What performance indicators should managers and leaders use?

Employee performance indicators should:

• achieve a positive job outcome
• be consistent with position description requirements
• differentiate between successful and unsuccessful job performance
• communicate performance expectations to employees and provide feedback
• recognise the realities of the job to be performed

A system that regularly tracks and provides feedback on performance indicators needs to be introduced. Workers need to know whether their current work practices are producing the desired result or whether they need to be changed or adjusted. Team members will find it difficult to meet if they are unaware of their progress. Feedback that communicates success will also have the effect of further motivating team members. If the reports show that the desired results are not being achieved, workers and leaders have the opportunity to take action.

One of the most common complaints by workers relates to the fact that they only receive feedback when their performance is lacking or when they have made a mistake. This causes team members to disengage, as they feel that no matter how hard they try, their efforts will never be good enough.

However, appreciation is a powerful motivator. Notice when team members perform well and express appreciation and they will generally work harder, exceed expectations and take more initiative. One way to motivate staff is to provide education in the workforce. Employees enjoy the idea of improving themselves. You could develop leadership program for employees and  enrol in an accredited leadership course example here or find other online courses from education providers like edna.edu.au.   

Employee performance indicators checklist 

Employee performance indicators should:

• achieve a positive job outcome
• be consistent with position description requirements
• differentiate between successful and unsuccessful job performance
• communicate performance expectations to employees and provide feedback
• recognise the realities of the job to be performed

A system that regularly tracks and provides feedback on performance indicators needs to be introduced. Workers need to know whether their current work practices are producing the desired result or whether they need to be changed or adjusted. Team members will find it difficult to meet if they are unaware of their progress. Feedback that communicates success will also have the effect of further motivating team members. If the reports show that the desired results are not being achieved, workers and leaders have the opportunity to take action.

One of the most common complaints by workers relates to the fact that they only receive feedback when their performance is lacking or when they have made a mistake. This causes team members to disengage, as they feel that no matter how hard they try, their efforts will never be good enough.

How managers and leaders should provide feedback

However, appreciation is a powerful motivator. Notice when team members perform well and express appreciation and they will generally work harder, exceed expectations and take more initiative.

Giving positive feedback:

• Decide what to encourage. Leaders need to decide what aspects of performance need to be recognised and promoted.
• Think small. It is easy to recognise the workers who make a significant and highly visible contribution such as winning the tender, making a major cost saving or running the training day, but it is also recognising the small achievements that build a culture of praise and positive reinforcement.
• Be relentless. Saying thanks once or twice a year is nice, but it will not have a big impact on performance. Make recognition a habit. Do not recognise people just for the sake of praising them (positive feedback should always be earned), but do it at least often enough that people still remember the previous time.
• Be specific. The greater the detail put into praise the more meaningful it becomes. Consider the difference between the following statements: ‘Great job.’, or ‘Great job in getting that report in on time. I really appreciate you staying back to get it finished, as it makes the whole team look good at the board meeting.’
• Be impartial. Be careful not to praise only those workers who are most vocal or liked. Recognise people strictly for their work performance.
• Make it personal. Any praise means more if it is personal and unique to that person.
• Be prompt. To make the most of positive feedback, offer it as close to the accomplishment of job tasks as possible. Make it seem spontaneous. Delayed recognition offered weeks or months after the fact is not as powerful as feedback that is given immediately.
• Vary your feedback. Do not get in a rut. Vary the recognition offered to keep it fresh. Create a bank of ideas and then use them all. Recognition that becomes predictable loses its motivational power.
• Remember that not all accomplishments are equal. Some achievements are more important than others and the recognition offered should be varied accordingly. A person who was responsible for winning a large tender might be praised at an organisation-wide event, whilst the person who fixed the photocopier is appropriately praised with a passing word of thanks.