Why do businesses need both the performance management and performance appraisal?

Why do businesses need both the performance management and performance appraisal
For any business it is important that all its resources are performing at higher performance with maximum efficiency. Every business small or large must have limited resources, hence they have to utilize their resources in a way that they can achieve maximum productivity and profitability. The performance management is also necessary for the business as it enables them to align all human resources, assets and strategies with the organizational goal and vision. Every business function and every operational tasks is dependent on the employees, if the employees are performing well they will produce better result hence the efficiency of each and every business process is dependent on the employee’s performance. Business in Dubai and all around the UAE are rapidly adopting performance management systems and tools. There are several reasons why businesses acquire a performance management or performance appraisal systems.

Why do businesses need both the performance management and performance appraisal?

For any business or organization it is crucial to monitor and rectify problems and challenges that employees are facing in order to boost their performance. This will help businesses to obtain employee trust and loyalty which in return also increase performance. Furthermore the performance and progress should be in a direction to achieve something. All businesses and organizations always set their future goals, vision and mission. The enterprise’s performance is optimized and increased to achieve those high-level goals. In this blog we will cover performance management and performance appraisal and their importance.

What is Performance Management System?

A performance management system is a tool that facilitates performance management process. The performance management process is basically a set of all the efforts and activities a business do in order to keep its employees on track and aligned with the organizational goals. The main objective of doing performance management is that the employees and all other resources remain aligned with the high-level organization goal. The performance management process encourages employees to perform well and perform in the right direction so the high-level organizational goals can be achieved. The performance management process and system also enable managers and supervisors to engage with the employees and encourage them to work better.

What is Performance Management System?

What is Performance Appraisal System?

The performance appraisal system or process is a very simple process it measures the performance of the employee. Where performance management system provides a roadmap to achieve the organizational goals the performance appraisal system is used to measure the progress of each individual employees. The performance appraisal system is only used to measure the performance of the employees as per their progress towards the set goals and objectives. The performance appraisal keep records of the performances of the individual employees which can be used by the HR department as well. Basically the performance appraisal system tells business about how productive an employee is. This way businesses can easily identify the highly performing employees and reward them and businesses can also easily identify the employees who have become liability.

What is Performance Appraisal System?

Difference between Performance Management and Performance Appraisal

The performance management and the performance appraisal both are used for employee performance however there are basic difference between the two methodologies. Here is a list of some fundamental differences between performance management and performance appraisal systems:

  • Performance management help and encourage employees to improve their performance, while the performance appraisal only evaluate the performance
  • Performance management evaluate an employee on the bases of past, present and future, however, the performance appraisal just measures the performance in the immediate past
  • Performance management increase employee engagement and evaluate the relationship between employee and the employer, however, performance appraisal is individualistic
  • Performance management continuously monitor employees, evolve strategies and focusing on employee development, whereas, the performance appraisal focuses only on the results
  • Performance management includes one-on-one sessions and discussions, hence it is very dynamic. The performance appraisal have a top-down approach and is very linear
  • Performance management always encourage employee development and help facing challenges in present and future however the performance appraisal focuses only past performance
  • Performance management offer real-time reviews and continuous feedback however, performance appraisal only offers feedback once or twice in a performance period (usually 1 year)
  • Performance management is better future equipped and easy-to-scale however, the performance appraisal is usually focused on the past performance of the employees

Difference between Performance Management and Performance Appraisal

It is clear now that the performance management system and performance appraisal systems are designed and used for completely different purposes although both are covering employee performance management.

Why a Business Should Use Both Performance Management and Performance Appraisal?

The performance management is a continuous process which keeps monitoring the employees and their progress in real-time. This provides the management an added advantage of allowing them to quickly set course or make adjustments if any employee deviates from their set path. This advantage is not available in the appraisal method. However, the performance appraisal process can accurately measure the actual contribution or value of the efforts of the employees towards the high-level organizational goal and objective. That is why it is important to use both systems in parallel. Businesses use performance appraisal system to generate performance data for HR. The performance appraisal will provide accurate employee performance to the HR on the bases of this performance the HR can plan bonuses, awards, promotions, demotions, transfers, training program and much more.

Why a Business Should Use Both Performance Management and Performance Appraisal?

The performance management system on the other hand provides a comprehensive strategic and tactical data which not only measure the employee performance but also help businesses and organizations to set goals, build strategies to achieve those goals, make plans, and assign individual and team goals as per the requirements. The performance management system also helps businesses in communicating those goals and objectives with the employees and also guide them how they could and should perform in order to achieve their individual and high-level goals and objectives. The performance management system can also generate data which can help businesses in understanding their resources, technical skills, and capabilities of each individual employee. This will help businesses in future and it will enable them to make more realistic and practically sound decisions.

