Over the years we’ve helped hundreds of companies launch impressive performance management and social recognition programs. Since no two organizations are the same, each program is unique, with its own set of challenges, processes, and objectives. That said, there is one thing that every single organization needs to have in order for their program to be successful: core values. Well before securing executive buy in or developing a change management plan, an organization needs to have a strong foundation from which to conceptualize their HR programs. Enter core values. Having clearly defined an ..read more

A great performance management system on paper doesn’t guarantee a successful one in practice. In fact, designing the process itself is just the beginning. Along the way, HR executives must wear many hats in order to ensure a smooth transition with a positive outcome. They must be: Strategists tasked with coming up with the right execution plan Salespeople who can secure critical buy in from key stakeholders Change management experts to craft a careful communication strategy Launch pros who can get a program off the ground Advocates to ensure the system meets employee needs But as with many ot ..read more

Today we’re introducing a new type of post here on our blog. Our customers are always looking to tap into the power of the crowd, to uncover best practices for using our technology or running their HR programs in general. Our team frequently fields questions from our customers to help them solve specific issues or improve particular processes. Determining merit pay and compensation is a topic that they bring to us time and time again, as more and more companies do away with ratings. Here’s Patagonia’s story. How Patagonia re-imagined its processes after doing away with ratings Prior to using K ..read more

According to the 2016 Deloitte Millennial Survey, those intending to stay with their organization for more than five years are twice as likely to have a mentor (68%) than not (32%). In today’s competitive hiring environment, it’s safe to say that companies who fail to invest in and develop young employees are likely to lose them. Research by the Association for Talent Development found that formal mentorship programs consistently resulted in higher employee engagement and retention. Mentorship programs can reduce the costs associated with recruiting and hiring and help build a more engaged, pr ..read more

Real-time feedback wins the award for biggest game changer in the world of modern performance management. While we know that yesterday’s processes won’t work for today’s employees, the thought of overhauling your HR strategy can be daunting. Enter real-time feedback. It complements nearly every aspect of HR, from coaching and development to rewards and recognition to, yes, performance management. It also works well with what you already have in place, whether that’s a quarterly goal setting strategy or even annual reviews. So, what’s so special about real-time feedback? The real value of it li ..read more

In today’s highly competitive business environment, a company’s employees are its most powerful asset. But plagued by a talent shortage that stretches across nearly all industries, HR leaders have been tasked with revamping retention strategies for the modern workforce. To do this, many companies have placed a high priority on improving the employee experience. Traditional practices around performance management, employee development and recognition and rewards have proven to be ineffective at driving retention, but it’s not as simple as replacing them with something new. One misstep can creat ..read more

Earlier this month we hosted a webinar, It’s About the How: Making Performance Management as Agile as Your Business, with industry visionary Josh Bersin and Hitachi Vantara’s Scott Kelly. We set out with two goals in mind. First, we wanted to help attendees understand what’s driving the performance management transformation we see today, on both the micro and macro level. And second, to share how one company was able to take modern processes and tools and implement them in a non-disruptive, culturally-aligned way. We encourage you to view the webinar recording to listen in on their insightful ..read more

By now many organizations are realizing the value of moving from one annual performance conversation to a continuous feedback loop. But it’s much more than a simple process change. Real-time feedback is a culture shift taking place across companies of all industries and sizes. It’s turning managers into constructive coaches and employees into proactive listeners.. The best employee feedback begins with asking the right questions. The old standby “How am I doing?” is fine on the back on a delivery truck, but won’t get employees what they need to elevate their performance in the workplace. It’s ..read more

Today we are talking about goals. Researchers study them, businesses are judged by them, and everyone sets them. They can be short term or long term, simple or complex, shared or private. Not only do goals give us something to work towards, but our professional success is defined in part by whether or not we reach them. If executed properly, goal setting is an important way employees and managers come together to create meaningful metrics that can then be used to measure performance. After all, if you don’t have a target, where do you aim? Outside of performance, goals also serve various purpo ..read more

The era of Millennial management has arrived Most employees show up on their first day of work expecting a boss who’s older and wiser than them, but this is becoming less of the norm. Millennials are quickly moving up the corporate ladder and managing each other, leaving organizations to navigate this new dynamic. Here’s how this new management structure is changing the workplace as we know it. Millennial leaders help debunk fallacies Often labeled with technology-addicted, entitled, and job-hopping (to name a few), Millennials are up against many harmful stereotypes at work. Fortunately, y ..read more