’t necessarily need to make a survey to get feedback on the questions and the process. As you refine the timing and delivery of the survey, it's also good to update the questions based on what’s most relevant and which topics are generated the most responses.


Ready to look inside the box? We're here to help. [Schedule a demo with PeopleGoal](https://www.peoplegoal.com/book-a-demo) this week to find how you can get a free survey to use with your company.

Tips and advice to nail your next engagement survey.

Unfortunately we can't simply ask everyone, “Are you engaged?” but we can use a bit of the scientific method to develop engagement surveys that produce meaningful, actionable data.

Nail your Employee Engagement Survey Questions

Engagement surveys done right

Engagement Surveys Done Right

__Whether you like it or not, [onboarding does matter](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/employee-onboarding-process-why-it-matters). It definitely matters to your new employees and it should matter to you. You don't want to lose a potentially great employee because their first impression of your company was poor or they didn't get the guidance and support they needed to understand their role and settle in in your company. If you aim to retain your best talent and create engaged employees you need to provide them with a satisfactory employee experience.__

It's been proved that an effective onboarding process is a must-have: one that will enable new employees to understand their new role and to learn how to do their job well. [Research shows](https://www.urbanbound.com/blog/onboarding-infographic-statistics) that employees who enjoy a longer onboarding experience gain proficiency 34% faster than employees who have been through shorter onboarding processes.

Sadly, onboarding is still not given enough focus by the majority of companies. We often miss the importance of details and the small things we deal with on a day-to-day basis. But try to think back to when you first started your job! The best way to get on top of a new job quickly is to understand the organizational structure of the company, and to do so someone needs to show you. With that in mind we have a handy list of the key steps to developing a successful onboarding strategy.

## 1. Before the first day

### Send new hire documents online

Send all the necessary documents prior to the first day. Take the pressure off of your back and give your new hire time to collect all the required information. The documents sent before the first day should include a personal welcome letter from the CEO or the manager, the contract, and an overview of the company values and its mission.

### Map out the first week

Having an agenda for the first week will allow you to think through the essential meetings, training and activities for your new hire to enable them to successfully start off their new job. Even if things do change a little bit, an agenda will make the process smoother and reduce the stress levels of your new employee by letting them know what is ahead of them.

### Set up the desk, tech and software

It leaves a bad first impression if a new hire shows up and there is no desk, no laptop, and very little infrastructure ready to support them. It will make your new joiner feel excluded from the company from the very start, and what effect is that going to have on their motivation? 

### Get the team onboard and ready for the new hire

Make sure the wider team is aware of the new person joining them. Let them know the new hire's job role, their background, their key responsibilities and who are they reporting to. 

### Schedule ahead

Scheduling regular check-ins before the new hire joins will allow you to stay on top of the process. Regular check-ins are essential at the start of a new job to provide support to the new employee and to assure their progress. It's also a great way for you to get feedback on the all-important first impression you're making.

## 2. On the first day

### Take an office tour

Show the new hire around and introduce them to their new colleagues. You might also want to discuss the usual lunch arrangements and other unwritten rules of the company to make settling in easier for them.

### Discuss the first week's schedule

Devote some time to go through the agenda of the week with the new hire. See if they are clear on it and whether they have any questions. A tricky part about onboarding is that it all seems straightforward and easy to you now, but try to remember what it was like when you joined the company. The little things that you consider so natural now are what makes the difference to the experience of the employee.

### Assign a mentor

Having a mentor is considered [one of the most effective tactics](https://hbr.org/2019/06/every-new-employee-needs-an-onboarding-buddy) to develop a successful onboarding process. It's beneficial to both parties and encourages conversations and developing relationships in the organization that support a strong company culture.

## 3. In the first week

### Walk them through important procedures and standards

As mentioned before; just because you take all the procedures and standards as clear and straightforward doesn't mean your new employee will too. They don't have to deal with them on a daily basis as you do, but if you explain them well they are likely to follow them to your standard. 

### Introduce the company culture

Company culture can be tricky to explain. It's worth taking the time to discuss the unwritten rules, common events and activities in as well as outside of the office. Introducing a company culture to your new employees will help them to integrate quicker and catch up with the pace of your organization.

### Offer training

Often after a new hire joins a company they are left to their own efforts to learn the job and find their way around. And yes, promoting independence is important, but do not let your new employees reinvent the wheel. Show them everything you already know so they can outsmart you on how to do it better. Provide the new employees with all necessary training - the time is going to be worth it.

## 4. After the first month

### Encourage open communication

Communication is key. Ensuring your new employee feels comfortable talking to you and asking questions can make their entire onboarding journey much faster. It's essential to make sure they do feel encouraged to ask questions and to speak up if anything needs more explanation. 

### Give feedback

After the first month you might feel like your new employee has integrated just fine, or they might need few more weeks to find their feet. The important thing is to let them know how they are doing. [Providing ongoing feedback is key](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/6-principles-of-constructive-feedback) for professional and personal development of your employees. If feedback is given in an open and honest way, they will undoubtedly appreciate your words  - good and bad. Just remember to be encouraging and to provide them with any support they might need. 

### Offer support

Yes, support is important - more then you might think. Whether it is through feedback, training or personal and professional advice, make sure your new hires know where to go to get it. 

## 5. After the first 90 days

### Encourage independence

It is fundamental to provide your new joiners with support and guidance but it is equally as important to avoid micromanagement. Make sure your employees feel empowered and able to show their own initiative to improve the performance of your company.

### Build a career path

Humans are maximizing machines built to always strive for the next challenge. If you want to retain your best talent and grow your organization you need to provide your employees with space for development and a clear career path. Otherwise, they will go and look for it somewhere else.

### The first performance review

[Performance reviews](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/how-to-get-most-out-of-your-performance-reviews-an-employees-perspective) provide space for an employee and their supervisor to give praise and discuss improvement. With the shift towards ongoing performance management, a first "mini review" should happen within the first 90 days. Discuss the level of proficiency they've gained, what's gone well and where improvements need to be shown. 


These are the 5 essential steps for an effective employee onboarding process. They might sound like a lot of work but investing the time in oboarding a new hire will pay off in the long run. While these are the key moments in an employee's experience, you should ensure they get the required support even after their first 3 months with your organization.

![Untitled design (3)](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/7zkfstZqFGwcT7ww5ZOmFk/0e4e1f359daa61bbd0ecae0e8bbe4519/Untitled_design__3_.png)

The best way to get on top of a new job quickly is to understand the organizational structure of the company, and to do so someone needs to show you. We have a handy list of the key steps to developing a successful onboarding strategy.

Whether you like it or not, the employee onboarding process does matter. Getting onboarding right will help you to retain your best talent and create an engaged employee ambassador for your company.

Employee Onboarding Process Steps

PeopleGoal 5 key employee onboarding process steps to master

5 Key employee onboarding process steps to master

5 Key Employee Onboarding Process Steps to Master

You’ve found the ideal new candidate for an open position in your company. You’ve sent them an offer. They gladly accept. You both jump for joy and give each other a victorious virtual high five.

**But what next?**
Onboarding, that's what's next, and hopefully after reading this post you’ll be very good at it. "But what is onboarding?" I hear you mutter under your breath. Do not fear my job-providing employment hero, for I shall dispel the knowledge I have garnered from endless days spent researching.

## What is onboarding?
Onboarding is the means through which new employees are introduced to an organization's culture, values and resources. The process itself can vary depending on the job in hand, your organizational needs and the degree of relevant knowledge the new employee needs to learn. However, it must be stressed that you should avoid at all costs making the onboarding a singular event. There is more to a job than filling out a couple of forms and being given a desk.

In reality, there is no standard onboarding process; it varies across industries and changes from company to company. Let's look at Box.net, a cloud computing provider who [hires new talent for their potential rather than for a position](https://www.inc.com/winning-workplaces/articles/201105/employee-onboarding-done-better.html). They give their new employees three months to learn about the company and integrate into the culture, then they let them choose which department they would like to join. Or an even more outlandish onboarding touchpoint is Zappos' [offer of $2,000 to new employees to quit](https://hbr.org/2008/05/why-zappos-pays-new-employees). Regardless of which method you choose for onboarding, it’s the companies that invest in an onboarding structure which enables new hires to connect with colleagues, learn the company culture, have access to appropriate resources, and understand their role, that [have greater overall employee engagement and retention](https://b2b-assets.glassdoor.com/the-true-cost-of-a-bad-hire.pdf).

## Why is onboarding so important?

Apart from the application process, onboarding is the first taste of the company and role the new employee has. Hw the business operates, who works within the office, and the knowledge of how to fulfil their role within the organization will be a few details of vital importance to a new hire. If you don’t make a good impression, you could be saying ‘au revior’ to talent before you can say the word ‘onboarding’, as expressed by [The Wynhurst Group](http://thewynhurstgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Help-New-Hires-Succeed.pdf) with __“22% of staff turnover occuring within the first forty-five days of employment”__.

However, if you can assert a winning onboarding process, you could be looking at a whole wealth of benefits such as; developing well-adjusted new employees, reduced time to productivity, greater employee engagement, greater job satisfaction, higher performance, loyalty, lower stress and not to mention greater retention rates, as [new employees who partake in a structured onboarding process are 58% more likely to be with the same organization after three years](http://thewynhurstgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Help-New-Hires-Succeed.pdf). For more information on this check out our blog dedicated to the question of [why employee onboarding matters](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/employee-onboarding-process-why-it-matters). Here are some tips on how to set up your very own talent-winning, benefit-giving and team-building onboarding process.

## Keep in contact

When you’ve had someone accept an offer to start working with you, if there is x amount of time in between them accepting the role and starting the role, it’s crucial you keep in contact. Not only will they be anxious about starting, they may also be given other offers within that time, and if there has been no contact since the acceptance, little personal connection has been built which could be the first weak point of your onboarding process. So keep in touch, let them know you are looking forward to having them join you. If you need email ideas, look no further:

- Company news
- Brief outline of their first week
- Any work/reading they may want to complete before starting
- A quick and easy task to keep them engaged
- A list of company social events coming up
- Or just ask them what they are up to

## Preparation for the first day

There are a couple of things you may want to consider before the big day comes. First and foremost get the essentials sent out such as dress code, who to ask for at reception and where to park. Depending on how organized you are and how much foresight you have as an organisation, you should aim to have an itinerary ready. This could be as long/short or detailed/blank as you like, but the more information the better in my experience. You could include weekly goals, monthly goals, learning tasks, social events, and training implementation as well as of course company orientation.

Another great document you could gift is a small booklet on the organization with key information such as brand guidelines, history, office perks, job requirements, team roles, contact information, and a map of the local area. You could even take it a step further and bake a cake to welcome the new employee.

## The three meals of day 1

After you have hidden your voodoo dolls and run to Tesco to buy the cake you forgot to bake, make sure your new hire's desk is all set up and ready with any devices/stationery that may come in handy, alongside the itinerary and information booklet. Once the new hire has settled into their desk, fiddled with the desk chair they are going to end up despising, and said a couple of awkward hello’s to their new colleagues, it’s time to introduce them to the three meals of the day;

__Breakfast__
Have a founder or one of the senior members of the team take them out to breakfast. This will be a great opportunity to go over the company history, its values, purpose and direction over some grub. It also offers an opportunity for the senior member to dispense all their career wisdom and to answer any questions about the future of the organization - crucial to boosting employee engagement early on.

__Lunch__
Take lunch as an opportunity for the team to get to know the new employee and vice versa in an informal setting. After all, you'll be spending a lot of time together in close confines. Open up the conversation of how they spend free time, play some awkward ice breaking games, show your individuality, show there is more to the team than their roles.

__Dinner__
Don’t take them out to dinner. Give them a break. They’ve spent all day being bombarded with information; now they can celebrate their first day with a takeaway and reflect in peace on their bright future with their new company.

Of course, in between these key meals there are other aspects which you may want to consider and put in place for the rest of the onboarding process.

## Onboarding beyond day 1

__Buddy system__

It can be tough introducing your new hire to each and every member of the office, especially if you have multiple departments spread around a building. So if possible organise a buddy in each of the departments, and get the new starter to spend time in each doing specific tasks as part of their onboarding and itinerary. This will allow them to get to know more people and engage with different areas of the business.

__Give them some downtime__

At some point during the day, they’ll need some time out to soak in the information and see if they can come up with any questions they need or poor jokes they can tell to buddy up with the senior members. This is a good opportunity to get them to fill out any forms or read company policies, procedures etc. That brings me onto the onboarding documents.

__Onboarding documents__

As you may well already know, the hiring and onboarding process comes with a lot of paperwork, and this will continue to grow throughout one's employment period. As an employer, it is your responsibility to keep employee records up to date and safe. Therefore make sure you have all necessary papers signed and stored away in a safe location - whether this is digitized or not is up to you but if you can, you should…

__Facilitate technology__

If you can digitize your onboarding process, do it. It will not only improve the experience for your employees, it will make the processes in your organization more efficient. Furthermore, it will allow for an ease of communication for the new starter to ask questions throughout the organization without interrupting others. So make sure you have training organized for any software you use as a company.

__Follow up__

Make sure you follow up, whether it be weekly or monthly. Keep the new employee engaged beyond the first day and don’t ever stop. Nurture them, guide them, check in on them, ask them questions, test them, push them. Keeping them connected to the organization helps keep them engaged and well organized.

__Finally...__

Once you have created a system that works for you, keep it consistent. Use the same process for all new employees so as to make any results measurable. Lastly, think of onboarding as a relationship - it’s a two way system. Although you are educating and evaluating your new hire’s potential, on the flip side, they are deciding whether or not they made the right choice by joining your organization. Therefore, it’s vital that you make them feel welcome, appreciated, and engaged during the onboarding process.

Thinking of upgrading your onboarding process but don’t know where to start? [Download our whitepaper](https://www.peoplegoal.com/resources/whitepapers/modernising-performance-management-process) to guide you through implementing change in your organization.

The onboarding process itself can vary depending on your organizational needs and the knowledge the new employee needs to learn. You should avoid at all costs making the onboarding a singular event.

Create an employee onboarding process

PeopleGoal blog - set up an employee onboarding process

How to set up an employee onboarding process

How to Set Up an Employee Onboarding Process

__It’s been said that first impressions last a lifetime. While this phrase may be used most frequently in reference to personal relationships the sentiment rings true for businesses as well. Depending on your industry, the interaction you have with the general public may vary and customer relationship management is a whole science in itself. But regardless of industry, company size or customer base, there is a first impression that you have a large amount of control over - potential candidates and new hires.__

The best and brightest will likely have done some research on your organization, whether in preparation for an interview or in evaluating your offer. But when interacting with you for the first time, whether for an interview or for their first day of work, they are still in an impressionable stage - briefly. So how can you take advantage of this phenomenon to attract and retain engaged employees?

## Job Candidates and the Interview

In an increasingly competitive talent market, candidates are evaluating you as you evaluate them.

**Make it streamlined** - There’s usually a fair amount of coordination required in setting up an interview and anything to make it simpler will always be appreciated. Services like [Calendly](https://calendly.com) can help you easily schedule a perfect time. Be sure to provide clear directions and any other logistical information as appropriate.

**Give it structure** - There are many formats to interviews. While you want to elicit genuine responses, too many surprises can lead to frustration. Letting candidates know the basic structure and schedule, ahead of time if at all possible, can help an interviewee feel comfortable but still gives you flexibility to throw in your favourite curveball question.

**Be Prepared** - Just like an interviewee should have done some research on your organization, you’ll want to know a little more about them from publicly available information. But beyond the background check, be prepared for the tough questions turned back in the other direction - “Why do you like working here?” and “What’s your least favourite part about this position?”

**Set the tone** - Does your interview style match your business philosophy? There are definitely times to be more formal and others to be informal, but the interview will be one of the first glimpses a candidate has into what people are like in your organization.

**Keep them informed** - Especially in longer interview processes, letting the candidate know where they are in the timeline can be the difference between getting the best fit and losing them to another offer. You can make use of an applicant tracking system to send automated reminders and rejections, but don’t forget to add a personal touch every once in a while.

## New hires and the employee onboarding process

While they may not be your direct report, encouraging a culture of support from Day 1 can convert an employee into an advocate.

**Let them know what they will be doing day 1** - The first day can set the tone for an entire career. And while there may be a limit to how much you control the chaos, the best thing you can do is set expectations. Lay out the quick wins that will be get them up and running and performing right out of the gate. A schedule and checklists are great, but find a way to communicate what’s most important and to remind them they are here because they are a good fit, even if there is an adjustment period short term.

**Don’t just onboard; get them on board** - Even in fast-paced environments it’s unlikely a new hire is going to be 100% productive the during the first day or week. But if you can get them to buy in to your core values and culture from the beginning, you’ll likely get even higher performance down the road. That means you have to present and reinforce your culture from the start. It’s even better if you can show it in practice - lead by example!

**Let them know what they will be doing long term**- While work expectations differ, you can define the basic outline of a role progression to give an idea of how expectations will evolve. What should this person being accomplishing in their first month? First quarter? First year? Even if you’re still working on your role definition, this is a good opportunity to start helping them set goals that set them up for success. Check out our [guide for you to learn how to set SMART goals](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/a-guide-to-smart-goals).

**Make it personal** - We all want to feel valued and even if you have hundreds of employees starting on the same day, it’s possible to add personal touches that show they aren’t just a number. A personal tour, a nice letter from a manager, or scheduling a coffee break before the big day begins are just a few ideas. How would your perfect first day go?

**Start the feedback loop early** - It’s hard to manage employee expectations if you don’t know what they are. Ask for feedback right away about what went well in the interview and in the onboarding process. This will help to cultivate a culture of continuous feedback and prove to them that their opinions are heard and appreciated, even early on.