Why a Business Should Use Both Performance Management and Performance Appraisal?

A good quality performance management system help businesses and organizations to achieve their long term strategic and financial goals. When the performance management system and the appraisal systems both are used combined the effectiveness and results will be improved significantly. Here are some benefits of using employee performance management system and appraisal system:

  • Improve Communication between Employee and Management
  • Convey Goals and Objectives more Effectively
  • Communicate the Performance Requirements/Needs and Expectation more Effectively
  • Enable Employees to Evaluate themselves and Provide Feedback about their Individual Goals and Plan of Action to achieve those Goals
  • Aligning Employees and Resources with the High-Level Organizational Goals and Objectives
  • Improve Communication all across the Organization and Improve Relationship between Employees and their Managers
  • Real-time and Continuous Feedback Makes it Easier for Employees to Communicate with the Management
  • Help Management to Monitor the Performance of the Entire Business or Organization
  • Enable Management to Swiftly Take Actions to Rectify Problems and Help Employee Facing their Challenges
  • Increase Employee Engagement, Gain Employee Trust, and Increase Employee Retention

Why a Business Should Use Both Performance Management and Performance Appraisal?

These are some of the most obvious benefits of combining the performance management system and appraisal system.

The performance management and performance appraisal systems when used together can fix drawbacks and gaps of each other. For example:

  • The performance management system can increase the communication and fill the communication gap which usually occurs in performance appraisal management
  • The performance appraisal doesn’t clearly communicates the high-level organization whereas the performance management system clearly communicates individual and high-level organizational goals as well as it also include employees in planning and strategy building processes which increase employee engagement
  • The performance appraisal process worries employees, as the appraisal is done only once or twice the year, and that is the reason most of the employees doesn’t show trust on the appraisal process. However, the performance management process includes regular and continuous employee reviews. Which not only gain employee’s trust and reduce their anxiety but it also help improving the communication between the employee and the manager.
  • The performance appraisal methods emphasize on increasing the performance and doesn’t clearly communicate how the employee should improve their performance or what is expected from them in the future. On top of that most of the time the communication is very low. The performance management process clearly communicates the goals and objectives, both individual and high-level goals and objectives are defined. The employees are provided with the guidance on how to achieve their objectives and how to improve the performance.
  • The performance management is continuous and it can collect all the details about the employees and their performance. This data can be made available for the management at any time. However, in performance appraisal methods the evaluation is done once or twice in a year.
  • The performance appraisal method lacks the employee personal development strategy. However, the performance management focuses a lot on employee’s personal development program to ensure the business always have the required workforce. The personal development program can increase employee engagement and it also help increasing loyalty. However, if the employees feel there is no scope for their personal development then they will leave.
  • The performance appraisal methods doesn’t help much in increasing employee engagements, gaining employee trust and improving employee retention. However, the performance management methods boost employee engagement and help building a sense of belonging and connection with the business. This also make employees happy and satisfied and it also increase employee retention.

Why a Business Should Use Both Performance Management and Performance Appraisal?

The performance management and performance appraisal both are tools to boost business’s performance. If the employees and other resources start working at their true potential the productivity and profitability increases. That is why both system are important and when used combined can have additional benefits as well.

Conclusion

For any business in Dubai or anywhere else in UAE achieving the high-level organizational goals is a key to success. Businesses use various methods and tools to improve the employee performance. The employee performance is crucial if a business wants to achieve their high-level goals and objectives. The employee performance can be improved by communicating them the goals clearly, assigning them the objectives & tasks, and monitoring them to understand if they are going in the right direction. The performance management and appraisal ensures that the goals and objectives are established and communicated clearly and there is a monitoring mechanism in place which can immediately highlight if an employee is deviating from their set path and allow the managers to take timely actions to reset course.

The performance management also help businesses in evaluating employees and understanding their true potential, skills and capabilities. This help HR in several functions and also provide intelligence data for employee personal development and reward schemes. In short the performance management and performance appraisals are absolutely necessary for a business and its long term growth. RSI Concepts is a leading name in developing and designing performance management systems and tools, if you need any help in your business’s performance management or if you want to learn more about the topic, please feel free to contact us through our Contact Us page or leave a comment in the comment box below and we will get in touch with you soon.

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Employee Performance Management is a small part of Performance Management System

Employee Performance Management is a small part of Performance Management System

Employee performance management is basically a small part of a performance management system. Most often business does not differentiate between both. In reality, employee performance management is just a module of a very large scale performance management system that measures the KPIs of the entire organization or enterprise. The performance management system not only includes an employee performance management module but it includes a lot many other modules that when put together forms an enterprise performance management system. For example, the performance management system includes the performance of the supply chain, production units, marketing, sales, customer support, customer retention, leads and conversions, revenue and finance, operations, IT and infrastructure, transport and everything else which is a part of the enterprise. However, the employee performance management module only measure and monitor the performance of the employees.

