It is unreasonable to expect that everyone you ask to work with you will automatically understand your culture.
As they learn what it is like to work with you, they will learn your standards and what you require from them. It is at this stage of the employment cycle that we start to think consciously about performance management.
The first step is a well-written job description. We recommend that job descriptions are updated at least once a year at appraisal or a supervision meeting. Rather than overwrite existing versions, you should retain previous versions on file.
After the job description, the next stage in performance management will be the regular one-to-one with the line manager. This will often be your supervision meetings.
It’s a chance for feedback on performance but is largely the supervisee’s opportunity to express what they need from their line manager to perform.
Asking a colleague to join you for a catch-up is the most natural thing in the world, and we can’t emphasise enough the value in this semi-formal performance management.
While we talk about semi-formal, it’s only right that we give examples of informal performance management. These are techniques that may or may not assist the line manager in managing performance. These include: the notice in the kitchen, staff meetings, sticky notes attached to screens, a quiet word in the garden.
When informal and semi-formal performance management has taken place, but still performance is not where you need it to be, then formal capability is your next option. When working with someone who is willing, but can’t perform the role to the required standard, then training and coaching will be your first consideration. We recommend a formal capability procedure to sit alongside your Disciplinary Procedure and provide a framework as to how you will support employees who are not performing at work.