## Offboarding and the Exit Interview

Finally, although we’ve spent a good deal of time discussing the first impression, a last impression is also something that deserves consideration. Exit interviews can be difficult conversations but often provide deep insights into what went well and what can be improved. Of all of the offboarding activities - access control, returning property, signing paperwork - a 15 minute conversation may give you the most honest and unbiased feedback you could ask for. Although you can only do so much to retain employees, someone who believes in your brand can be an ambassador for life. Glassdoor has a great list of [the most important questions to include in your exit survey](https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/employers/blog/7-must-ask-exit-interview-questions/).

Ready to learn more about how you can manage an employee lifecycle from onboarding to the exit interview? Get in touch [here](https://www.peoplegoal.com/request-a-consultation) for a free consultation or demonstration on how PeopleGoal can improve your employee experience.

When interacting with you for the first time, whether for an interview or for their first day of work, new hires are still in an impressionable stage - briefly. So how can you take advantage of this to attract and retain engaged employees?

There is a first impression that you have a large amount of control over - potential candidates and new hires.

Lessons for Employee Onboarding and Offboarding

The Lasting Power of Impressions -  there is a first impression that you have a large amount of control over - potential candidates and new hires.

PeopleGoal Lessons for Employee Onboarding and Offboarding

The Lasting Power of Impressions: Lessons for employee onboarding and offboarding

__You’ve found the perfect candidate, brought them on-board, completed all the required documentation, monitored their progress and approved their reviews. Now you’re scheduling another meeting with them - the exit interview. You might start to take it personally, but what more can the Human Resources department do?__

Adding to the growing list of responsibilities of the HR department is maybe one of the most important - cultivating company culture. While culture is dynamic and different at each organization, it’s worth considering the role you play in this important aspect of company wellbeing.

## The importance of company culture

To understand the importance of company culture consider Millennials, who are expected to make up half of the working population within the next year. On average they are willing to take a $7,600 pay cut per year in order to gain an improved [quality of work life](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160407005736/en/Quality-Work-Life-Worth-7600-Pay-Cut). And with the desire for flexible benefits and room for advancement that we might expect to define a quality work life, there’s an additional element they find important - a positive company culture.

It’s not just millennial who are concerned. 91% of the 1,200 senior executives agreed in [Bain & Company’s latest worldwide survey](http://www.bain.com/bainweb/home.asp) that “culture is as important as strategy for business success”. Culture continues to be a top concern cited in [Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends](https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/insights/us/articles/5136_HC-Trends-2019/DI_HC-Trends-2019.pdf) as [studies](https://www.spencerstuart.com/~/media/pdf%20files/research%20and%20insight%20pdfs/the-leaders-guide-to-corporate-culture.pdf) show that a positive, strong culture influences both employee and company performance and is closely linked with employee engagement, motivation and customer orientation. So what is company culture and how can you influence it?

## What is company culture?

We can think of culture as the personality of a company; it’s a unique amalgam of written and unwritten rules, beliefs, feelings and behaviours that define how you interact within and outside of your organization. As Peter Ashworth says, "Your culture is the formula, the DNA that provides guidelines, boundaries and expectations for your team and your customers, and is the primary platform to inspiring and motivating your people, and is the most powerful resource you have to attract, recruit, hire and retain the highest level of talent to your [business](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-company-culture-so-important-business-success-peter-ashworth/)”. Or to put it simply, it’s how you would describe to someone “the way you do things here”.

## How to create a strong company culture

A strong and positive culture starts and ends with leadership; just as the C-Suite defines the vision and core values or an organization, culture starts at the top and is enforced by leaders at all levels. As a key operational player, this presents the HR department an excellent opportunity to influence strategy upwards and help disseminate culture across the company. Interacting with employees at key points like onboarding, performance reviews, and exit interviews provides real insight into the employee experience. Insights from these touchpoints can be invaluable to leadership and can bridge the gap between the CEO and the newest hire.

Influencing something so intangible may seem daunting, but it is very achievable. The first step is understanding the culture, both in theory and in practice. You don’t have to sign up for an episode of [Undercover Boss](https://www.channel4.com/programmes/undercover-boss) to do it - you can observe and experience it through your interactions with others. In fact, this is possibly the best way to approach culture because it is a cumulative experience, not a single, derivative occurrence. From there you can begin to see if there are areas for improvement. Whether you have a good idea of your company culture or are just starting to develop one, here are some thought exercises to think critically about your culture:

### What are your core values?

Since these are more likely codified and well established, you can begin by looking at how they are applied. Do the same standards for customer satisfaction apply for employees? Do the values make sense for everyone or just a select few? Advocating and being an example of your values can help lead to a cultural alignment.

### Consider your first impression

Think from the perspective of someone who is interacting with your company for the first time. Whether it’s a customer, a vendor or a potential job seeker, they will quickly form an opinion of who you are and of course the more positive it is, the better.

### What does communication look like?

While it’s all well and good to set an “open-door” policy, how well does it actually work? Do employees feel comfortable reaching out for advice and feedback? Do conversations on difficult topics quickly become heated? How we communicate with our subordinates and direct reports can be an indication of larger organizational dynamics.

### Who gives feedback?

We might all handle feedback differently, but feedback done correctly is both timely and constructive. When it’s done poorly it becomes a dread and a negative motivator - something employees fear to get passed down from their managers. Do you have a system in place for everyone to give feedback and understand what they are doing well and can improve on?

### Do employees really have a voice?

The more people in your organization, the more difficult it may become for employees to feel they have a voice. Even when they have the opportunity to voice their opinions - in meetings, in person, or via surveys - having a voice means more than just expressing opinions. Acknowledgement and action are also important. Even if there is no actionable element, an explanation goes a long way.

### Think beyond employee performance

Performance management is just the first step in understanding how employees are doing. Industry leaders are beginning to think in terms of employee experience - a holistic view of how environmental factors impact the performance and wellbeing of an employee. Of course, there is a limit to how much can be controlled for, but employee experience platforms, like PeopleGoal, can give you an edge in considering the whole picture of an employee journey.

![6 KEY STEPS TO CREATING A STRONG COMPANY CULTURE](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/1mUN9Cn5mkPRt5nbLZ2BjC/dd6571d177cd4a368a0265524611cb5b/6_KEY_STEPS_TO_CREATING_A_STRONG_COMPANY_CULTURE.png)

So what is your company culture and does it need a make-over? Changing culture can be a long and difficult process (and a topic for another blog post), but it truly can make a difference in your organisational performance. As Peter Drucker is credited as saying: “[Culture](https://quoteinvestigator.com/2017/05/23/culture-eats/#note-16119-9) eats strategy for breakfast”.

Establishing a company culture is a key aspect of creating positive employee experience in an organization. What are the steps HR departments should consider to develop a strong sense of a company culture?

Company Culture and Human Resources

company culture and HR departments

Why company culture matters and what HR departments can do to establish strong culture in an organization

“*A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play; his labor and his leisure; his mind and his body; his education and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing, and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing. To himself, he always appears to be doing both*”
> -- L.P. Jacks

__Patagonia is famous for its left-field business practices - like telling its customers never to buy another jacket, or offering free repairs on their products, or campaigning against trade deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership that would improve the company's bottom line. It will come as no surprise that Patagonia’s ethical approach to retail practices is also mirrored in its operational practices. Revolutionary systems are implemented throughout the organization in order to benefit not only the customers but more importantly, the employee experience.__

According to Patagonia’s Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) Dean Carter, the organization is “a cause, disguised as a company”. On top of its role as a retailer of outdoor clothing and gear it contributes to worldwide efforts to improve Earth's environment through a multitude of methods like donating 100% of Trump's tax cut to fight climate change, or giving each of their employees 60 days a year (paid) to take an internship at an environmental activist group. Such an offer would be considered a financial loss to most corporations, however Patagonia takes pride in doing things differently.

It can be argued that Yvon Chouinard's business model is like nothing that has come before, and its uniqueness may only be possible because Patagonia is not publicly traded. For these reasons it deserves close attention. Not only is the company said to have booked $1 billion in revenue last year -- and is contributing 1 percent of its annual net revenue to non-profit charitable organisations that promote environmental conservation and sustainability -- its staff turnover rate is only 4 percent. The retail and consumer product sector average is more than triple that at 13 percent. So how do they go about optimizing their employee experience?

## Patagonia's Hiring Process

When it comes to hiring, Patagonia strives to employ as many true Patagonia customers as possible. Both in the sense of consumption, but more importantly in hiring people who fit the company culture and subscribe to its mission statement: “Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis” and to its values of transparency, collaboration and improvement.

Patagonia's team tries to hire from within as much as possible. When they don’t hire internally they prefer to seek out people through an informal network of friends, colleagues and business associates.

They value diversity of all kinds. They don’t want someone who can just do a job, they want the best person for the job. They argue that this creates an environment that boosts flexibility of thought and openness to new ways of doing things. They take risks. They think outside of the box when it comes to hiring, and firmly believe that “finding a dyed in the wool business person to take up climbing or river running is a lot more difficult than teaching a person with a ready passion for the outdoors how to do a job”.

They can afford to hire slowly due to the high number of applicants. They have prospective candidates interview with potential colleagues as well as their bosses. They train as if their future depended on it.

## Employee Benefits

- "Let my People go Surfing Flex-time Policy": The growing trend of working flexible hours is nothing new to Patagonia. From its very beginning as a blacksmith shop, they would shut the shop in order to catch a good swell (which cannot be planned ahead) so long as the work was caught up the next day. This ethos remains today to allow everyone to pursue a hobby, further education, etc.
- Comprehensive health insurance, even to part-time employees.
- On-site childcare.
- Patagonia Child Development Centre in Ventura HQ.
- 16 weeks of paid maternity leave, as well as 12 weeks' fully paid paternity leave.
- Healthy organic food cafeterias and showers on site.
- Discounts on employee purchases.
- 60 day paid internship with an environmental activist group.
- Free yoga.
- Employees arrested during peaceful protests will have their bail paid for.

![VictoryinPatagonia (1)](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/1tBNGrPq8J9ZZMOx6ZvLI5/f43d4ac0524f24567d1d772d334ea541/VictoryinPatagonia__1_.png)

## Patagonia's Management Philosophy

- Patagonia has open plan offices with no employee having their own private office. This allows for managers to be easily approached by their employees and promotes better communication and an egalitarian atmosphere.
- The best parking spots don’t go to those in managerial positions; they are given to the most fuel efficient cars.
- They have a self-regulatory work system built on trust, which of course is totally feasible when looking at their rigorous hiring process.
- They also restrict the number of employees in one location to 100 in order to avoid bureaucracy and to retain an optimum level of communication.
- They avoid implementing a top-down system and try instead to instill trust in one another to do their jobs.
- They openly invite change as essential to surviving as a business. As Chouinard states, “While values should never change, every organization, business, government, or religion must be adaptive and resilient and constantly embrace new ideas and methods of operation.”

*All Lists Taken from Yvon Chouinard's book: [Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman](https://www.amazon.com/Let-People-Surfing-Education-Businessman/dp/0143037838 "Let My People Go Surfing - Yvon Chouinard").*


This is just a glimpse into the working dynamics of a company that appears on no shortage of “Best Employer” lists. The current CEO of Patagonia, Rose Marcario, admits that as a privately held company it has greater freedom to be bold in its actions. Even so, she says that if she and Patagonia succeed in doing whatever they can to try to save the planet, they will "make it hard and uncomfortable for other businesses not to follow our lead." So how are you going to follow their lead?

![heeckeren j 0001 (1)](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/1pl7irFz9sQwcEi4ZuVBaK/d181f63db781f644838ea6e346ff9137/heeckeren_j_0001__1_.jpg)

Patagonia has not only a unique business model but also a specific management philosophy and approach to hiring process and employee benefits. These revolutionary systems benefit not only their customers but more importantly the employee experience.

HR lessons from Patagonia

HR lessons from Patagonia sea

It will come to no surprise that Patagonia’s ethical approach to retail practices is also mirrored in its operational practices with revolutionary systems being implemented throughout the organization.

HR Lessons from: Patagonia

Onboarding has a long-term positive effect on employee engagement, performance and talent retention. It plays a fundamental role in an employee’s experience at an organization.

## What is an employee onboarding process?

According to [HR Zone](https://www.hrzone.com/hr-glossary/what-is-onboarding) onboarding is "a process by which new hires are emotionally, physically and professionally integrated into the established culture and operations of their new employer".

A common misconception is that the employee onboarding process starts on the first day of a new hire. The truth is that it's essential for businesses to start onboarding __before__ their new employee joins the company in order to minimize the ramp-up time and prevent negative productivity from day one. The onboarding process should start when the job offer is accepted by an applicant and should be approached as a continuous process during the first few months of their employment.

## Why does the onboarding process matter?

Acquiring the best talent and ensuring employee retention is becoming increasingly difficult. Companies need to provide a positive employee experience from the very beginning of an employee's journey. Recent statistics show that almost 33% of new hires looked for a new job during the first 6 months of their employment, and the numbers are higher among millenials. Moreover, [one third of new hires had a negative experience](https://www.hrreview.co.uk/hr-news/mobility-news/third-new-starters-admitted-bad-employee-onboarding-experiences/105970) during their onboarding period, while one fifth changed their mind about accepting the role. Those companies that excel at onboarding are more likely to develop engaged employees and can [improve talent retention by as much as 82%](https://b2b-assets.glassdoor.com/the-true-cost-of-a-bad-hire.pdf), consequently enjoying [2.5x revenue growth](http://image-src.bcg.com/Images/BCG_From_Capability_to_Profitability_Jul_2012_tcm9-103684.pdf).

With this in mind, it does not come as a surprise that business leaders and HR teams are progressively recognizing the importance of developing effective onboarding strategies and improving employee experience. Yet in a world where HR departments and managers are becoming more and more busy, onboarding new employees is still overlooked by many companies. In fact, [24% of employers have no onboarding process in place](https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/talent-acquisition/pages/employers-new-hires-poor-onboarding.aspx) and only 12% of employees feel their company does a good job with onboarding. So what can you do to improve the onboarding process in your organization?

## How to develop an effective employee onboarding strategy

The main objective of onboarding is to provide a new hire with the tools and support to successfully integrate into your company culture. To do so, it's important to provide enough time for a new employee to familiarize themselves with the vision and the values of your organization, and to understand their responsibilities and the day to day tasks of their new job. Understanding the unwritten rules of your organization and developing a social network among their colleagues is just as important to make your new starter feel included and part of the team.

Luckily there are common tactics and strategies to create an engaging onboarding strategy.

### Facilitate technology

Digitizing the onboarding process will not only improve the experience for your employees, it will make the processes in your organization more efficient. Plenty of software available today will enable you to digitally send all necessary paperwork to the new hire prior to their start. You can also share materials (such as booklets and videos) that will allow them to get to know the company culture and values. Crucially, you should provide new hires with information regarding the schedule of their first day: who to ask for at reception, where to park and what the dress code is. These might seem like small superficial things but they can have a significant positive influence on your new starter’s experience.

Furthermore, you should ensure that all the necessary equipment is ready for the new employee and that their manager is prepared before their start date. Once this is settled you can provide your new talent with a set of onboarding tasks to be done on their first day. You should also set check-in deadlines for the new starter throughout their onboarding period. Make sure you're setting time to ask for feedback and encouraging open dialogue. Moreover, [these platforms can help the managers and HR teams to assess whether the new hire is hitting the necessary targets](https://hbr.org/2015/03/technology-can-save-onboarding-from-itself), especially in the case of teams that operate remotely.

### Ensure consistent process and conversations

It has been proven that scheduling 1-to-1 meetings with the new hire’s manager during their first week is beneficial for integrating the employee. Best practice is also to set regular onboarding check-ins once a month for the new hire’s first 6 months. This can positively influence the productivity of the employee and shorten their ramp-up time.

Common key moments in the onboarding process to schedule check-ins include;

- The period between accepting the job offer and starting a new job
- Orientation period (usually the first day or first week of employment)
- After the first 90 days
- After the first 6 months
- After the first year

### Appoint a peer buddy

As stated in the [Harvard Business Review](https://hbr.org/2019/06/every-new-employee-needs-an-onboarding-buddy) a new hire needs to be given context to understand their role and how to contribute to their team’s success. Onboarding buddies or mentors are considered one of the most valuable ways to manage this. Onboarding buddies can help a new joiner to understand the hierarchy in the organization and how to navigate between different systems, think strategically, and how to approach problem solving in the company. Having a buddy can also help to develop social connections, understand the company culture and successfully integrate into the team (especially if the buddy and the new hire report to the same leader). Last but not least, agreeing to take on the role of an onboarding buddy can help talent to develop invaluable leadership and managerial skills, and teaching others can boost their technical expertise.

The key to successful employee onboarding is not to over-complicate the process but tp facilitate the tools and strategies available to focus on what the new hire really needs; support and context. Onboarding is a cornerstone to developing positive employee experience and talent retention. The process has proven to have benefits to the company's growth as well as to its reputation. While it might seem an insignificant part of the employment cycle, if not done properly it can cause negative productivity and high employee turnover.

Thinking of upgrading your onboarding process but don't know where to start? Download our [whitepaper](https://www.peoplegoal.com/resources/whitepapers/modernising-performance-management-process) to guide you through implementing change in your organization.

The employee onboarding process is an essential part of the employee journey. Companies that manage to develop effective onboarding strategies improve employee engagement and talent retention and consequently enjoy business growth and increase in revenue.

Onboarding has a long-term positive effect on employee engagement, performance and talent retention, playing a fundamental part in an employee’s experience at an organization.

Employee onboarding process; why it matters

Employee on-baording process is a fundamental part of employee experience journey

Employee_onboarding_process

Prevent negative productivity from day one.