Here are the details of the two tools:

1. Employee Performance Management

Employee Performance Management

The main objectives of employee performance management are to understand the efficiency of the employees, which could be further narrow down to their job roles, projects, behaviour, and much more. There are different KPIs (key performance indicators) that are used to monitor and measure the performance of an employee, team/group, and department. These KPIs will help the business in taking employees related decisions such as promotion, compensations, bonuses, personal development, career development, transfers, and termination. The best approach is to set clear and discrete expectations and goals and then measure the performance and achievements against those expectations. Employee performance management is a part of the enterprise performance management system which is connected with a lot many other enterprise systems and organizational tools to collect data and feedback, then all the inputs are carefully analyzed through a very powerful software engine and at the end, the reports are being generated which are very clear and realistic measurements of the performance of an employee. On the basis of these reports and data, the management can easily take vital decision to improve their overall efficiency and output. The only right person for the right job will be able to produce desired results.

An effective employee performance management includes the followings:

Goals and Expectations

Goals and Expectations

The performance should be measured by the achievements and accomplishments of the employees and the achievements are weighed against the goals. The goals are set as per the expectations, and the expectations are based on the employee role, experience and skills or education. This is how KPI management works. You analyze and weigh the employee then set up expectations and KPIs to measure their performance. The goals and expectations related to KPIs are in fact a set of multiple KPIs:

Project Goals

Project Goals

 

These goals and related KPIs are based on the employee performance in different projects which are being measured and monitored for a year. There could be multiple projects in a single year or a single project could also last for multiple years.

Job Role/Description

Job Role/Description

These goals are based on the job description or title of the employee. Obviously, the goals and KPIs of a crane operator will be different from a construction supervisor. So each job role and title have their own objectives, contributions and expectations depending solely on their job role/description.

Response to Challenges

Response to Challenges

This often knows as stretched goals too. These are the goals and expectations set for unusual or challenging conditions and scenarios. The measurements are taken of how well or bad the employee respond or act in challenging conditions on the basis of the outcome of their actions.

Behavioural Expectations

Behavioural Expectations

These are the expectations of the enterprise from an employee towards the people, assets and resources around them or under their command. For example, how an employee behaves to their colleagues, subordinates, team lead, manager, supervisor, etc. The behavioural goals also include KPIs that provide data about “how” a goal can be achieved through a particular employee.

Monitoring and Performance KPIs Measurement

Monitoring and Performance KPIs Measurement

Once the goals are set, then there is a need to establish a system of KPIs that can measure the performance of the employee toward the set goals and the expectations from them. The performance management includes a complete review of employee performance in all relevant topics. Along with various KPIs, a continuous feedback process is established and the monitoring process is also continuous or for a particular employee review cycle. In most cases the monitoring and the KPIs measurement is continuous. The management notes down those indicators and held regular dialogues between the employee and their manager to keep improving the outcome for the rest of the review cycle. The dialogue should be two-way communication in which the employee should also be allowed to express their concerns, needs and opinions. Then the organizations can take accurate steps to boost the employee’s performance.

No matter what format or type of the review methodology has been used, the reviewer must have a very clear understanding of each stage of the review and the parameters they are evaluating an employee against. There are so many different approaches and methodologies that are very commonly used in Dubai, UAE and each one of them have some advantages and some drawbacks too. Hence, the performance should be measured on various scales to get a definitive answer.

Multi-source Feedback or 360 Feedback

Multi-source Feedback or 360 Feedback

This is the most popular review method. Not only in Dubai, UAE but all over the world enterprises and organizations are using this method to measure employee performance. It includes feedback from the supervisor, manager, co-workers, subordinates and people around the employees. The objective of this feedback to understand the employee behaviour towards work and its impact on his performance and others’ performance or work too.

Management by Objectives

Management by Objectives

Management by Objective or also known as the MBO KPI is the process of evaluating the performance of an employee towards the individual goals and their contribution to the team, departmental and overall organizational goals. Usually, the MBO is for managers, team leads, supervisors, project coordinators and people with non-routine jobs.

Ranking Scale

Ranking Scale

The ranking scale is basically a process of distributing or putting employees in a discrete set or sub-set on the basis of their performance. Although ranking a group of employees or teams is very easy but the results are not so accurate. However, ranking individual employees in a certain group could be difficult as there would be a lot of different levels and the differentiation between those levels would be narrow to get meaningful results.

