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The Link between Employee Engagement

and Performance Systems

Professional Bio

Nancy J Hess, principal of N.J. Hess Associates, has been designing and developing human resource systems for organizations for over 25 years with a focus on municipal government.

She founded her practice on the idea that people processes are the heart and soul of successful organizations.

She also was part of the adjunct faculty in the Department of Management at Bloomsburg University for over ten years.

N.J. Hess Associates

I am so

excited for my

annual

performance

review said no

one, ever.

High

employee

engagement is

the best

predictor of

organization

success.

Two Different Paradigms

Performance System Norms

Rating systems range from “you are SUPER” to “you are a big 0”

The rater does all the preparation for the evaluation interview.

We talk about performance evaluation once a year.

We tend to focus on what needs fixed.

We tend to focus only on what we see.

What other norms are we used to?

We have been used to doing things a certain way and sometimes it is hard to break with past habits.

Existing paradigms for performance systems create internal feeling states much like those we experienced when we received a report card at school.

Employee

Feedback

Job

Descriptions

GOALS

Management

Training

Here is where the Gold can be found!

Wordle created from management training notes

Goal Setting Workshop

How do we go about setting organization goals?

Start by asking questions of your management team, e.g.,

What do we see in the future, with respect to the way we do things, that is different from the way we do them now?

What assets will we rely upon to move us forward?

What challenges will most likely hold us back?

What would we most like to be recognized for that also fits with our understanding of community wants and needs?

GOAL SETTING

Organization Level

• Build a customer-focused environment.

Department Level

• Create positive customer experiences

Individual Level

• Create documentation (e.g. FAQ) for customer questions and make recommendations…..

Short and Sweet Policy

Formal and Informal

Ongoing documentation of conversations about progress on goals or standards.

Review of job description plays central role

Feedback on job competencies is focused on development

Goals are the primary driver for the formal evaluation.

SAMPLE COMPETENCIES

Customer Service(internal/external) -Understanding and anticipating customer wants; resolving customer needs.

One Team Thinking -The willingness to work with other groups and departments to achieve organization goals, as demonstrated by the “We are all in this together” approach to work.

Big Picture Thinking - Understanding how different parts and functions of the organization fit together and creates a sense purpose for team.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Customer Service (Internal and External) - Understanding and anticipating customer wants, and resolve customer needs.

I Adopts professional attitude with customers (don’t take emotional concerns personally);

Actively listens to customer issues and concerns; uses questions to identify needs and

promote customer understanding.

II Expands customer skills based on experience; knows who handles what; asks probing

questions to get to root of the problem; accepts other’s perspectives; understand the

County’s function within the community.

III Demonstrates calm manner with sensitive matters; de-escalates potential volatile situations

with empathy, factual response and documentation.

IV Demonstrates for others how to adjust approach to customer concerns to reflect factors

such as frame of mind, customer’s culture, sensitivity of issue and other variables that

require a variation in approach to create better outcomes.

V Promotes respect for customer diversity, sets standards for openness and integrity; works to

build a culture of civility and trust with customers.

VI Continuously builds customer-focused approach throughout organization with attention to

leveraging technology and human approaches to improve network of connections and

access for customers.

PERFORMANCE REVIEW AGENDA

Review of job description(Employee Engagement)

Goal-setting(Align with Big Picture Goals)

Feedback on Critical Competencies(Focus on developing employee)

EMPLOYEE GOALS

Goal 1: Due Date: Aligned with Organization Goal: Criteria for Completion:

Due Dates: (Optional)

Goal Completion (highlight) 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Reviewing Manager Report:

Meets Does Not Meet Employee Comments (optional):

Core Competencies: Target Level Assessed Level

1. Customer Service 1 1

2. Big Picture Thinking 1 1

3. One Team Thinking 1 1

Competency Assessment

Supervisor Role

Communicate understanding of critical job functions and competencies required for successful performance;Review job descriptions and identify priorities;Communicate how employee’s goals relate to goals of department and overall organization goals;Discuss employee questions and provide information regarding resources, tools, training and support within the organization.

Employee Role

Understand of critical job functions and competencies required for successful performance;Understand job description and provide input regarding changes to job;Ask questions to ensure clear and complete understanding of priorities and goals;Provide feedback regarding progress toward goals;Provide feedback regarding how critical competencies are demonstrated on the job.

IDEAS/RESOURCES

Examples of cloud applications for goal program

Survey Monkey (peer reviews)

Create sliding bar in Excel to show progress

Collect Success Stories and publish them!

Focus on employee engagement such as customer service problem solving focus groups and workshops.

What other ideas have you tried?