Employee Onboarding Process: Why it Matters

## The experience economy: what is it, and how does it relate to the emergence of employee experience?

The term ‘Experience Economy’ was created by Joseph Pine II and James Gilmore in their 1998 book of the same name. This book outlines the evolution of different types of economy, describing the experience economy as the next economy, following the agrarian, industrial and more recently, the service economy.
  
### What is the experience economy?
 
The experience economy describes the current economy we are surrounded in today, wherein the customer base are seeking experiences (and to a certain extent memories) over products and services. Experiences are tailored for customers, making personalized solutions which are highly customisable and fits to a given time period. In an overpopulated world, people are no longer seeking out products and services, instead choosing experiences to reach personal fulfilment. Consuming experiences acts as a lifestyle facilitator according to [Bardhi and Eckhardt (2017)](https://academic.oup.com/jcr/article-abstract/44/3/582/3063162). They suggest that choosing to spend money on experiences enables consumers who may lack the economic ability to consume desirable brands, products and services, to experience a desirable lifestyle.

### How has this economy emerged?

Over 20 years ago there was a big boom in the service economy as the importance of the service sector increased in industrialized economies. But now even services have become commoditized, less personable and in effect, at risk of extinction. There is no need to check around to compare different services when sites like GoCompare.com and ComparetheMeerkat.com provide this data immediately. This in turn, drives consumers towards one metric. Price.  As products and services become ever more attainable and ubiquitous, so too does the commoditization of said goods, decreasing their price and perceived worth.

When goods and services lose rarity, they lose their worth and interest to the consumer. Subsequently, rare and exciting experiences become the new social capital. As such, the new and emerging economy is now the experience economy.

The growing size of the experience economy follows the increasingly growing millennial population. According to Harris Group, [72% of millennials](https://www.cnbc.com/2016/05/05/millennials-are-prioritizing-experiences-over-stuff.html) would rather spend money on desirable experiences compared to material goods. Although this trend is most pronounced in the millennial generation, it does appear to extend across the generational and socioeconomic board with a [70% increase](https://www.eventbrite.com/blog/press/press-releases/eventbrite-research-millennials-fuel-the-experience-economy-amidst-political-uncertainty/) in total consumer spending on live experiences since 1987. This data indicates that living a happy and meaningful life is become less and less driven by acquiring material goods, and more about capturing memories through experiences (particularly in the millennial generation).
![Screen Shot 2019-06-05 at 12.43.16](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/2iM6Gj4erYAN3PYEBTVAvM/13fb8aec93bfba352fed250dd6e9c93e/Screen_Shot_2019-06-05_at_12.43.16.png)

Relatedly, the growth of the experience economy also follows the rapid increase in technological innovation and the emergence of social media. Virtually everyone has a high-quality camera sitting in their pocket at all times - their phones! Integrated into this phone is a whole host of social media applications (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) which are geared towards the enhancement of public image. Camera phones and social media to a certain extent, attempt to improve the customer experience by enhancing their profile. A fallout from this is that we consume others’ experiences and feel obliged to compare and continue our consumption of experiences.  Experiences and social media go hand-in-hand.
![Screen Shot 2019-06-05 at 12.46.24](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/ffRRvTBQRrUeLUT21yVE2/39e647143234d8736f0da7b364b1f40c/Screen_Shot_2019-06-05_at_12.46.24.png)

### From Consumer to Employee

This ‘consumer’ experience economy is beginning to filter its way into an employee experience economy. As the millennial workforce population continues to increase alongside the growth of the experience economy, it is becoming increasingly important to consider employee experience, employee engagement and experience management. 

The experience economy has also translated to the workplace, in the form of values and experience that employees want from their employers. Employees want meaningful experiences at work. They want to see professional and personal development through their work. People are beginning to recognise that they don’t need to just consume meaningful opportunities in recreational settings; they should also have the opportunity for experiences to occur in the workplace. 

### Who cares…

Well. You. You should care. As either an employee, manager or employer, employee experience is becoming increasingly important. People are beginning to cotton onto the idea that employee experience is as important, if not more than customer experience! Why? 

For the employee the answer is relatively simple. Happiness and enjoyment resulting from positive experiences at work.

For managers and employer’s improvements in employee experience can filter down to profit through mechanisms such as customer experience and productivity. According to [research](https://resources.globoforce.com/papers/financial-impact-employee-experience-ibm?source=blog) by WorkHuman Analytics & Research Institute and IBM Smarter Workforce Institute there is a financial impact of a positive employee experience. They found that organisations in the top quartile for employee experience report nearly 3 times the return on assets and over double the return on sales, in comparison to organisations who score the in the lowest quartile for employee experience. Further, the report indicates that even small improvements in employee experience can lead to increases in revenue.

Excitingly, the research finds that human workplace practices like recognition, feedback and empowerment have the potential to improve employee experience and don’t require a complete overhaul of your business processes.

### Help! How do I go about improving employee experience?

[Research](https://resources.globoforce.com/papers/the-employee-experience-index) by the WorkHuman Analytics & Research Institute and IBM Smarter Workforce Institute culminated in the Employee Experience Index, which outlines the essential workplace practices which lead to increased positive employee experience. They include: 

•	Feedback, recognition and growth

•	Organizational integrity and co-worker support

•	Empowerment and voice 

•	Work-life balance 

•	Meaningful Work 

The report goes into depth about the importance of each workplace practice and ways of improving each human workplace practice.

Want to read more? Check out our other [blogs](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog)! Want to read more in this area? We recommend ‘[Why employee experience matters](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/why-employee-experience-matters)’.

Interested? Find out how PeopleGoal can help you with employee experience!


We are currently amidst the experience economy. What is this, and how does it relate to employee experience, employee engagement and experience management?


What is the experience economy? Why does it relate to employee experience, employee engagement and experience management?


Workplace in the age of experience economy

We are currently amidst the experience economy. What is this, and how does it relate to employee experience, employee engagement and experience management?

The experience economy: what is it, and how does it relate to the emergence of employee experience?

How has the experience economy emerged, and how does it relate to employee experience?

Employee engagement is super important, and its ramifications can be seen across a range of organisational facets. In previous [blogs](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog) we have discussed the importance of employee engagement. Employees who are engaged are generally more productive; a Gallup poll suggested that engaged employees can be up to [22% more productive](https://hbr.org/2013/07/employee-engagement-does-more#comment-section)! With increased engagement comes higher [employee retention](http://www.gallup.com/reports/199961/state-american-workplace-report-2017.aspx) and lower turnover.
 
Even though most organisations know about the benefits of engagement and have employed their own employee engagement strategies, there are a number of classic mistakes which employers still fall foul too. This blog identifies archetypal mistakes to help you identify and improve your engagement strategy.
 
### Assuming a satisfactory result in the engagement survey is good enough

Employers often make the cardinal sin of assuming that good or even satisfactory results in the employee engagement survey implies development in engagement. A survey is a measurement tool, not a strategy to improve engagement. A survey will show you areas where to focus development not produce it organically. 

### Not appealing to emotionally driven engagement

This mistake may be hard to discover at first. There is often a gap between engagement in managers and employees; with management being highly engagement compared to employees in given situations. With a roll out of new or updated values, missions and culture, managers and supervisors become super excited but this often does not transition to employees. This is because employees are not actively involved in the discussion concerning company values. Resultantly, employees are not emotionally connected to them and react passively towards this regeneration of values. 

Given the strong relationship between emotions and active engagement, it is suggested that the process is done with employee’s ideas and input included. This increases the likelihood of an emotionally driven engagement strategy and the increases chances that values, mission and other correlates meaning something to everyone and not just managers. You want to develop engagement through at a deeper emotional level.

### Just leaving it to the managers…

It is assumed that managers should know their employees better than anyone else at the company. While it is good to trust managers to do their job, mistakes often occur in assuming that managers will be able to engage their employees alone and subsequently boost engagement by themselves. This can result in a cascade of costly errors. Offering total flexibility means that organisations can get away with not providing aid, training, strategies or guidance to the manager. Managers often are not prepared for this and will not know how to go about it. The results can be particularly damaging to engagement. 

Make sure to properly equip your managers with the necessary tools to help motivate and engage. It is important to understand that managers are producers of engagement they are facilitators of the implemented strategies!

### The Manager!

You have to be careful to make sure your manager isn’t exhibiting traits which can hinder engagement. Favouritism, micromanagement and distractedness all have this potential. Favouritism leads to underappreciation of given employees and subsequently, emotional disengagement and a drop I motivation. Micromanagement indicates to employees that their work isn’t too a desired level and isn’t trustworthy. Micromanagement has been outlined as one of the [key characteristics for managers to avoid](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/7-characteristics-for-managers-to-avoid). Employees may switch off and completely disengage if faced with continuous micromanagement. Distracted managers pose the opposite problem! A manager being too engrained in their own work and responsibilities neglects the relationship they have with an employee. Consequently, the employee may lose sight of their own individual goals, and their role in contributing to the company goals.

It is also important to make sure to take care of managers. If your employees seem disengaged, then it may be a result of your manager suffering from burnout. A study by [Harvard Business Review](https://hbr.org/2014/07/your-bosss-work-life-balance-matters-as-much-as-your-own) found that leaders who work in a sustainable manner (with concern over their own physical, emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing) have employees who are more engaged compared to managers who don’t exhibit this level of individual sustainability. Accordingly, [managers who avoid vacation days](https://www.insperity.com/blog/how-to-offer-big-business-perks-on-a-small-business-budget/), workplace perks or send emails over the weekend tend to have employees who feel pressured to follow this work ethic. 

### Ignoring the generational gap

*“Generational gaps do exist. The results reveal that employee engagement differences are likely to exist across generations”*
                                                               -	[Jay Gilbert](https://iveybusinessjournal.com/publication/the-millennials-a-new-generation-of-employees-a-new-set-of-engagement-policies/)

Even though millennials are becoming an increasingly large proportion of the workforce, it is important to recognise the differences between generational workforces. Consequently, it is important to tailor your engagement according to generational expectations and characteristics.

### The one off employee engagement event idea

Having fun at work is undeniably beneficial and a sign of a healthy team. Although fun and engagement overlap, they are not the same thing! Companies devise fun engagement events, but this does not transfer to an increase in engagement and assuming that it will is dangerous. There should be an over-arching theme or reason behind these engagement events which tie into superordinate engagement of your company.

### Don’t be afraid of tech!

 Historically, engagement has been a largely face-to-face science and this should continue indefinitely! But it is important to recognise the range of benefits that technology can bring to engagement. Tech solutions help provide you with a method of monitoring and addressing employee engagement in a non-invasive, constructive manner.
 
 ![7 Classic Employee Engagement Mistakes](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/6eoA0RqR5lv6sZumQLdOCq/7c5f11ae4c69d8478ad0dd1662b56dda/7_Classic_Employee_Engagement_Mistakes.png)
 
__Want to read more?__ Check out our other blogs! Want to read more in this area? We recommend: ‘[7 Characteristics for Managers to Avoid](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/7-characteristics-for-managers-to-avoid)’; ‘[6 Tips for Employee Engagement for Small Companies](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/6-tips-for-employee-engagement-for-small-companies)’; ‘[Driving Employee Engagement using Recognition Badges](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/driving-employee-engagement-using-recognition-badges)’; ‘[The Employee Engagement Survey: A Guide](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/the-employment-engagement-survey-a-guide)’ and ‘[Five Employee Engagement Activities to Boost Employee Motivation](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/five-employee-engagement-activities-to-boost-motivation)’



You can even try our platform in a [free 14-day trial](https://www.peoplegoal.com/small-business) with no subscription needed. You can also email us directly at <contact@peoplegoal.com>.


Even though most organizations know about the benefits of engagement and have employed their own employee engagement strategies, there are a number of classic mistakes which employers still fall foul too. 

What mistakes are YOU making with employee engagement!

Even though most organizations know about the benefits of engagement and have employed their own employee engagement strategies, there are a number of classic mistakes which employers still fall foul too. This blog identifies archetypal mistakes to help you identify and improve your engagement strategy.

What mistakes are YOU making with employee engagement?

With the changing nature of the workforce -- employees needing purpose in their work, flexibility, collaboration, meaningful connections and mentoring -- organizations are starting to realize that there is a need to change the way they manage their teams.

Some claim that employee experience is the new employee engagement. While employee engagement is an outcome, employee experience is the underlying process that should positively impact the engagement of your employees. As [HR Technologist](https://www.hrtechnologist.com/articles/employee-engagement/what-is-employee-experience-and-how-to-improve-it/) puts it, employee experience is the “sum of everything an employee experiences throughout his or her connection to the organization — every employee interaction, from the first contact as a potential recruit to the last interaction after the end of employment.” The purpose of employee experience is for companies and their employees to work together to improve individual, team and company performance, [providing the employees](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Employee-Experience-Advantage-Employees-Workspaces/dp/111932162X) with a high quality physical, cultural and technological environment.

While almost 80% of executives rated employee experience as very important, only 22% feel that their companies are building excellent employee experience. According to [Deloitte](https://www2.deloitte.com/insights/us/en/focus/human-capital-trends/2017/improving-the-employee-experience-culture-engagement.html), there are different challenges that influence employee experience including:

- Companies do not see employee experience as a priority for their HR leaders
- Companies fail to delegate the responsibility of creating employee experience
- HR departments often struggle with resources to create an integrated set of priorities
- There is a need to update the tools to create long-term employee engagement
- Many companies still do not prioritize continuous performance management, inclusion, diversity, wellness, workplace design and leadership as an integrated framework

In today’s digitalized society which is becoming increasingly transparent, and the rising demand for talent with fast-changing skills, employee experience can help companies to differentiate and retain talent.

So what's the key to achieving excellent employee experience? First, you need understand the real needs and opinions of your employees. Applying [human-centered design](https://medium.com/dc-design/what-is-human-centered-design-6711c09e2779) to your organization will allow you to create a better experience for your employees and develop a strong company culture that inspires employee loyalty and retention. [Design-thinking](https://www.ideou.com/pages/design-thinking) and human-centered methods continue to find their ways to various industries including [HR](https://www.digitalhrtech.com/design-thinking-disrupting-hr/). As said by industry leader Josh Bersin, “Design Thinking casts HR in a new role. It transforms HR from a “process developer” into an “experience architect.” Design-thinking allows companies to apply a more holistic approach. Rather than separating the employee journey into traditional issues such as culture, rewards, career development, organizations should reimagine every aspect of work with the goal of creating an integrated experience.

There are various factors that can positively influence the experience of your employees;

__Meaningful work:__

- Hire talent that matches your company culture
- Encourage autonomy and responsibility
- Empower collaboration across teams

__Supportive management:__

- Set clear and transparent goals
- Provide coaching to your employees
- Invest in talent development

__Positive work environment:__

- Create a flexible work environment
- Bring the "human touch" back to business
- Recognize the achievements and efforts of your employees
- Promote an inclusive, diverse workplace culture

__Growth opportunity:__

- Provide training and support on the job
- Encourage self-directed learning
- Help your employees recognize and develop their strengths

__Trust in leadership:__

- Communicate a clear mission and purpose
- Invest in your talent

![FACTORS WITH POSITIVE IMPACT ON EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/1kPDHWMfjpVr436NDxoBdx/865f1b616de29f99d76e72f5080d5b0b/FACTORS_WITH_POSITIVE_IMPACT_ON_EMPLOYEE_EXPERIENCE.png)

With this being said, it is absolutely crucial for leadership to prioritize positive employee experience as one of their main goals. You as a leader need to take the first step to embody the transformation in order to create a company where business and people thrive. Start by articulating a clear and differentiated employee experience ensuring its alignment to your mission an all aspects of the work experience.

Designate a team or a leader to oversee and drive the employee experience. They should manage the functions of employee development, engagement, the organizational design of your company, culture and analytics. Through user-centered design learn what your employees are doing every day, uncover their main challenges and problems and develop new, more effective ways to simplify work and improve creativity. Methods such as personas, employee journey maps and asking the right questions will help you develop a successful strategy. However, it is important to consider every aspect of your workforce and provide them with elements that attract and engage them. Ask for regular feedback and facilitate data from resources such as Glassdoor and LinkedIn to address the weaknesses of your business. And for global organizations, don't forget the cultural differences in how employees perceive their work experience! It is likely that different countries will require different engagement programs, research and testing. Lastly, move away from annual or biannual engagement surveys to continuous, open feedback. Conducting candidate stay and exit interviews and ongoing performance conversations will help you to develop real understanding of the challenges your employees face. Develop strategies such as a net promoter score to measure and track the success of your employee experience strategy.

The purpose of employee experience is for companies and their employees to work together to improve individual, team and company performance, providing the employees with a high quality physical, cultural and technological environment.

​Why employee experience matters

​Why Employee Experience Matters

What is quality management?

Quality management is the act of overseeing all activities and tasks which are necessary to maintain or achieve a certain level of excellence in your organization. It consists of four key processes: quality planning, quality assurance, quality control and continual improvement.

- __Quality planning__ – devising a quality management plan that describes the processes and metrics that are to be used.
- __Quality assurance__ - assuring, validating and exhibiting to the organization that you have the abilities, skills, knowledge and attitude to achieve the desired outcome.
- __Quality control__ – inspection, testing and measurement of project deliverables.
- __Continual improvement__ – examining how the three elements above will drive further improvements in efficiency and effectiveness.

These processes are defined by their relationship with three principles: focus on the customer, understand the process and consider employees’ commitment.

__Focus on the customer__

Quality management techniques are also designed to measure customers’ satisfaction. They aim to try and answer these questions:

- Are customers satisfied?
- Are customers happy?
- Is the customer base increasing in number?
- Do we meet or exceed customers’ expectation?
- Is there anything that could be done, or could be done better, to serve customers better?

Answering these questions will help determine how to maintain the current customer base and attract a new one.