Competency Scale

Competency Scale

The competency scale measures the performance of the employee for different routine tasks based on their job role/description. As the goals and expectations are set for each job role, so the KPIs can be set easily and accurate data can be collected by measuring the employee performance in their routine tasks and job responsibilities.

Employee Capacity/Productivity

Employee Capacity/Productivity

Employee Capacity or Productivity is not a very linear KPI, the result of this scale are usually used to distribute the workload in different employees, teams and/or larger groups. This KPI help understanding which employee is working on their maximum output level and which employee can handle some more work.

Employee Billable Percentage

Employee Billable Percentage

The employee billable percentage KPI is also known as utilization rate, this process measures the billable and non-billable work hours required or been taken for a particular task. This could be a great help in determining the internal cost of a particular project and also the performance of the employees/teams.

Graphic Rating Scale

Graphic Rating Scale

This scale is basically a set of various KPIs such as attendance, quality of work, the number of tasks against a given period of time, dependability and also behavioural KPIs. These KPIs are easy to set and the data collected is highly accurate.

Revenue and Profit per Employee

Revenue and Profit per Employee

These are very basic and very important KPIs to measure the overall employees’ performance. For the employees the measurement is simple, total revenue or profit divided by the number of employees. It is critical to understand what your employees are bringing in. Both KPIsindicate to the organizations and enterprises that what their workforce is costing them and how much revenue and profit they are generating.

These are some of the very basic KPIs used to measure employee performance. There are literally thousands of KPIs which are available and can be used. Only after a careful examination and understanding of both the ‘Goals’ and ‘KPIs’ businesses should choose the KPIs that completely align with their objectives. There are a lot many other factors that can cause errors or inaccurate assessment such as insufficient data collection, favouritism, lack of differentiation or intertwined KPIs, and many more. So, it is always wise to seek the help of professional Employee Performance Management Solution providers, such as RSI Concepts.

2. Performance Management System

Performance Management System

The Performance Management System also referred to as Corporate or Enterprise Performance Management System is a system that measures and manages the performance of the entire business or enterprise. It includes the performance management of all departments, employees, key players, and key factors that contributes to the overall performance of a business. All the data has been collected from various KPIs, processes, matrices, methodologies and tools is gathered and analyzed in a Performance Management System. The goals, objectives and expectations are being set for not only individuals but for teams, departments, production units, sales and marketing campaigns and much more. The operational cost and performance, the effectiveness of the entire infrastructure of the enterprise such as the technology, human resource, supply chain, resources, revenues, cost, profits and everything in between is closely monitored and measured under the umbrella of the performance management system. The Performance Management System in itself is a very huge system and cover a lot of topics that is why we will only list some important KPIs that are used to determine the performance of an entire business, corporation or enterprise:

  1. Financial KPIs: Financial KPIs include revenue, cost, profit, internal costs, raw material costs, cost of the product or services sold, sales, sales for a particular product/service category, cost of resources and raw materials, operational cost, per employee cost and return and so on.
  2. Employee KPIs: Employee KPIs include all the above-mentioned indicators which help business understand the cost, profit, gains and performance of the individual employees as well as of team and departments.
  3. Marketing KPIs: Marketing KPIs include marketing campaigns, cost, return, leads, quality of leads, sales as the result of a particular marketing campaign and all details to assess and review the performance of the marketing department.
  4. HR KPIs: HR KPIs include the performance of the HR department, staff and services, employee turnover rate, employee satisfaction, and recruitment performance. These KPI also include the indicators of expenses and returns and overall performance of the HR department.
  5. Customer KPIs: Customer KPIs include a number of happy and unhappy customers, returning customers, customer churn rate, new customers, customer lifetime, customer acquisition cost, and customer support and so on.

These are just a few major KPIs used to assess the performance of an entire enterprise or corporation via a Performance Management System. There are a lot more KPIs that are used to further narrow down various variables to closely monitor and measure the performance of various factors which when concluded represent the overall performance of an entire enterprise.

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Conclusion

Businesses most often confuse Employee Performance Management with the Performance Management System. Employee performance management is just a small module of a performance management system. The Performance Management System measures various indicators which starts from the lowest level which is individual employee’s performance and ends at the overall performance assessment of the entire business or enterprise. Business and enterprises invest heavily in order to ensure their growth. These investments include all sort of technological solutions, infrastructure, human resource, employee development and training, customer retention programs, marketing and a lot more. It is very important to closely monitor each and everything to understand whether your efforts are in the right direction or not. Another important thing is to ensure your employees and customers are happy and your employees and other elements are working on their maximum potential to ensure the low operational cost of the business and maximum profit.

RSI Concepts is a well-reputed brand in providing performance management systems, KPI and OKR management solutions. If you need to know more, or if you are interested in a quote, feel free to reach us out through our Contact Us page.

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