Pandemic: Shifting The Needle on Performance Assessment

We all know that there are various factors to performance today. At the same time, it is a well-known fact that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to performance management. Of late, companies across India are caught in the maze of finding the right technique to carry out performance assessments. 

In this blog, we will tell you some performance management tips every company should use in the new normal. Let’s dive in. 

Redesign Performance and Aim, while keeping it real: 

No company in India has ever operated in the work-from-home setup before. It has become famous only after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, while some working professionals work from home, others have to return to the office. In such a scenario, it becomes even more challenging for companies to maintain the flexibility to improve the performance of every employee at the same time. Now, this sudden shift from office to remote working requires new performance measurement parameters. Businesses should not just recreate performance but also recreate organizational purpose, which requires to be informed to the entire workforce to align efforts and improve overall productivity. 

Non-Monetary Recognition and Rewards 

It is no news that rewards and recognition play vital roles in the performance management process. Working individuals today are working under so much pressure and experiencing a host of challenges, much like their leaders and managers. To keep them motivated and engaged during this tough time, companies should explore non-monetary methods to reward their people as well as identify avenues to reallocate funding to make every employee feel valued and cared for. 

Align Benefits Plans To Current Employee Requirements 

The ongoing challenges and changes provide a chance for companies to take a step ahead and revamp their benefits more in tune with the transforming employee requirements. This will not just bring out the best in employees but also make them feel considered in this crucial time. 

Prioritize Employee Wellness 

Let’s face it, it is difficult to work with so much happening around. Employees are trying their best to stay focused and productive. This is the time when leaders and managers need to show more empathy, become role models, and be declarative of employee well-being as well as work-life balance. 

Companies should never forget the fact that employee wellbeing is core to performance and productivity. After the outbreak of this pandemic, this has been taken seriously by leaders. More and more employers are now paying attention to employee wellbeing initiatives. Without a doubt, companies should take responsibility for their employees and offer them resources that would aid them to combat the threat to their well-being, physical and financial. 

Invest in Technology

Last but not least, companies should start investing in the right technologies. Automated solutions such as HR and performance management software help companies to effectively manage their employees’ performance. Truth be told, designing a performance management system from scratch would be a difficult task for HR managers and leaders at this point. This is when technology comes into the picture. Times like these are a great way to test the entire human-tech debate - the need for humans to invest their time in strategy and culture, and leverage technology for routine tasks that can be automated.

These are the top five ways companies can carry out an effective performance management process in this new normal. 

Companies need to understand that measuring the performance of employees in this post-COVID time will have its own challenges as well as mistakes as businesses undergo the journey of evolution in getting used to the virtual workplace with a distributed workforce.

So, managing performance in such a scenario will therefore need to be driven through a partnership between employees and leaders. Every individual in the company has to step up and help one another to adapt to this new transition. The company that will get it right will stay ahead of the curve now and in the future.