__Understand the process__

Quality management techniques are also used to assess the quality and effectiveness of the processes in your organization. They try to assess inefficiencies in the process or where small tweaks can make visible improvements to achieve better results. Quality management techniques also try to gauge whether processes can be faster or shorter but yield the same or better results. Importantly, the cost of processes is measured; can the cost be reduced in areas without damaging performance?

__Consider employees’ commitment__

The final principle that quality management techniques need to consider is employees’ commitment to quality and excellence. Anne Mulcahy said: ‘employees are a company’s great asset,’ and it's important to determine how committed your employees are in order to improve and succeed. Without commitment there can be no improvement, so quality management techniques should also try to find a way to motivate employees.

__Quality Management Techniques__

Let us run you through some techniques…

![Quality Management Techniques](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/4uhsZ0CR76XUHVnJBn4InL/8b4f711bf33c72feb2bc01fb03fdf067/Quality_Management_Techniques.png)

__Benchmarking__

Benchmarking is the process of taking performance metrics from the team and comparing these results to industry leaders. Problems and inefficiencies can be identified and acted upon. Targets for performance improvement can be devised, planned and implemented. With target achievement comes performance improvement and greater knowledge.

__Continuous Improvement Process__

Continuous improvement process, or continual improvement, concerns the ongoing improvement of services, products and processing using the metrics of ‘incremental’ and ‘breakthrough’. Incremental is the process of improvement over time, while breakthrough is improvement occurring all at once.

The most widely used tool in the continuous improvement process is the PDCA cycle - The Plan-Do-Check-Act. You can read more about it here.

__Statistical Process Control__

Statistical process control is a method of quality control which uses statistical methods to control, monitor and manage a process. Quality data is in the form of product or process measurements which are obtained in real-time. Control limits are set. If data falls outside the control limits, then this indicates variation away from the process standards and reason to search for a source of this variance.

__Variation Risk Management__

Variation risk management is a tool for identifying, assessing and, if needed, nullifying unwanted variation in a process. It is a process geared toward the most effective reduction of negative process variation, given limited resources.

__Business Process Re-engineering__

The process of business re-engineering involves discovering the business operations and processes, determining the frailties and inefficiencies, redesigning these processes to eliminate redundancies, and finally implementing these redesigned processes. Re-engineering emphasizes a holistic approach; looking at large-scale change that can be implemented, focusing on business objectives and the processes related to them.

__Six Sigma__

Six sigma is a data-driven approach for removing defects in any process from manufacturing to engineering, product and service. Six sigma approaches uses two main basic principles: DMAIC and DMADV.

*DMAIC (used to redesign and improve an existing process):*

__Define__ (the problem and desired outcome)

__Measure__ (the capabilities)

__Analyze__ (the data and identify defect variations in the process)

__Improve__ (and modify the process so fewer defect variations are found)

__Control__ (the process; prevent and alter variations before they result in errors)

*DMADV (used predominantly when designing a new process):*

__Define__ (design standards and process goals)

__Measure__ (and identify metrics with which process performance will be defined)

__Analyze__ (the data and identify defect variations in the process)

__Design__ (changes that will mitigate defects and errors)

__Verify__ (that the process design will meet performance requirements)




Quality management techniques can help you measure and improve the effectiveness of processes in your organization.

Quality management techniques to drive team performance

The term ‘employee engagement’ is rather ambiguous, being used in multiple different contexts and to describe numerous things. "Engagement" is really a measure of an employee's passion, motivation, satisfaction, commitment to and involvement with the job. There are a range of benefits to engagement which we have discussed in [previous blogs](http://peoplegoal.com/blog). Employees who are engaged are generally more productive; a Gallup poll suggested that engaged employees can be up to [22% more productive](https://hbr.org/2013/07/employee-engagement-does-more#comment-section)! With increased engagement comes higher [employee retention](http://www.gallup.com/reports/199961/state-american-workplace-report-2017.aspx) and lower turnover.

When it comes to increasing employee engagement, small businesses can feel like they are at an inherent disadvantage in comparison to bigger companies. Small businesses are unlikely to have the huge budgets of an Amazon or a Google, and thus feel as though they can’t offer their employees the large bonuses or extravagant perks. However, small companies actually hold certain advantages over their bigger counterparts. Due to their size, small businesses can feel like a close, coherent team, where everyone knows everyone. This results in managers having more opportunities to connect face-to-face with employees and employees themselves having greater access to senior leadership. There is a lot you can do in small business to boost employee engagement!

![6 TIPS TO IMPROVE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT FOR SMALL COMPANIES (2)](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/6jD7kJCwKjqZij1wF7eQJo/25a34c6d2ef3ce774d0624ab5924cab5/6_TIPS_TO_IMPROVE_EMPLOYEE_ENGAGEMENT_FOR_SMALL_COMPANIES__2_.png)

### __1. Appreciation, recognition and reward__

Running a small business is tough and a lot of hard work. In this demanding environment it can be easy for management to forget to show appreciation and recognition to their employees. Recognition can range from a simple ‘thank you’ to a nice reward. There are plenty of [innovative ways](https://www.insperity.com/blog/52-epic-ways-to-reward-your-employees/) to show your appreciation. There are even social incentives which have been well received in [experimental literature](https://academic.oup.com/restud/article-abstract/77/2/417/1579057).

It may sound trivial, but even the smallest sign of appreciation goes a long way to improve employee engagement. Make sure to show recognition for the achievements of employees regardless if they are large or small. Even the smallest businesses with limited resources can find methods to recognise their employees as research shows not only does this boost [engagement](https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/trends-and-forecasting/research-and-surveys/Documents/SHRM-GloboforceEmployeeRecognition%202018.pdf) but also [productivity](https://www.forbes.com/sites/karenhigginbottom/2017/03/03/employee-appreciation-pays-off/#3562c02c6ddc).

### __2. Communication and an open-door policy__

A smaller workforce means fewer channels to get through to colleagues, often allowing for direct communication between peers. This easier, less diluted communication means that employees can express ideas, concerns and opinions, which in turn fosters an environment where everyone feels involved and valued.

Smaller teams mean that those higher up in the organisation are closer to those at lower levels. Some small businesses don’t even have separate offices for management, meaning staff and management are working closer together. This promotes open and regular communication across the employee spectrum. If management and employees interact more often it creates an environment of unity, boosts morale and improves engagement.


### __3. Flexible environment__

We have talked in a previous blog about [the benefits of remote working](http://peoplegoal.com/blog/employee-engagement-for-remote-workers), namely better employee health, higher productivity and better work-life balance. Employees who have a degree of flexibility in their work often are more productive and engaged.

Smaller companies tend to have the ability to offer more remote work, flexi-work or even time off when an individual requires it. As a result, employees feel a greater professional and empathetic view towards their organization for granting them greater flexibility with their work.

### __4. Transparency__

Creating an environment of trust in the workplace is key to improving employee engagement. Transparency is a key predictor of trust in the workplace, so the greater level of trust at work, the more likely that employees will be engaged. But how do you achieve a greater level of trust?

Being transparent means being open and honest with your peers. You need to be clear with your team, remaining honest, explaining the reasoning behind your decision making and admitting when you have made a mistake. Transparency allows you to build more authentic and real relationships with your team. It allows for a culture of cohesion, honest debate and trust – all of which lead to increased employee engagement.

### __5. Provide job resources__

Your employees need to have sufficient and necessary resources not only to do their job but also to develop both professionally and personally. A [study](https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2007-06672-004) found that having access to job resources increased employee engagement, particularly in positions of high stress and demands. With fewer employees, it should be easier for managers and leaders to think about what resources employees may need. Even more explicitly, in smaller companies it is easier to just ask employees what resources they need to improve.

Next, think about your employee’s future professional and personal development. Ask your employees what their personal and career goals are. Think about how and what they might need to achieve them. This may seem counterintuitive, as investing in an employee’s future may move further up in the organization or may not even remain at the organization. However, you’re showing your team that you care about your employee’s personal development and goals, by demonstrating your care and giving them the resources they need shows them that you value them.

### __6. Give employees a voice__

As companies get bigger and bigger, people lower down end up being crowded out without a voice. This results in the menial daily routine of employees coming into work, doing their job and then going home. This can really disconnect employees from their employer.

You can improve engagement by just giving your employees a voice. Ask for their opinions on upcoming decisions, what ideas for improvement they have or what areas of the organization are falling behind and need help. While you can’t get their opinion for every decision, listening and showing that your employees are valued are good boosters of engagement. When employees are involved in decisions, planning and goals, they feel part of the global picture and become more committed to it.

If you enjoyed reading this blog or just wanted to learn more about different areas in the HR sphere, feel free to read our others. If you’re interested in what PeopleGoal is and how we can help you read our [reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/132347/PeopleGoal/) and [FAQ’s](https://www.peoplegoal.com/faqs); you can even try our platform in a [free 14-day trial](https://auth.peoplegoal.com/login?state=g6Fo2SAybEFIX1lUaE50b1JBcDdadHpPM3UyczRjeGtBVzhFNaN0aWTZIDFESkxoTVNSV0JiUl9LLWVmZ2tScHJ2TTlBTlZRUHMwo2NpZNkgU0RoVzZEbWNaNFVHQXQ4NnluY3hOZWliWWdwOG5MRUk&client=SDhW6DmcZ4UGAt86yncxNeibYgp8nLEI&protocol=oauth2&auth0Client=eyJuYW1lIjoib21uaWF1dGgtYXV0aDAiLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjoiMi4wLjAifQ%3D%3D&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.peoplegoal.com%2Fauth%2Foauth2%2Fcallback%3Flogin_hint%3DsignUp&response_type=code&scope=openid%20profile%20email%20user_metadata)!

Alternatively, you can also email us directly at <contact@peoplegoal.com>.

When it comes to increasing employee engagement, small businesses can feel like they are at an inherent disadvantage in comparison to bigger companies.

6 Employee Engagement Tips for Small Companies

When it comes to increasing employee engagement, small businesses can feel like they are at an inherent disadvantage in comparison to bigger companies

6 Tips for Employee Engagement for Small Companies

April marks the start of Stress Awareness month, with April 16th the prescribed day focusing on stress in the US. This awareness is becoming increasingly important and the statistics back this up. Around 20% of people say that they find work either very or extremely stressful. Further, more than half a million report experiencing a level of work-related stress which individuals believe has made them ill. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), [40% of work-related illnesses](http:/www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/stress/stress.pdf) can be attributed to anxiety, depression and stress. In the UK, they also found that this percentage of work-related illnesses contributed 12.5 million working days being lost during 2016-2017. This is further ratified by research from the [CIPD’s 2018 Health and Wellbeing report](https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/culture/well-being/health-well-being-work), which found that stress is the greatest contributor to long-term work absence and the second greatest contributor to short-term absence. Furthermore, over a third of those surveyed reported that stress-related absence increased over the past year.

These staggering figures are evidence that stress is taking a real toll on the workforce. We’ve compiled a list of helpful tips and useful tactics to reduce stress in the workplace both as an employer and as an employee.

## The employee perspective:

__Recharge your batteries__

Avoiding chronic stress and eventual burnout are key to improving an individual’s health. You, the individual, need to make sure that you spend enough time relaxing and ‘switching off from work’. Needless to say, don’t skimp on sleep!

__Have a healthy response__

When confronted with stressors, try to build a healthy response for when they arise. This process develops over time and initially it may seem difficult. When stressors arise don't use unhealthy choices to overcome the short-term stress. Instead, try to build resilience to the stress. Have a read of Mental Health UK’s booklet on ‘[Managing stress and building resilience in the workplace](https://www.mentalhealth-uk.org/media/1124/managing-stress-and-building-resilience-booklet.pdf)’ for greater insight.

__Keep a track off what is stressing you__

This tactic ties nicely in with the previous idea. Try to keep a journal of the things or situations which have stressed you out over a period of time. Record your thoughts, feelings and information concerning the incident. Recording information can help to identify patterns and in turn develop an action plan for building resilience to stressors.

__Build a support network__

Building a network and accepting help from others is vitally important, especially in the individualistic culture of the westernized world. It may be family, friends, colleagues or even your manager. Some employers may have stress management resources which include online resources, counselling and if needed, and referral to mental health professionals.

__Exercise and Nutrition__

Aerobic exercise – that which raises the heart rate – is an especially effective method to increase mood, health and energy, as well as (almost paradoxically) relaxing the mind and body. Conversely, rhythmic exercise – i.e. yoga, dancing, walking etc. – helps to relax the nervous system. Research suggests to try and get [at least 30 minutes a day](https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-living/how-to-start-exercising-and-stick-to-it.htm) of either.

Nutrition is super important as I’m sure you are all aware. According to [HelpGuide.org](https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/stress-in-the-workplace.htm/), make sure you try to minimize excess sugar and refined carb intake; reduce the intake of foods that may adversely affect your mood (this differs between people, for example, caffeine can increase anxiety in some of the population) and drink alcohol in moderation.

## The employer perspective

__Know the stress symptoms__

People react to stress in different ways. As a manager/employer it is important to know the classic signs of stress, so you can help early on.

- *Cognitive*: Unusual pattern of making mistakes and impaired decision-making and judgement
 
- *Physical*: increased occurrence of flu, colds and infection; sharp change in weight (loss or gain) and an unhealthy change in physical appearance (i.e. looking tired, unshaven, etc.)

- *Behavioural*: working long hours, not joining group conversations or socials, not reaching targets and not taking proper lunch breaks

- *Emotional*: loss in confidence and self-esteem, loss of motivation, sensitive to criticism and individuals can often be irritable or angry

![Untitled design (4)](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/1m7z7RkOkmxZkrqLfIP725/7b0481b3e486b3bd836bd1f75a4b00f2/Untitled_design__4_.png)

__Identify the source of work-related stress__

This tactic takes time and effort to truly make a difference. As a manager/supervisor/employer you need to work with the employee to try and identify the source of stress. It is important to note that often the employee’s stressors can be the result of a supervisor’s behaviour. Here are some management tips for the effective management of employee stress:

- Be respectful in managing the emotions and feelings of an employe
- Try to help manage and communicate workload effectively
- Manage difficult situations as they arise, not after the fact
- Manage the individual within the scope of the team
- Offer support where needed

__Longer-term strategies__

It is important not to underestimate the importance of longer-term considerations. They will take more time and effort to setup than shorter strategies, but they hold a lot more power. Possible ideas for longer term strategies include: training; self-help ideas and planning; 3rd party help (i.e. employee assistance programmes); flexible working plans or changes in the work environment itself.

__The talking toolkit__

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has recently released a new Talking Toolkit to help employers prevent work-related stress.The toolkit is comprised of six conversation templates which have been designed to support managers and employees to talk about issues which may be causing work-related stress. Download the toolkit [here](http://www.hse.gov.uk/gohomehealthy/stress.htm?utm_source=HSWPG&utm_medium=PRarticle&utm_campaign=generic-stress-toolkit).

Stress is becoming a larger more inherent problem across the workforce. Tackling stress and its unhealthy correlates is an important issue which employees and employers alike need to work together to solve.

Stress is taking a real toll on the workforce. We’ve compiled a list of helpful tips and useful tactics to reduce stress in the workplace both as an employer and as an employee.

Work Stress Awareness: What can help? An employee and employer perspective.

There is a [growing number](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/15/us/remote-workers-work-from-home.html) of the workforce population working remotely. That is, a situation in which an employee works predominantly from home or away from the central office. There are a range of benefits associated with [telecommuting](https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrealoubier/2017/07/20/benefits-of-telecommuting-for-the-future-of-work/#5bb21b8d16c6)! Here are just a few:


### __1. Effects of remote working on employee health__

Research has consistently shown remote working to reduce stress. A study by [Staples](http://investor.staples.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=96244&p=irol-newsArticle_print&ID=1586360&highlight) found that employees experience up to 25% less stress when working from home. Another study by [Connect Solutions](http://www.cosocloud.com/press-release/connectsolutions-survey-shows-working-remotely-benefits-employers-and-employees), the private cloud solutions provider for Adobe Connect, found that over 50% of employees reported less work-related stress. In 2014, [PGi](https://www.slideshare.net/PGi/state-of-telecommuting-2014-pgi-report/1) found that 80% of remote workers reported that it helped to reduce levels of stress.


### __2. Work-life balance__

It could be argued that remote workers have a better work-life balance as they can build their working hours around their lives quite flexibly. Employees with a better work-life balance usually feel a greater sense of ownership, control and responsibility of their working life. Remote working grants a greater level of freedom for employees.


### __3. Lower carbon footprint__

There is a growing pressure on organisations to reduce their carbon footprint. Remote working offers a simple, easy and cost-effective method of reducing carbon-footprint. How does this happen? Remote working means that there are fewer devices running onsite, which in turn significantly reduces the energy consumption of the organisation. Plus, commuting to work on certain types of transport creates an excess carbon footprint. There is evidence of a reduced carbon footprint via an increased remote workforce at the organisational level, such as Dell’s ‘[2020 Legacy of Good Plan](https://i.dell.com/sites/doccontent/corporate/corp-comm/en/Documents/2020-plan.pdf)’. In 2012, Dell made a pledge to reduce emissions by making 50% of its workforce remote by 2020. In 2014, it was revealed that this program had reduced Dell’s greenhouse gas emissions by 6,700 metric tons.


### __4. Multi-generational benefits of remote working__

Remote working has benefits across the generational spectrum. By 2025, roughly 75% of the workforce will be millennials with an increasing proportion currently acquiring leadership roles. Remote working is highly valued by millennials, for a number of [reasons](https://startupnation.com/manage-your-business/millennials-want-work-remotely/). There are also benefits of remote working for the older generation. With the cost of living and life expectancy increasing, more and more of the older generation postpone retirement. Remote working provides a viable alternative for working at older ages, maintain a healthy work-life balance and have a continuous flow of income.

![Untitled design (6)](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/52c16JVZgPOQ6MMWThfLCT/da89fd0576db396be4f479d6c6856426/Untitled_design__6_.png)

## How do you achieve a satisfactory level of employee engagement in the remote workforce?

Perhaps most importantly, remote working has the ability to isolate staff, which has residual effects on team performance, individual productivity, communication and employee engagement. Intrinsically, remote working is physically less connected to a central company base, which leads to remote employees missing out on events, birthdays and even trivial moments like water-cooler conversations. In a recent study, [Slack](https://slackhq.com/trust-tools-and-teamwork-what-workers-want) found that 85% of workers wanted to feel closer to their remote colleagues. But these feelings of detachment aren’t restricted to the workplace employee alone. Disengagement in the remote worker poses a problem. One [study](https://hbr.org/2017/11/a-study-of-1100-employees-found-that-remote-workers-feel-shunned-and-left-out#comment-section) has shown that remote workers often feel shunned and left out compared to their in-office colleagues. We have talked in depth in [previous blogs](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog) about the dangers of disengagement. So how can we boost employee engagement in the remote worker?

- Prioritize communication
- Appreciation
- Increase Participation

Communication is arguably the most important workplace competency. But to keep in contact with remote workers can sometimes feel forced. It is imperative to keep in regular, good contact with remote employees to increase engagement. These communication strategies have proven their ability to increase engagement:

- Virtual face-to-face meetings through Skype, Hangouts, or any conferencing tools
- Investment in simple communication tools like Slack
- Encouraging communication skills through training and workshops
- Offering financial assistance to set up a productive home office
- Focus on employee onboarding
- Extracurricular activities and annual or biannual full company meetups
- Giving real responsibility and accountability to all employee roles

Most laptops, computers and smartphones come built with free video conferencing tools or webcams which make video calls all the easier. Seeing a face makes a huge, often understated difference. You can even try occasional physical face-to-face meetings, either visiting the remote employee or scheduling semi-regular in-office meetings.

Simple, inexpensive and useful, online communication tools can make all the difference in keeping your remote employees feel engaged and valued. Tools that you can use include Slack, Zoom, Yammer, Go-To-Meeting, Google Hangouts and Skype.

An often-undervalued skill, exemplary communication skills provide a different dimension to improving employee engagement. A [recent study ](https://hbr.org/2017/11/a-study-of-1100-employees-found-that-remote-workers-feel-shunned-and-left-out)demonstrated that remote workers emphasize the importance of regular communication with their colleagues and management. The best managers are good listeners, fair in their judgement and communicate respect, trust and interest.

Feedback and recognition in the workplace most of the time is quick, if not immediate. This is not the case for remote workers – reviews and recognition can go dry. Remote workers continue to do their work to a good standard, but may be neglected virtual appreciation. Invest in a simple feedback and recognition tool to encourage regular appreciation between colleagues.

From decent quality office supplies to a nice desk, any money you spend on your remote employee has almost a double effect on employees’ work: it is not only a gift, but also provides your employee with the tools to be more effective at their job.

Entering the office very occasionally can be a daunting prospect for a remote employee. Any effort that managers and employees give to make remote employees feel at home is always appreciated. There’s different levels of effort you can give, from making sure they are feeling okay and relaxed whilst at work, to taking them out for lunch as a team.

Having remote employees means that you can slightly change your reward packages. Obviously, you can keep them on the same programme as in-house employees, but you can also change it up if you wish. Ideas here include: home/office equipment; broadband subsidies or location-specific perks.

As well as improved communication and showing your appreciation, increased participation provides another element which improves remote engagement. It is perhaps the most difficult element to improve. Here are a few tips:

### __1. Employee onboarding__

The onboarding period can be considered a critical period to improve participation. During the first few days/weeks of the remote employee’s tenure, take advantage of the employee being present. It is likely that onboarding and training will take place in a centralized location, providing the opportunity for the remote employee to meet and greet their new co-workers. Making sure that the onboarding experience is highly interactive and memorable provides the employee with the means, tools and will to engage with their team and employees.

### __2. Out of work activities__

Extracurricular activities are a proven method of increasing engagement in the workforce. Try to get remote employees to come to these activities to increase team and employee cohesion. In a time that business is heavily reliant on the internet, think about expanding more low-level extracurricular activities that rely on the internet too. Think fantasy football league, online gaming or even something as small as a group chat.

### __3. Responsibility and accountability__

No one wants to feel like a cog in a big wheel, and for remote employees this is even more of an issue. Making sure that their task actually conveys real responsibility, with real risk, shows a level of trust and respect. Assigning a greater level of responsibility to remote staff results in the employee feeling more valued, provides greater career experience, subsequent professional development and guaranteed communication.

## How can you measure remote employee engagement?

With all this being said, it is still difficult to know whether your remote workers do feel engaged. There are two possible methods for measuring remote employee engagement: eNPS and pulse surveys…

### __1. eNPS__

[eNPS](https://cultureiq.com/blog/employee-net-promoter-score/) (Employee Net Promoter Score) is a two-question survey meant to gauge employee willingness to be ambassadors for the company by advocating employment there. eNPS provides organisations with a quick performance rating to discover how employees are feeling about the company and why they feel this: good or bad. This survey allows you to track satisfaction and understand what you need to be doing, particularly in the case of remote employees.

### __2. Pulse Surveys__

[Pulse surveys](https://www.tlnt.com/everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-pulse-surveys/) are super simple, short, multiple-choice questionnaires. It should only take a few minutes for anyone to complete the questionnaire. Pulse surveys are easy, quick and can be given quickly to gauge reactions of all employees, but they are particularly for remote employees.


Explore the benefits of remote workers and learn key tactics to keep them engaged

Explore the benefits of remote workers and learn key tactics to keep them engaged.

Employee Engagement for Remote Workers

Employee engagement for remote workers

In 2018 there were 5.7 million private businesses established in the UK alone. Yet, about [90% of start-ups fail](http://innovationfootprints.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/startup-genome-report-extra-on-premature-scaling.pdf). A key tactic for organizations to remain competitive is their ability to implement continuous and transformational change. Leadership plays an essential role in an organization's ability to innovate and adjust to dynamic markets, and to maintain their competitive advantage. Thus leadership proves to have an instrumental role in driving new ventures as well as well-established organizations to thrive. On the other hand, leaders are believed to be one of the [main reasons](https://www.forbes.com/sites/ericwagner/2013/09/12/five-reasons-8-out-of-10-businesses-fail/#7c3aca686978) why companies fail to innovate and adjust to change. Some suggest that emerging leaders are not taught how to think critically and be able to solve the myriad of unexpected challenges that all organisations face. Therefore, as [Bersin suggests](https://joshbersin.com/hr-tech-disruptions-for-2019/), we need to ask ourselves one crucial question: how do we provide future leaders with the tools and data needed to continually improve and develop a new generation of leaders?

Over the past few decades, multiple complex techniques and methods have been developed addressing leadership styles that foster innovation and complement changes. These styles include theories such as transformational leadership, servant leadership, entrepreneurial leadership and innovation leadership, among others. Nevertheless, these theories provide in-depth understanding of common behaviors and traits of leaders. Peter Anderton, in his talk “[Great leadership comes down to only two rules](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDsMlmfLjd4)”, highlights that the development of the numerous complex theories buried the true purpose of leadership. Anderton explains that despite leadership not being easy it is simple, and it can be achieved through two simple rules.

## Rule #1: It is not about you; it is about people.

Across the centuries of human existence some of the most influential leaders have recognized that the best leaders are the ones that are not seen and make their followers feel like they achieved their goals by themselves. The idea is supported by transformational leadership, according to which, a leader is able to inspire others and develop a shared vision. Leaders can only deliver results through other people. The world today is too complex for only one person to have all the answers. As Eleanor Roosevelt said; “__A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader; a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves.__" Therefore, innovative leaders are not afraid of hiring people smarter than them and allowing them space and support to develop a rage of competencies and perspectives; driving innovation, which is essential for maintaining the competitive advantage and growth of an organisation. Great leaders do not create followers; instead, they create more leaders.

## Rule #2; It’s all about you.

The second rule introduced by Anderton is that it’s all about you. According to [Dee Hock](https://twitter.com/deewhock), a founder of VISA, one needs to devote at least 40% of their time in leading yourself before leading others. It is essential for a leader to be aware of their strengths and weaknesses and have a strong understanding of what is they aim to reach. Only then can a leader live the change they want to achieve, set an example for others and be truly authentic and transparent. A leader needs to have a true passion for a change they want to make to embody their vision and inspire others. Self-leadership is “an influence-related process through which individuals (and working groups) navigate, motivate and lead themselves towards achieving desired behaviors and outcomes”. [Self-leadership](https://ynnovate.it/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/innovation-and-self-leadership-.pdf) also helps to maintain positivity and happiness, which has positive effects on one’s performance.

[Lars Sudmann](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlpKyLklDDY&t=3s) suggests simple methods and techniques to adopt, in order to improve one’s self-leadership skills. According to him, self-leadership can be broken down to 3 aspects; self-awareness, self-reflexion and self-evaluation. A strategy Sudmann offers for self-awareness is a character traits check. Ask yourself who was the worst leader you ever had. What he/she did wrong? How does that resonate with you? What is the plan to improve? It can also be valuable to be aware of common characteristics of great leaders, evaluate which of these traits one already possesses and which ones needs to be developed further. Five minutes of self-reflection a day, spent considering one’s challenges and achievements, can not only provide room for self-improvement but also significantly raise one’s compassion levels towards others. Lastly, self-regulation can be achieved through re-framing, assessing the importance of an issue every time an issue occurs and taking a step back to consider the problem from a more holistic view. These simple techniques and tools allow a leader to continually improve their performance in managing people and enable others to thrive along them, and consequently allow the organisation to grow.

![Untitled design (1)](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/1CWJR6Ut3tzJmXEveCbr6F/be66810946e893a343cf5dfb1e1a1543/Untitled_design__1_.png)

## Why self-leadership matters in organizations

These two rules also help to address the two main challenges that entrepreneurial leaders face; creating a shared vision and building a team.

Most start-up leaders do not fail because of their own incapability but due to a lack of coaching. Entrepreneurial leadership is one of the most challenging forms of leadership as the founder starts alone or with a small team of devoted individuals. Not having a right team is the third most common reason why companies fail. Therefore, it is vital for entrepreneurs to be aware of their limits and to hire the best talent to make up for these limits and create an inclusive culture to mitigate the pressure that comes with starting a new venture.

As a company matures the leadership style needs to be adjusted to continue to prosper. To further understand how to implement change to your organisation you can download our [whitepaper](https://enterprise.peoplegoal.com/modernising-performance-management-for-large-organisations). However, implementing change is also about [what companies are willing to give up](https://www.ted.com/talks/martin_danoesastro_what_are_you_willing_to_give_up_to_change_the_way_we_work?language=en). Companies such as Google, Slack or Zappos grasped why restructuring and changing the internal organization of traditional businesses models is essential for maintaining growth in innovative companies. These companies recognized the need for innovation in today’s dynamic society, where the traditional organizational hierarchy is no longer effective. Multi-disciplinary, diverse teams are at the heart of innovative organizations, as they can make autonomous decisions and enable the company to react to environmental changes faster and in a more flexible manner. Hence, every employee needs to be leading the change, supporting others and making informed decisions to support their team. Company leaders need to be prepared to let go and to trust their employees to make these decisions and successfully implement change themselves.

Self-leadership should be implemented by every leader to understand their own strengths and weaknesses and to reflect on who they are. Self-awareness can help leaders to become authentic and transparent in leading the change they want to make. Furthermore, leaders should surround themselves with capable and diverse individuals, and provide them with support and coaching to reach their full potential and eventually become leaders themselves. Self-leadership can be combined with more complex leadership styles and can enable entrepreneurs to face the unexpected challenges of starting new business as well as leaders in well-established organizations to apply change and innovate.

If you enjoyed reading this blog or just wanted to learn more about different areas in the HR sphere, return to the [blog](http://peoplegoal.com/blog). If you’re interested in what PeopleGoal is and how we can help you, read our [reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/132347/PeopleGoal/) and [FAQ’s](https://www.peoplegoal.com/faqs); you can even try our platform in a [free 14-day trial](https://auth.peoplegoal.com/login?state=g6Fo2SAybEFIX1lUaE50b1JBcDdadHpPM3UyczRjeGtBVzhFNaN0aWTZIDFESkxoTVNSV0JiUl9LLWVmZ2tScHJ2TTlBTlZRUHMwo2NpZNkgU0RoVzZEbWNaNFVHQXQ4NnluY3hOZWliWWdwOG5MRUk&client=SDhW6DmcZ4UGAt86yncxNeibYgp8nLEI&protocol=oauth2&auth0Client=eyJuYW1lIjoib21uaWF1dGgtYXV0aDAiLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjoiMi4wLjAifQ%3D%3D&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.peoplegoal.com%2Fauth%2Foauth2%2Fcallback%3Flogin_hint%3DsignUp&response_type=code&scope=openid%20profile%20email%20user_metadata)!

Or reach out to us directly at <contact@peoplegoal.com>

Self-leadership allows a leader to continually improve his/hers performance in managing people and enable others to thrive along them and consequently allow the organisation to grow.

How Self-leadership can Drive Innovation in your Organization 

Self-leadership allows a leader to continually improve his/hers performance in managing people and enable others to thrive along them and consequently allow the organisation to grow

How self-leadership can drive innovation in your organization

Friday 1st of March 2019 saw celebration of the annual ‘Employee Appreciation Day’. Occurring on the first Friday of every March, Employee Appreciation Day is a secular (unofficial) holiday celebrated in the US and Canada. Created in 1995 by Bob Nelson as a day for companies and managers to thank their employees for all the effort and hard work that they have put in during the year. Companies often show their appreciation by giving gifts, organizing events or activities, or showing special, specific recognition for employees. The superordinate purpose is to strengthen the relationship between the employee and the employer. But one day a year to celebrate employees isn’t good enough! You shouldn’t wait for one day in a year to show your appreciation to your employees. There is growing attention for recognition in the workplace. We have written extensively in previous blogs about [engagement](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/5-employee-engagement-tactics-for-2018), [appreciation](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/how-to-improve-employee-retention) and [recognition](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/driving-employee-engagement-using-recognition-badges) and their associations with improvements in productivity, motivation and [retention](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/employee-retention).

Mark today as the day of change! The day when you switch from annual appreciation to continuous appreciation; making a promise to your team to recognize their efforts and reward them accordingly. The blog below looks at why you should show appreciation; what it takes and some ideas helping to show appreciation.

## Why should you show appreciation?

According to a poll by Tjinsite, [35% of employees](https://www.forbes.com/sites/karenhigginbottom/2017/03/03/employee-appreciation-pays-off/#4f2fcac66ddc) consider a lack of recognition of work as the greatest barrier to increased productivity. This poll suggests that rewards and recognition have the power to act as a morale booster which has a consequential positive impact on an individual’s productivity. According to a [Gallup (2010)](https://www.forbes.com/sites/meghanbiro/2013/05/19/employee-engagement-every-leaders-imperative/#6c1961e2678e) poll, disengaged workers cost the US economy over $300 billion annually.

“Nurturing a positive company culture, offering tailored benefits packages and generous salary arrangements should all rank highly on the list of priorities for companies that take an active interest in making their employees feel valued and appreciated. Businesses aware of the direct correlation between workplace satisfaction and business productivity should act accordingly if they want to boost their output and gain a competitive edge.” - Geoff Pearce ~ NGA Human Resources

Importantly, a Glassdoor ‘[Employee Appreciation Survey](https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/11/13/how-to-show-appreciation-and-get-better-results-from-your-employees-this-holiday-season/#34e7818436a3)’ found that 68% of employees say their manager shows them enough appreciation. Pertinently, over half (53%) of employees say that they would stay longer at the company if they felt they were appreciated more by their manager. In fact, appreciation appears to have an impressive effect on motivation to work, 81% report that they’re motivated to work harder when their boss shows a level of appreciation for the work that they do. Compared to 38% of respondents who say they become motivated to work harder when their boss is demanding, and 37% of respondents who report they are motivated to work harder over fears that they will lose their job. Above we have outlined the effects that employee appreciation has on productivity, morale and motivation, but its influence extends to other variables in the workplace, namely:

- Greater employee satisfaction
- Improved teamwork
- Lower absenteeism
- Lower stress
- Direct performance feedback
- Improved customer feedback

## How can you improve your employee appreciation strategy?

There are many ways how to show employee appreciation; one of the most common forms being an employee of the month certificate. However, this old standby is ineffective for multiple reasons as explained in [this blog](https://blog.bonus.ly/10-reasons-employee-of-the-month-certificates-are-the-worst/) by Bonusly.

On the contrary, in their book ‘[Rising above a toxic workplace](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rising-Above-Toxic-Workplace-Environment/dp/0802409725)’, Gary Chapman and Paul White researched appreciation across a range of employee groups in the US. They discovered four conditions that need to be fulfilled for employees to feel properly appreciated:

__Communication:__ This varies in the workplace, but regular communication is super important! Don’t leave it for the annual performance review! Appreciation will begin to lose value if it is not given in a timely manner. According to Gallup, employees need some form of recognition every seven days to prevent their productivity levels waning.

__Genuine and Authentic:__ The way that you present yourself to your employees is very important. Facial expressions, cadence, tone, posture and body language more generally should match what is being conveyed verbally.

__Individualized and Personal:__ Relate your appreciation to targeted events. This shows employees that you are noting specific things that they are doing, as opposed to their general work. This is something we picked up on in the behavioral science in the workplace blog.

__Tailored:__ Different people like different approaches to appreciation. Pick up on what each of your employees like, and tie in your appreciation with the best method of delivery. Some like it formal, some like it informal.

![Copy of 4 TIPS TO SHOW EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/6leiOsG7mPR4AYNZQ340Fu/9a23c6ee9dc4310455d5a8f0e0ee2eeb/Copy_of_4_TIPS_TO_SHOW_EMPLOYEE_APPRECIATION.png)

There are other conditions and methods which help boost employee appreciation:

__Continuous:__ Instead of showing your appreciation at stereotypical ‘Employee of the Month’ awards, or worse… annually on Employee Appreciation Day! Instead, recognize employees when they deserve it, make appreciation continuous.

__Create a culture of peer-to-peer recognition:__ Peer-to-peer recognition provides a different dynamic in which appreciation can occur. Appreciation from colleagues often seems more genuine as they are better acquainted with the personal efforts of individuals. Peer recognition is [35.7% more likely](https://www.15five.com/blog/celebrate-national-high-five-day-work/) to have a positive influence on financial results, compared to manager-only recognition.

__Innovative tactics:__ You can show appreciation in a range of different ways. The classics are financial incentives and simple recognition. But there are different and innovative methods to showing appreciation: flexible hours, sports memberships, fruit deliveries, create a celebration calendar and our personal favorite social recognition (check out this blog (behavioural science blog, insert hyperlink to behavioural science blog when available) to find out what this is).

At PeopleGoal, we want to help you to create an effective, engaging set of tools that support your team in their professional development and work to deliver your unique business outcomes.

Want to know more? Check out our practical toolkit: ‘Modernizing your Performance Management Processes.’ Make the jump to continuous performance management today.

[Download your toolkit here](https://enterprise.peoplegoal.com/modernising-performance-management-for-large-organisations)

Feel free to read our other [blogs](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog), [reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/132347/PeopleGoal/) or [FAQ’s](https://www.peoplegoal.com/faqs) to find out more. You can even try our platform in a [free 14-day trial](https://auth.peoplegoal.com/login?state=g6Fo2SAybEFIX1lUaE50b1JBcDdadHpPM3UyczRjeGtBVzhFNaN0aWTZIDFESkxoTVNSV0JiUl9LLWVmZ2tScHJ2TTlBTlZRUHMwo2NpZNkgU0RoVzZEbWNaNFVHQXQ4NnluY3hOZWliWWdwOG5MRUk&client=SDhW6DmcZ4UGAt86yncxNeibYgp8nLEI&protocol=oauth2&auth0Client=eyJuYW1lIjoib21uaWF1dGgtYXV0aDAiLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjoiMi4wLjAifQ%3D%3D&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.peoplegoal.com%2Fauth%2Foauth2%2Fcallback%3Flogin_hint%3DsignUp&response_type=code&scope=openid%20profile%20email%20user_metadata) with no subscription needed.

Employee Appreciation Can Positively Affect Employee productivity and Motivation.

Employee Appreciation Can Positively Affect Employee Productivity and Motivation. A culture of employee appreciation can also have positive impact on employee retention and improve the overall performance of your company.

Employee Appreciation Can Positively Affect Employee Productivity and Motivation 

Employee Appreciation Can Positively Affect Employee productivity and Motivation 

How to Create Employee Appreciation Culture in Your Organization

HR leaders and departments alike are getting ready to tackle a new breed of challenges in 2019. Continuous developments in technology are shifting how we view the workplace and are transforming the HR industry. While these transformations are already in motion and 2019 will be a period of refinement and development, for some companies it will be an initiation phase. These are the key trends we see driving development in HR in 2019.

## 1. The Applications of Artificial Intelligence
The mere mention of artificial intelligence (AI) can disillusion people. But with the growing attention given to AI, more and more HR leaders have had their interest piqued and it is likely we will see an increased focus on the practical implications of AI and the problems it will solve.

Instead of relying on an HR professional to trawl through endless resumes, organizations can use AI systems to complete the task quicker. Another use is the analytical evaluation of candidates, without human bias or error. The result is stricter candidate qualification criteria, a more efficient application process and a greater degree of accurate analysis.

The [IBM 2017 report into AI](https://www-01.ibm.com/common/ssi/cgi-bin/ssialias?htmlfid=GBE03789USEN "IBM 2017 report into AI") found that:

> "66% of CEOs believe AI can drive significant value in HR"
> "54% of HR executives believe that AI will affect key roles in the HR organization"
> "50% of HR executives recognise that AI has the power to transform key dimensions of HR"


If done correctly, AI has the ability to make HR operations easier and allows individuals to focus on the arguably more important, human element of HR. Which leads us to...

## 2. Employee Wellbeing and the focus on Mental Health
Focusing on the human in human resources is becoming increasingly important for organizations. A review from [Morneau Shepell (2018)](https://www.morneaushepell.com/permafiles/91423/hr-trends-2019-summary-report.pdf "Morneau Shepell (2018)") argued that 48% of employers identified improving employees' mental health as a priority for 2019. This trend is not surprising given the increased awareness of the relationship between employee mental health and achievement in the demanding and changing professional sphere.

The best employers understand the need to take care of their employees. There is a growing bank of research showing that the importance of continued development both in research and in the workplace is imperative. Improved mental health in the workplace engenders employee engagement; another trend for 2019.

The [2018 Gallagher Benefits Strategy & Benchmarking Survey](https://www.ajg.com/media/1703188/2018-benefits-strategy-benchmarking-survey__executive-summary-and-strategic-insightspdf.pdf "2018 Gallagher Benefits Strategy & Benchmarking Survey") found that employee wellbeing was recognized as one of the biggest challenges needing effective solutions. Only 52% of companies asked believed they had an effective wellbeing strategy! This survey identified a number of innovative wellbeing strategies available: providing financial advisors, discounted products and services, financial literacy, debt counselling, student loan forgiveness, insurance benefits and free breakfast!

## 3. Payroll Transition
Payroll is one of the cornerstones of a company. Payroll constitutes a company’s records of its employees’ salaries, wages, bonuses and withheld taxes. With the majority of companies having now moved their payroll to the cloud, it alleviates many of the concerns associated with more traditional, outdated systems. 2019 will see the remaining companies transition to cloud-based payroll. But there will be a few more payroll trends you may be hearing about.

Companies will give their employees the ability to see their pay information on a range of devices. Desktops, tablets, laptops and mobiles are all devices where employees will be able to check their pay remotely. This allows employees to qualify why their pay is a given amount due to deductions, bonuses and necessary deposits. The future trend of payroll systems will be to allow the employee to model their future pay on the system.

Pay transparency is a tricky trend that HR departments will need to manage tactfully. There are different levels of transparency and each company is going to fall somewhere different on the spectrum, though more and more companies are embracing complete pay transparency. The [2018 Getting Compensation Right](https://www.willistowerswatson.com/en-US/insights/2018/06/2018-getting-compensation-right-survey-global-findings-report "https://www.willistowerswatson.com/en-US/insights/2018/06/2018-getting-compensation-right-survey-global-findings-report") survey found that 53% of companies are either considering or planning on increasing the level of transparency around their pay structure.

## 4. Global Salary Changes
Salaries in the countries with the greatest GDP are expected to rise, but this rise is not going to be homogeneous. The average real salary increase across Europe is expected to be at 0.8% - this is unchanged from 2018. The UK real salary is also expected to rise by 0.8% - double the increase in 2018. However, this prediction is somewhat debatable:

> “It is still very unclear what impact Brexit could have on inflation and salaries in the UK. Any deal that is made, or lack of it, could have far reaching implications on wage and price rises and these figures could change significantly depending on what happens between now and the official withdrawal date in March 2019” ~ Steven Kilfedder, Production Manager at ECA International


The U.S. and Canada are expecting salaries to rise by an average of 3.2% and 2.6% respectively. Asia has been predicted to show the greatest average salary increases. India is set for a 5.1% real salary increase, whilst China is predicted for a 4.1% increase.

## 5. The #MeToo Movement
An issue that has grown to prominence recently is the [#MeToo](https://metoomvmt.org/ "#MeToo") campaign and navigating misconduct in the workplace. Companies will look to HR to lead the way in impacting change in this area. Most organizations already have existing processes in place to address situations when they arise. [84% of HR leaders](https://www.morneaushepell.com/permafiles/91423/hr-trends-2019-summary-report.pdf "84% of HR leaders") currently have zero tolerance policies on workplace harassment and misconduct. 68% of HR departments provide managers with the resources to address behaviour in the workplace. Importantly, 25% are planning to implement processes in the next year to year-and-a-half. However you implement the changes in your organization, a crucial factor will be training both employees and HR leaders in how to recognize and effectively address situations as they arise. This might (and should!) enact a big culture shift in your organization and you'll need to make sure everyone is prepared and supported.

What will be driving new developments in Human Resources in 2019?

HR Trends to Watch in 2019

The last few years have seen a dramatic change in the way organizations recognize, measure, evaluate and ultimately improve performance. There has been a transition from traditional to continuous performance management. Continuous performance management is characterized by flexible goal management, one-on-one conversations with managers and direct reports, regular performance and development conversations, and ongoing, real-time feedback.

The redesign of performance management is becoming particularly important. [79% of executives](https://www.kornferry.com/institute/the-trillion-dollar-difference "The Trillion Dollar Difference") labelling it a high priority. The impact of these new systems and practices is clear. 83% of companies report that the quality of employee-manager conversations is improving. 90% have seen direct improvements in employee engagement. The HR industry is in a state of flux, with a growing number of companies transitioning to continuous performance management but only finding old HR software. We at PeopleGoal are here to help. Our award winning platform provides performance management tolls that fit your organization’s culture and goals perfectly!

We are leading the HR software industry in a new, innovative direction. But what are the differences between the old and the new in the world of HR software?

![Key characteristics of HR software](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/6qsjllZ3S5YFQv4arE3fge/b6e484f9c5c287537b42a0b513d898bd/Key_characteristics_of_HR_software.png)

## Continuous 360 Feedback

In the new-age performance management systems real-time, 360° continuous feedback is the bed-rock. They allow employees to provide and request feedback to individuals all over the organization.

The key to a building a valuable feedback process is generating honest, regular and actionable information. PeopleGoal has an extremely customizable system for building feedback forms. You can add feedback questions, rating scales and other criteria to build a feedback form that suits your company.

## Real Time Data

We live in a digital age. Using artificial intelligence, performance management systems can collect and analyse data effectively. HR software looks at online performance and encourages managers to provide recognition, support and coaching where appropriate.

## Easy Integration

PeopleGoal integrates with products like Bamboo HR, Slack, Workday, Gmail and other productivity tools where people spend a lot of their time. This helps incorporate performance management into everyday work.

## Customizable

PeopleGoal is a modular, customizable platform that allows you to tailor your current performance management process, rather than be dictated by a strict formula. Customization allows for organizations to add features which are of importance to them.

## Supporting Career Development

The purpose of this stage is to promote, encourage and engender further improvement and development of the employee. One method of development is training, whether it be on or off site. Other methods include coaching and/or mentoring. Regardless of the method, the desirable outcome is enhancing employee strengths, improving employee weaknesses and gearing the employee towards the organisation’s needs.

Tools can recommend new jobs and careers based on an individual’s internal experiences with job mobility and his prior success in the company.

## Progress Tracking

HR software helps to align your individual goals to those of the team, department and organization. Tracking performance in relation to your goals helps you to achieve. It allows your senior team to instantly see as detailed or as broad a picture of the organisation’s performance as is required.

## Making Goals More Social and Transparent

PeopleGoal allows goals and performance to be shared online between teammates and colleagues. Allowing them to share, collaborate and give deserved recognition on tasks and objectives. Goals are made more transparent with an increased focus on team achievement.

At PeopleGoal We're Not Just Interested In Selling You Software.

We’re looking to create a long-term relationship, with a real focus on you! Your specific needs and individual people management requirements. Staying by your side from start to finish, with our consultative approach to customisable HR systems.

Want to know more? Check out our practical toolkit: ‘Modernizing your Performance Management Processes.’ Make the jump to continuous performance management today.


[Download Your Toolkit Here](https://enterprise.peoplegoal.com/modernising-performance-management-for-large-organisations "Modernising Performance Management Processes")
Alternatively, feel free to read our other [blogs](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog "PeopleGoal Blog"), [reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/132347/PeopleGoal/ "PeopleGoal Capterra") or [FAQ’s](https://www.peoplegoal.com/faqs "PeopleGoal FAQs") to find out more. You can even try our platform in a free 14-day trial with no subscription needed.

What are the key differences between the HR software of the past and the HR software of the future?

The new-age evolution of HR software

Is there any reason to invest in new performance management software?

The performance management system within HR departments is constantly evolving. It must flex and change, supporting both company-specific growth, and industry-wide trends. It’s an integral part of HR’s responsibilities, so why then do only [6% of organizations](https://blog.impraise.com/360-feedback/top-reasons-to-reconsider-performance-reviews "Top Reasons To Reconsider Traditional Performance Reviews") believe their current performance review process is worth the time, manpower, and costs required to execute it?

Something’s very wrong with a system that 94% of users have no faith in; innovative HR leaders using new technologies must strive to fix this problem. At PeopleGoal we’re focused on guiding and supporting those HR leaders, helping to upgrade performance management processes. That’s why we’ve created this at-a-glance list of reasons why we think performance management software is definitely “worth it” for organizations and HR leaders alike.

## Reason 1: Modernizing Paper-Based Spreadsheet Methodologies Will Save You Time and Money, Optimizing Your Processes.

Let’s face it, offline document tracking is a pain. Inevitably, everyone has a different version, changes are lost, and key pieces of information are erased or forgotten with reformatting and version evolution.

However, when you migrate your paper-based performance tracking to an online platform, all of your employee-related processes filter into one virtual location, improving performance and transparency across the business. Management has the much-needed visibility to easily identify performance hotspots, and information “vaults” are created with feedback, career development process, check-ins, and peer-reviews online and available 24/7 to anyone who needs them (and has permission access).

It’s an easy, single-location reference. No virtual files to track or check in, and no more file cabinets full of paper. Online platforms give a more accurate snapshot of an employee’s (and manger’s) development and performance over time.

Additionally, attrition and retention factors can also be tracked when analysing data trends and reports—something that is virtually impossible when utilising paper-based spreadsheets.
## Reason 2: Software Makes the Performance Management Process Specific and Catered to Your Business.

With performance management processes, a one-size-fits-all approach is a bad idea. You need to be able to tailor your performance management systems to meet the needs of your company’s goals, regulations, etc. The customisation that is available from quality online performance management systems allows for organisations to add features which are important to you. And with customizable reporting, you’re able to create various reports based on your organization's specific needs.

You can also sort and pull data as needed. If your organization is heavily focused on certain development features—a compliance development for example —you simply select that module as part of your online platform, tracking development and training requirements for the entire organization.

## Reason 3: Software Provides a Needed Infrastructure to Shift from Annual Reviews to Continuous Feedback, Making That Transition Easier and More Integrated.

Shifting away from annual reviews to continuous feedback is a proven model for increasing both employee and manager engagement. With [71% of people](https://www.hrtechnologist.com/articles/hr-analytics/time-for-hr-to-get-real-with-realtime-feedback/ "Time for HR to Get Real with Real-Time Feedback") in an Accenture study confirming that real-time feedback leads to improved performance, employees can make better decisions with more readily available data. Reviews can be referenced and tracked to plot out an employee’s growth (and success trajectory). Issues can also be addressed and resolved quicker.

Many managers find the performance cycle too complex and time-consuming, so they just don’t bother to participate. With feedback any time, managers have the tools needed to provide accurate, relevant, and current feedback easily, versus referencing past actions and end-of-year reflections.

Finally, many software platforms are integrated with other technology components within your organization, allowing you to seamlessly move from one software to another—no need to duplicate your employee information across two accounts. [PeopleGoal is integrated](https://www.peoplegoal.com/integrations "PeopleGoal Integrations") with a variety of SaaS applications including BambooHR, Slack, Dropbox, LinkedIn, Google, and many others.

## Reason 4 : Technical Support—a Final Key to Finding (and Retaining) Software’s Worthiness.

A quality performance management software provider will never leave you to manage the software implementation and maintenance by yourself. A good provider will help you adapt, handling any problems that may arise. Once you’ve made the decision to implement performance software and have your boss’s buy-in, on-boarding your business can be the toughest part of starting a new service. Bottom line, you need a software vendor with a consultative approach. If you decide to spend money on software, you should be willing (and able) to use it .

__And here are a few proven results from PeopleGoal to further support performance management software’s worthiness:__

- A 2x increase in feedback requests across the business.
- A 5x increase in goal updates across the business.
- An estimated 30% time saved by managers involved in the process.
- A “more effective” review according to employees, leading to a roll-out of more relevant, better quality goals.
- Leadership and HR find it far easier to evaluate and identify strong performers.
- Central administration has a clear, accurate picture of all staff at all levels, and can easily drill down into individual performance with real-time data.

__At PeopleGoal We're Not Just Interested Selling You Software.__

We’re looking to create a long-term relationship, with a real focus on your specific needs and individual people management requirements. We’re here to assist you in adapting, staying by your side from start to finish, with our consultative approach to customisable employee management systems.

We’re looking to create a long-term relationship, with a real focus on your specific needs and individual people management requirements. We’re here to assist you in adapting, staying by your side from start to finish, with our consultative approach to customisable employee management systems.

Looking for more ways to understand why performance management software is “worth it”? Check out our practical toolkit — __Modernizing your Performance Management Processes__.


It’s free, easy, and simple to use.

[Download Your Toolkit Here](https://enterprise.peoplegoal.com/modernising-performance-management-for-large-organisations "Modernising Performance Management")

You can also email us directly at <contact@peoplegoal.com>, or give us a call at +44 (0) 7990012125.

Find out the reasons why you need to invest in Performance Management Software! How can it help you optimise your organisations processes?

Don't Think Performance Management Software Is "Worth It"? 

How can Performance Management Software make your organisation achieve?

Don't Think Performance Management Software Is "Worth It"? Think Again.

As we move through the fourth quarter of 2018, many businesses are looking ahead to 2019, with human resources professionals addressing end of year deadlines and preparing for annual employee performance reviews.
Some companies will continue the practice of standard annual reviews, while others will replace reward/punishment-based annual processes with real-time reviews, and continuous feedback approaches.

With challenges like paper/spreadsheet-based processes, talent retention, performance visibility, and employee engagement top-of-mind for many HR leaders — only [4% of HR managers](https://www.npr.org/2016/09/28/495795876/yay-its-time-for-my-performance-review-said-no-one-ever "Yay, It's Time For My Performance Review! (Said No One Ever)") think their system of assessing employees is effective at measuring performance—a system overhaul is desperately needed.

At PeopleGoal our job is to help companies like yours boost productivity. That’s why we’ve put together a checklist of seven simple ways to help you optimize and modernize your performance management process in 2019.

## 1. Embrace Company-Wide Goal Setting
As the drivers behind the performance review process, HR leaders should be seeking real ROI from performance management systems, not fighting executives who aren’t accountable for deadlines, or managers who don’t bother to deliver reviews.
By establishing company-wide Objectives and Key Results (OKRs), employees can align their individual goals with larger company objectives, improving the understanding of individual contributions to the overall company's success. It’s a great way to start everyone off on the same page for the year, and it helps with employee engagement, making employees feel like they are part of the larger organization’s wins and losses.

## 2. Authenticate Relationships: Nurture Employee Engagement
With [90% of companies](https://www2.deloitte.com/insights/us/en/focus/human-capital-trends/2017/redesigning-performance-management.html "Performance management: Playing a winning hand") who have redesigned performance management seeing direct improvements, feedback cadence is a performance management element ripe for change.

Real-time feedback and 2-way feedback are two techniques that do wonders for promoting employee engagement. Both systems allow managers to “check-in” more often with employees, helping to address obstacles, provide coaching, and giving praise at regular intervals. Issues and concerns aren’t allowed to fester for a full year, and employees feel “seen” and “heard” more often.

## 3. Give 360° Feedback a Try
In addition to real-time feedback, and 2-way feedback, 360° feedback is quickly making its way into modern performance management systems. Like 2-way feedback, 360° feedback allows both employees and their managers to request and provide feedback, but in addition, employees can also request feedback from a peer or client.

Additionally, some systems also have the option of employees completing short self-assessments. This allows goals, hurdles, or interpersonal issues to be addressed from all perspectives, lending potential greater awareness to the entire team.

![Untitled design (2)](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/2m0mWVT3xzjnJkhzPHp6U0/3759b8407e97cb8cfeaa7a2d664ecd7d/Untitled_design__2_.png)

## 4. Ditch Your Excel Spreadsheet Tracking Habit 
Have you ever been on a project where 10+ people shared a common offline document? It’s a nightmare! No one is really sure what version is the correct version, and people accidentally erase data, or input wrong information all the time.

Going online solves these headaches, while allowing you to streamline your performance management process. An online system also keeps data safe and secure in the cloud, reduces process times, and creates a more efficient communication network between departments. And, very importantly, it also reduces the amount of menial labor notoriously involved in traditional performance management methods.

In addition, online-based performance management systems allow you to “brand and promote” performance reviews, taking a “marcom” style approach to engagement, for more process buy-in across your organization.

## 5. Brand 2019 'The Year of Analytics'
We live in a data-driven world, so it’s no surprise that data would show up in our performance management overhaul. By adopting a strategic, data-driven approach, your organization can collect and analyze data effectively, allowing you to recognize high-achievers and more closely monitor your overall performance process.

Data also allows you to see how often check-ins are taking place, making sure that managers are helping to bolster employee morale and performance with frequent feedback. Additionally, it can help you understand which managers are stellar, and which could use coaching and support. Your data reporting methods should also be customizable, giving you the ability to generate various reports based on your specific evaluation needs.

## 6. Make It All About Support (Especially When It Comes to New Management Software)
A checklist to help you modernize your performance management system wouldn’t be complete without addressing the implementation of new performance management software—one of the main upgrades you can make to your performance management process.

Before you select and buy software, you should carefully consider what features and elements you really need. Modular platforms are often best, you only pay for what you use. Customization is also key; a platform that fits your individual organization and specific management goals.

You should consider exploring product demonstrations, trial accounts, and qualification calls. That way you avoid purchasing any software that isn’t ideal. And most importantly, look for a software vendor that provides post-sale technical support. You’re much better off with a consultative approach provider than buying software that you’re never going to use.

## 7. Get Buy-In from Key Stakeholders for Any Big Changes
And our last, but not least, important element to consider when reinventing your performance management process is buy-in. Who has the authority to influence your project and its outcome?
Cultivating change successfully in your HR department is highly dependent upon correctly identifying and engaging stakeholders. The more engaged your stakeholders are, the higher the chances of completing your project successfully. Your software, analytics, and goal-setting initiatives are only effective if teams actually use them.

To receive larger buy-in from executives and key company stakeholders, you must show how your changes will deliver real value to the entire organization. What about your software choice, or 2-way feedback approach, will they enhance the larger company’s ability to succeed?


__At PeopleGoal, We're Here to Help!__

From paper-based process migration, to raising employee engagement, we know it takes a lot of time, research, analytics, and resources to initiate change. That’s why we’re here to help you adapt —aiding you through every step of your performance management process with our consultative approach.

For more ways to successfully make 2019 the year of change, check out our practical toolkit— Modernizing your Performance Management Processes. It’s free, easy, and simple to use.


[Download Your Toolkit Here](https://enterprise.peoplegoal.com/modernising-performance-management-for-large-organisations "Modernising Performance Management")

You can also email us directly at <contact@peoplegoal.com>, or give us a call at +44 (0) 7990012125.

It's time for change! Optimize and modernize your performance management process in 2019. Make next year - your year.

Make 2019 the Year of Change: Reinvent Your Performance Management Process

How performance management software can help you reach the top!

# What is employee performance management?

Employee performance management is an amalgamation of different talent management elements such as talent strategy, learning, training and employee development. The dictionary definition of employee performance management is the process of managing employees and teams effectively in order to achieve business growth. The process establishes a shared understanding of the business objectives and an approach to achieve them, while managing and developing people. According to Armstrong and Baron employee performance management is:

“A strategy which relates to every activity of the organization set in the context of its human resource policies, culture, style and communications systems”

One can split the employee performance management process into four main stages: Planning; Assessment; Recognition and Development.

## Planning

The planning stage of the performance management process is intended to set employees achievement goals and determine the expected level of performance for a given role. Within the planning stage, managers may wish to provide the employee with a clear timeline of work completion to make sure the achievement goals are met. By the end of the planning stage, both the employee and management should know what is expected, and the given timeframe.

## Assessment

The assessment stage constitutes an evaluation of the employees’ performance; this usually takes place annually. Evaluation is garnered from a collective number of sources: feedback from co-workers and clients; management reviews; previous years’ evaluation and skill assessments. Some organizations may have an employee complete an evaluation of their own performance before comparing it to the official evaluation.

## Recognition

This stage is centred around recognizing the employee’s achievements as well as areas that may need improvement. Employee recognition is an integral component of employee retention, motivation, engagement and development. During this stage, management and employees should discuss methods of improvement.

## Development

Development is perhaps the most challenging stage of employee performance management. The purpose of this stage is to promote, encourage and engender further improvement and development of the employee. One method of development is training, whether it be on or off site. Other methods include coaching and/or mentoring. Regardless of the method, the desirable outcome is enhancing employee strengths, improving employee weaknesses and gearing the employee towards the organization’s needs.

The employee performance management process should be a tool for the manager and the employee to:

- Communicate task expectations
- Discuss business objectives
- Ensure every individual is capable of delivering his/her tasks
- Provide constructive performance feedback
- Understand the impact of their actions in team and company level.

The nature of employee performance management will vary from organization to organization dependent on the size of the team, the size of the organisation, how experienced employees are and where managers sit in the organisational hierarchy. Nevertheless, employee performance management should:

![Establish a link between business objectives and employees team](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/6GQmvSW9z6ooZTgvWVijoN/678ef2af8588e640514b4b816f7c9b4b/Establish_a_link_between_business_objectives_and_employees_team.png)

Employee performance management is about establishing a social environment where teams and employees support business growth using their skills. In this environment, managers are able to plan with the help of their employees. They are able to set expectations and discuss what everyone should do to exceed these expectations. The entire process should be about driving employee engagement and team growth rather than just measuring an employee’s performance.

To learn more, feel free to read our other [blogs](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog "PeopleGoal Blogs"), [reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/132347/PeopleGoal/ "PeopleGoal Reviews") or [FAQ’s](https://www.peoplegoal.com/faqs "PeopleGoal FAQ's") to find out more. You can even try our platform in a free 14-day trial with no subscription needed.

Wanting to get to the core of employee performance management? Look no further. Read on to find out the key facets of employee performance management and perhaps even where you need to improve!

Employee performance management: Just what is it

Getting to the heart of employee performance management

Employee performance management: Just what is it?

Getting to the heart of employee performance management...

Performance management software is designed to improve organizational performance by spurring employee productivity. It helps to make sure that individuals, teams and environments are aligned and engaged with organizational goals. It has coincided with an industry shift to continuous performance management. Out with traditional methodology like an annual performance review process, in with real-time performance tracking, goal setting and feedback.

Performance management software has become an integral part of the organizational environment. But why is this the case, and why should you convert to the PeopleGoal performance management platform? The blog below outlines 7 reasons why you should invest...

![Copy of Why invest in performance management software](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/6STPnFhc9BMCfxXzs8rB7Y/892f3189c00c3137c1a03841914e5afa/Copy_of_Why_invest_in_performance_management_software.png)

## Ergonomics:

Say goodbye to endless paper streams and mass filing cabinets, a performance management system like ours keeps data safe and secure in the cloud. Implementing performance management software can help you save in many areas. Having it reduces process times and creates a more efficient communication network between departments and hierarchies. A performance management system reduces the amount of menial labour notoriously involved in traditional performance management methods.

## Analytics:

HR is no longer an administrative function; it is one of the most imperative elements of any organization. And so, HR requires a strategic, data driven approach to decision making.Performance management software like PeopleGoal’s, is thus a necessity for organization to be able to collect and analyse data effectively, allowing them to optimize their processes and recognize high-achievers.

## Customizable:

PeopleGoal is a modular, customizable platform that allows you to tailor your current performance management process, rather than be dictated by a strict formula. Customization allows for organizations to add features which are of importance to them.

## Electronic History:

Performance management systems allow you to review an individual, team or departments achievements, goal success rates, reviews, feedback and performance. With this data in one centralized location, it’s easy to run reports and view key prior reviews. Consequently, it allows you to map progress through all levels of the organization.

## Economical:

Yes, there is an initial outlay of costs when first purchasing and implementing the performance management system. The return on investment is far greater, evidenced in the amount of time saved, errors reduced and organizational optimization.

## Technical Support:

With the purchase of HR software, you are not then left to manage it alone and deal with any problems by yourself. Here at PeopleGoal, our five-star support team is quick to respond and ready to help. Even with simple our implementation, we know that on-boarding your business can be the toughest part of starting a new service, and we're here to answer any little question that springs up. Once you're up and running we're always available for a check-in or just to hear great feedback.

## Customized permission levels:

With PeopleGoal, there are different levels of permission dependent on your position within the organization. This makes it easy and more objective when viewing performance data. It also keeps reviews and assessments more confidential.

## Secure:

Having a centralized location for personal data that is encrypted and has customized permission levels means your personal data is more secure.


Feel free to read our other [blogs](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog "PeopleGoal Blogs"), [reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/132347/PeopleGoal/ "PeopleGoal Reviews") or [FAQs](https://www.peoplegoal.com/faqs "PeopleGoal FAQ's") to find out more. You can even try our platform in a free 14-day trial with no subscription needed. 

Alternatively, you can also email us directly at <contact@peoplegoal.com>.

7 reasons why performance management software is a necessity. Learn why you need to invest in performance management software today.

Why invest in performance management software?

Employee retention in any organisation is critical. Every employee can be considered an asset who appreciates over time alongside their increase in productivity. Once an employee leaves a company, the value that they have built over that time is lost. Drawbacks of poor employee retention include erroneous investment of time and capital into an individual; a stunt in productivity and the associated costs of a new hiring cycle.

## Why do employees leave?

According to research from the [Society for Human Resource Management ](https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/trends-and-forecasting/research-and-surveys/Pages/default.aspx "SHRM Research")the five predominant reasons why employees leave are:

- Not enough challenge to their day to day work
- Lack of relationships with peers and managers
- Poor work/life balance
- Subjective employee performance metrics
- Lack of career progression opportunities

## Methods for improving employee retention

Having identified the main reasons why employees leave their job, let's focus on some tips for overcoming these and improving employee retention.

## Rewards and Recognition

There is a strong association between employee recognition and retention. Employees can quickly become disengaged if they feel they are being unnoticed. Acknowledging employees for their work generates a stronger emotional commitment to the organisation.

Every company should have a robust employee reward and recognition process and all employees should be able to participate. The process should have a clear set of information about behaviours that are being rewarded. Recognition should be closely linked to employee performance to promote behaviours that help the company grow.

## Setting Clear Expecations

Managers and senior leadership often fail to communicate their expectations to their employees. This results in directionless, disengaged employees – a contributing factor to high employee turnover. One way to set clear expectations is through performance management software. A tool like PeopleGoal will simplify the feedback process, performance reviews and goal setting in your organisation, allowing you to focus on what's really important - communication.

## Communicate a Clear Company Vision and Strategy

The better you communicate the company vision and strategy to the employees the more you will engage your employees. Especially when company growth is connected to employee progression. Make sure that your employees know the company goals and try to align their individual goals with organisational ones, so they can see exactly how they're contributing to the company's overall success.

## Transparent Career Development

Having a clear roadmap of promotion for every employee gives everyone a clear path of goals to work towards. Employees will understand their position in the organisational hierarchy, and will know what they have to achieve in order to progress in the organisation.


Feel free to read our other [blogs](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog "PeopleGoal Blogs"), [reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/132347/PeopleGoal/ "PeopleGoal Capterra Reviews") or [FAQ’s](https://www.peoplegoal.com/faqs "PeopleGoal FAQ's") to find out more. You can even try our platform in a [free 14-day trial](https://auth.peoplegoal.com/login?state=g6Fo2SA4RVRjZ3ZkaVRWVnJOZ2k1aWtWdHYtTlNFRDRpX3lCbqN0aWTZIGxZbUFYTDljVGYzWW9TUTRZQmZNV0FlYzg3d3piYWZUo2NpZNkgU0RoVzZEbWNaNFVHQXQ4NnluY3hOZWliWWdwOG5MRUk&client=SDhW6DmcZ4UGAt86yncxNeibYgp8nLEI&protocol=oauth2&auth0Client=eyJuYW1lIjoib21uaWF1dGgtYXV0aDAiLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjoiMi4wLjAifQ%3D%3D&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.peoplegoal.com%2Fauth%2Foauth2%2Fcallback%3Flogin_hint%3DsignUp&response_type=code&scope=openid%20profile%20email%20user_metadata "PeopleGoal Trial Sign-Up") with no subscription needed.

__Our references for further reading:__

[Society for Human Resource Management: Research & Surveys](https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/trends-and-forecasting/research-and-surveys/Pages/default.aspx "SHRM Research")

Are you supporting your employees development? What steps can you take to make sure your employees are appreciated? Make sure you keep your best employees! 

How to Improve Employee Retention

Why do employees leave, and what steps can you take to prevent this?

How to improve employee retention

Feedback is an integral part of an organisation’s continuous improvement and of an individual’s professional development. Providing feedback is an ongoing, cyclical task and you must let your employees know where they are, where they need to go, what they are doing well and what they are doing not so well.

Constructive feedback fosters a culture of development, increases the employee’s self-awareness, improves morale and reduces confusion regarding expectations. This doesn't mean solely giving positive feedback! Providing negative feedback in a tactful manner is just as, if not more, important. However, negative feedback given the wrong way often leads to employee disengagement, reduces morale and gives little guidance on how to improve/change. Thus, it is important to learn how to give constructive feedback effectively.

The objective behind giving constructive feedback is to provide guidance to an employee. Guidance can support effective behaviour or realign problematic performance to successful performance. So what should you do to make sure you’re providing the best possible constructive feedback?

![6 PRINCIPLES OF CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/6kv6xq2gqFF5BWBvdexkXs/144ebf9f891e21d7ef052402cc1561de/6_PRINCIPLES_OF_CONSTRUCTIVE_FEEDBACK.png)

## 1. Be Specific
Identify the key areas and actions where the employee excelled or performed poorly. Make sure the feedback you give is clear and to the point. Regardless of whether it's positive or negative, feedback should be given in a straightforward manner. Specific constructive feedback leads to greater opportunity to learn.

## 2. Be Postive
Recognition is important! Most people need encouragement and to be told when they are doing something well. It's common for individuals to emphasise the negative and to focus on mistakes more often than successes. In a rush to criticise, we may overlook the things we liked. If the positive is registered first, any negative is more likely to be listened to and acted upon.

## 3. Offer Autonomy
Feedback which is heavily imposed or demands strict action in the way you see best can result in resistance to change. The best constructive feedback offers people a choice: whether to act on the feedback or not. This allows the employee to maintain autonomy over their behaviour whilst offering the opportunity for development. In the case of a manager, offer your employee an example of how you overcame a similar problem, and let them bring their own ideas for what they could do differently.

## 4. Observation, not Inference
Inferences are the assumptions and opinions that you formulate about an individual, whereas observations are objective and are the result of clear, logical reasoning. Basing feedback on inferences is particularly detrimental and can lead to a breakdown of relationships between manager and employee. Try to be as objective as possible and show that you've carefully considered your feedback points, and you'll see greater respect and weight given to your opinion.

## 5. Use Descriptive Language
Describing behaviour is a feedback method for identifying a range of positive or negatives. This is beneficial and allows for a healthy discussion. On the other hand, using evaluative language can be dangerous. Using language like ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ engenders a "black and white" culture which is too rigid and may make the employee respond defensively or resistant to the feedback. Avoid using ‘need to’ phraseology; it is an implicit note to the individual that they did something wrong, but it doesn't offer any guidance or explicit information on where they went wrong.

## 6. Avoid Feedback Overload
Constructive feedback shouldn’t be overbearing or protracted. Remember, feedback should follow a cycle and there will always be another opportunity to offer constructive feedback. For each meeting select two or three main points to offer feedback on. If you give too much feedback the employee may become disengaged, or even confused with the overwhelming wealth of information.


Constructive feedback has a range of benefits. As a manager, you continue to develop a working relationship with your employees whilst also providing guidance for their work. For the employee, constructive feedback helps continuous professional development, motivation and engagement.


Download our practical toolkit: ‘Modernising your Performance Management Processes.’ It’s free, easy and simple to use.

[Download Your Toolkit Here](https://enterprise.peoplegoal.com/modernising-performance-management-for-large-organisations "Modernising Performance Management")

Feel free to read our other [blogs](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog "PeopleGoal Blogs"), [reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/132347/PeopleGoal/ "PeopleGoal Capterra Reviews") or [FAQ’s](https://www.peoplegoal.com/faqs "PeopleGoal FAQ's") to find out more. You can even try our platform in a [free 14-day trial](https://auth.peoplegoal.com/login?state=g6Fo2SA4RVRjZ3ZkaVRWVnJOZ2k1aWtWdHYtTlNFRDRpX3lCbqN0aWTZIGxZbUFYTDljVGYzWW9TUTRZQmZNV0FlYzg3d3piYWZUo2NpZNkgU0RoVzZEbWNaNFVHQXQ4NnluY3hOZWliWWdwOG5MRUk&client=SDhW6DmcZ4UGAt86yncxNeibYgp8nLEI&protocol=oauth2&auth0Client=eyJuYW1lIjoib21uaWF1dGgtYXV0aDAiLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjoiMi4wLjAifQ%3D%3D&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.peoplegoal.com%2Fauth%2Foauth2%2Fcallback%3Flogin_hint%3DsignUp&response_type=code&scope=openid%20profile%20email%20user_metadata "PeopleGoal Trial Sign-Up") with no subscription needed.


Poorly provided feedback which is overly critical, badly worded and can actually produce adverse effects. What should you do to make sure you're providing the best possible constructive feedback? 

6 Principles of Constructive Feedback

Constructive feedback fosters a culture of development, self-awareness and actionable change.

6 principles of constructive feedback

Employee engagement is defined as ‘the level of an employee’s psychological investment in their ascribed organisation’. Engagement can’t be imposed nor can it be instilled. It’s about creating a culture of recognition. Over the last 20 years there has been an organisational culture shift towards employee engagement. That is, in the way employees are treated, valued and recognised for the contribution they have on organisational success. But what of current employee engagement trends? Below we review the global trends found by [Aon](http://www.aon.com/2018-global-employee-engagement-trends/index.html "Aon Global Engagement Trends Report") in their most recent report.

Aon reported that global engagement has rebounded to an all time high of 65%. Put differently, across the world, almost two-thirds of the employed population feel engaged with their organisation. On the surface this appears to be good news, and it is! But the report breaks down engagement into continents and countries, wherein interesting fluctuations arise.

## North America

In Canada, engagement dropped 1% to 69%. Employee engagement in the US remained at 64% despite large geopolitical divisions in the country which one may have thought would have an influence similar to that in the UK. Aon argue that US economic growth neutralises political anxiety.

## Europe

From the fastest-growing region to the lowest-scoring region! Overall, Europe’s employee engagement levels increased by 2% to reach 60%. Between European countries, the differences are particularly interesting.

Amongst the greatest-improving countries in the world, Europe contains four of them: France (+7%); The Netherlands (+8%); Austria and Sweden (+9%). Aon suggest that improved engagement could be in part the result of economic rebound in previously struggling European markets. Italy, Portugal and Greece all reported improvements in employee engagement. Greece in particular showed a rise form -0.2% to 2.6%. this growth allows for a positive outlook for 2018 engagement scores.

Among the European countries which showed a decline is the UK. Employee engagement scores in the UK dropped 3%, representing the biggest decline among the 29 biggest global economies. Aon argue that a large contributing factor to the decline may be Brexit. Dan Riley, Aon’s European Talent Practice Market Leader writes:

*__“Employee engagement in the U.K. dropped significantly as they still are trying to find their way after the 2016 Brexit vote”__*

Aon’s research into Engagement During Times of Change indicates that engagement may take several years to recover after such large-scale changes.

## Latin America

Employee engagement in Latin America plateaued in 2017, but worryingly for 2018, engagement declined in key markets including: Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Peru, Chile and Colombia. When one compares the Latin American employee engagement scores to global engagement, the difference is stark. The region has reached its joint highest score at 75% in 2017, compared to the global average of 65%.

## Asia and the Pacific

This region re-reached its joint highest employee engagement scores at 65% in 2017, following a 3% decline in 2016. The region’s largest economies showed a resurgence: China (+2%); Japan (+2%) and India (+2%).

## Africa

Africa constitutes the largest increase for a region, with a 5% increase to 66%. On its own this is remarkable, but even more impressive when you consider the rapid increase in engagement over the last five years. In 2012, just over half (51%) of the population were engaged, compared to currently where that figure is just under two-thirds (66%). It is unequivocally the greatest ascent of the studied regions. Each of Africa’s five largest economies (South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Algeria and Morocco) showed growth in employee engagement. Incredibly, Nigeria followed a 9% increase in 2016 with another 9% increase in 2017!

Employee engagement is increasingly becoming recognised as an integral part of organisational culture. Currently employee engagement is at a global joint all-time high. Employees want to be recognised. They want to feel valued. The better an organisation fosters a culture of employee engagement the greater the benefits.

To learn more, feel free to read our other [blogs](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog "PeopleGoal Blogs"), [reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/132347/PeopleGoal/ "PeopleGoal Reviews") or [FAQ’s](https://www.peoplegoal.com/faqs "PeopleGoal FAQ's") to find out more. You can even try our platform in a [free 14-day trial](https://auth.peoplegoal.com/login?state=g6Fo2SAybEFIX1lUaE50b1JBcDdadHpPM3UyczRjeGtBVzhFNaN0aWTZIDFESkxoTVNSV0JiUl9LLWVmZ2tScHJ2TTlBTlZRUHMwo2NpZNkgU0RoVzZEbWNaNFVHQXQ4NnluY3hOZWliWWdwOG5MRUk&client=SDhW6DmcZ4UGAt86yncxNeibYgp8nLEI&protocol=oauth2&auth0Client=eyJuYW1lIjoib21uaWF1dGgtYXV0aDAiLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjoiMi4wLjAifQ%3D%3D&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.peoplegoal.com%2Fauth%2Foauth2%2Fcallback%3Flogin_hint%3DsignUp&response_type=code&scope=openid%20profile%20email%20user_metadata "PeopleGoal Sign-Up") with no subscription needed.

Alternatively, you can also email us directly at <contact@peoplegoal.com>.

Our references for further reading:

[Aon - 2018 Employee Engagement Report](http://www.aon.com/2018-global-employee-engagement-trends/index.html)

How is employee engagement faring in regions around the world? Read this abridged version of the super interesting Aon report from 2018.

Global Employee Engagement Trends

Employee engagement around the world for 2018

Global employee engagement trends for 2018

Employee engagement is the extent to which employees feel committed to the organization, passionate about their jobs and understand their contribution to the organization. Engagement can’t be imposed nor can it be instilled. It’s about creating a culture of recognition. Over the last 20 years there has been an organizational culture shift towards employee engagement. Organizations are now recognizing the importance of employee recognition and the impact that negative engagement has on organizational success. Recent research by [Aon](http://www.aon.com/2018-global-employee-engagement-trends/index.html "Aon Global Engagement Reports") has estimated global employee engagement to be at 65%. This means just over a third of the working population are neutral or feel disengaged. In this post we've got 5 tactics to get your employees engaged during 2018 and beyond.

## 1. Focus on Development

A Gallup (2016) poll indicated that 87% of millennials (69% of non-millennials) recognize career development and growth as an important factor in their professional careers. Many employees strive to achieve continuous professional development and enjoy the challenges of the workplace. They do not want taxing, monotonous tasks. To avoid this, you may want to adopt different strategies. For example, you may offer educational interventions to aid employee development. It shows employees that you value them at an individual level and want them to grow. Other tactics include a job rotation program or adding new challenging job roles and tasks, to keep them active and interested.

## 2. Build a Culture Around Recognition

There is a strong association between employee recognition and engagement. Employees can quickly become disengaged if they feel they are being unnoticed. Acknowledging employees for their work generates a stronger emotional commitment to the organization. But how does recognition generate engagement? Initially, recognition provides immediate gratification, and subsequently improves employee productivity and engagement. Secondly, according to the Globoforce Employee recognition survey (2017), recognition programs tied to organisational values outperform other programs. A final method is to use company-wide communication for recognition. To maximize engagement and morale, employee recognition should be company-wide, explaining what the recognition is for, the contribution made by the employee and the impact that it has for the organization.

## 3. Avoid Micromanaging

Micromanagement is a style in which a manager meticulously observes and/or controls the work of their employees. It is widely considered to have a damaging effect for an organization, largely as a result in a lack of freedom. Micromanagement also holds negative connotations for employee engagement. Micromanagement incurs the penalty of reduced motivation and autonomy. In a sense, employees become robots.

## 4. Set Goals!

Setting goals monthly, quarterly, biannually and annually gives employees a clear target to work towards. This involves employees with organizational goals and allows them to reflect on their contribution to departmental and organizational success.

## 5. Create an Employee Engagement Survey

The employment engagement survey allows employees to voice their opinions coupled with the expectation that change will follow. However, organizations often fall foul of the trap of taking no action and instead collect irrelevant data which is uninterpretable. This creates a façade which appears to look like you don’t care about the employee’s opinions. Any employee engagement survey must be relevant, specific and actionable. With this in mind, you’ll soon see that your survey is only a springboard to engagement, and it is the actionable elements which engender employee engagement. To further engage employees, you can go one step further than structured employee surveys. One could create channels where each employee can raise issues and give feedback for problems and possible improvements. Consider using discussion forums where feedback can be received from managers and peers alike.

To learn more, feel free to read our other [blogs](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog "PeopleGoal Blogs"), [reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/132347/PeopleGoal/ "PeopleGoal Reviews") or [FAQ’s](https://www.peoplegoal.com/faqs "PeopleGoal FAQ's") to find out more. You can even try our platform in a [free 14-day trial](https://auth.peoplegoal.com/login?state=g6Fo2SAybEFIX1lUaE50b1JBcDdadHpPM3UyczRjeGtBVzhFNaN0aWTZIDFESkxoTVNSV0JiUl9LLWVmZ2tScHJ2TTlBTlZRUHMwo2NpZNkgU0RoVzZEbWNaNFVHQXQ4NnluY3hOZWliWWdwOG5MRUk&client=SDhW6DmcZ4UGAt86yncxNeibYgp8nLEI&protocol=oauth2&auth0Client=eyJuYW1lIjoib21uaWF1dGgtYXV0aDAiLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjoiMi4wLjAifQ%3D%3D&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.peoplegoal.com%2Fauth%2Foauth2%2Fcallback%3Flogin_hint%3DsignUp&response_type=code&scope=openid%20profile%20email%20user_metadata "PeopleGoal Sign-Up") with no subscription needed.

Alternatively, you can also email us directly at <contact@peoplegoal.com>.


Our references for further reading:

[Aon - 2018 Global Employee Engagement Trends](http://www.aon.com/2018-global-employee-engagement-trends/index.html)
[Gallup - Millennials Want Jobs to Be Development Opportunities](https://news.gallup.com/businessjournal/193274/millennials-jobs-development-opportunities.aspx)
[Globoforce - Employee Experience as a Business Driver](http://go.globoforce.com/rs/862-JIQ-698/images/2017_EmployeeExperienceAsBusinessDriver.pdf)

Trying to figure out how to boost employee engagement in your organization? Read our top tips for maximizing employee engagement in 2018.

Trying to figure out how to boost employee engagement in your organisation? Read our top tips for maximising employee engagement in 2018.

5 Employee Engagement Tactics for 2018

Maximise employee engagement your organisation for 2018

5 employee engagement tactics for 2018

Maximize employee engagement your organization for 2018

​5 Employee Engagement Tactics for 2018

A good team is the foundation for any high-performing business. Superficially, a thriving team looks very much like any other. However, it is what occurs unbeknown to a mere observer which separates a good team from the best team. The attitudes, the behaviours, the interactions, the language and the environment all add up to create a thriving team. Dr Tim Baker recently produced an interrelated model for the key characteristics of a successful team. Put simply, if your team displays one of these characteristics, it is likely that they will also exhibit other characteristics as well. However, the reverse is also true for negligence of a characteristic. That is, if a team ignores one of the characteristics, it will have a consequential negative impact on other characteristics.

Below is an adapted version of [Dr Baker’s model](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/8-characteristics-high-performing-teams-dr-tim-baker/ "Dr Tim Baker's 8 Characteristics of High Performing Teams"). Included are six constituent factors for what makes a good team.

![Old Blog](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/2eaRXAztrGFQ4JqpnaZ54T/d9e5e88049977a21d2bdd3c98aa1ff79/Old_Blog.png)

## Communication

Arguably the most important component of the group. Effective communication is central to every facet of an organisation. A thriving team has open and honest discussions, sharing their thoughts, ideas and opinions. They engender a meritocracy, ensuring no-one is above anyone else and allowing everyone to feel as though they can contribute freely. Creating this sort of culture is one of the fundamental foundations of a successful team.

Problems that emerge in groups can often be traced back to issues with communication. Poor communication leads to crossed wires which in turn can lead to inefficiencies in performance and even conflict! Effective communication is imperative.

## Diversity and Heterogeneity

Thriving teams value diversity. They recognise each individual’s strengths and their preferences to assign tasks, and ultimately to boost performance. Each team member is valued for their unique talents and skills. Collectively, a diverse skill set, way of thinking, experiences, idea generation and problem solving helps to create an effective team and enhance results.

## Clear Goals

The overriding factor which differentiates a group of people from an effective team is a clear goal. However, this goal needs to be more than an organisational objective: it needs to matter to the team, to be something that they will value and see the benefit in achieving. Each member knows the value of their personal contribution to the team goal. When individuals focus on the critical differences only they can instigate, results increase and teams become effective and successful. As a team, members should agree on and set goals. From here, the team can devise a plan for goal completion. What to do, who to do it, how to do it, when to do it. Each individual member is accountable and has responsibility for the team’s overall success.

## Leadership

A good leader is an essential component of a successful team. They are the one that the team trusts and respects. The best teams are directed by a leader who is open to feedback and criticism, and who can communicate the team's vision and the organisation's vision. They foster employee engagement and development. They are even willing to share leadership - deferring to other members of the team and using collaborative practices when they are necessary.

## Trust and Respect

Every thriving team relies on a high degree of trust. When you know that your colleagues are reliable and competent, you can trust them to work independently toward the team goal. Teams are most effective when there is a mutual respect between members. Leaders are imperative in creating a culture of trust and respect. For example, leaders could generate mutual trust by rewarding behaviours that build trust and encourage individuals to lead by example. Alternatively, leaders could encourage language that supports collaboration and dialogue between team members, and even across the organisation.

## Managed Conflict

This is an essential component to aiding team growth. It is important that when issues arise they are not avoided or ignored. When managed effectively there are a plethora of benefits to be seen including: the quality of decision-making; improved creativity; increased scope of view; increased participation from team members and more effective communication. It is also important for the team leader to differentiate between a culture of challenge/disagreement and blame/criticism. If the environment empowers team members to challenge one another in a constructive and open manner, then the working relationship within the team is likely to be more creative and productive.

Check out our practical toolkit — __Modernizing your Performance Management Processes__. It’s free, easy, and simple to use.

[Download Your Toolkit Here](https://enterprise.peoplegoal.com/modernising-performance-management-for-large-organisations "Modernising Performance Management")

To learn more, feel free to read our other [blogs](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog "PeopleGoal Blogs"), [reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/132347/PeopleGoal/ "PeopleGoal Reviews") or [FAQ’s](https://www.peoplegoal.com/faqs "PeopleGoal FAQ's") to find out more. You can even try our platform in a [free 14-day trial](https://auth.peoplegoal.com/login?state=g6Fo2SAybEFIX1lUaE50b1JBcDdadHpPM3UyczRjeGtBVzhFNaN0aWTZIDFESkxoTVNSV0JiUl9LLWVmZ2tScHJ2TTlBTlZRUHMwo2NpZNkgU0RoVzZEbWNaNFVHQXQ4NnluY3hOZWliWWdwOG5MRUk&client=SDhW6DmcZ4UGAt86yncxNeibYgp8nLEI&protocol=oauth2&auth0Client=eyJuYW1lIjoib21uaWF1dGgtYXV0aDAiLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjoiMi4wLjAifQ%3D%3D&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.peoplegoal.com%2Fauth%2Foauth2%2Fcallback%3Flogin_hint%3DsignUp&response_type=code&scope=openid%20profile%20email%20user_metadata "PeopleGoal Sign-Up") with no subscription needed.

Alternatively, you can also email us directly at <contact@peoplegoal.com>.


Needing some tips on how to create a great team dynamic? Look no further. Find out which characteristics make up a high-performing team.

70 useful employee performance review phrases for every function

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