As a manager, you want to make sure your employees are performing to their max. But it is not always easy to figure out how to make sure they are performing at peak. Here are some steps to boost your employees’ performance.
1. Set Appropriate Goals
Few things get done without someone setting a goal to get there. In terms of employee performance, the goal-setter needs to be you, as the manager. Think through appropriate goals for each employee. You might have one employee who needs to improve productivity, for example, and another who needs to improve their cooperation with a team.
Make a list of the goals you would like to see met. Corporate goals need to follow the acronym SMART: Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and Time-bound. A general instruction to increase productivity is unlikely to work. The employee may need to be told to keep socializing to specific breaks and lunch, rather than when people are working. That’s a SMART goal, because both you and the employee can keep tabs on it.
2. Develop a Plan to Meet the Goals
You need to develop a plan of specific actions that both you and the employee can monitor. Sit down with each employee and make sure they understand the goals, and why you are asking for them. Ensure they know there will be rewards for achieving the goals and sanctions if they do not. Make the time frame clear by which you want to see measurable improvement.
3. Train and Motivate Your Employees
Part of making sure goals are achieved is making sure employees have the right tools to meet them. Assess whether they are not performing at peak because they need training. Make plans for any training on tasks and processes. In other words, you want to empower them to perform better. Motivate them as well. Be sure to make them feel appreciated as you see progress toward meeting goals.
4. Assess Performance Regularly and Adjust Goals If Necessary
Do not assume that goals will meet themselves! One of your chief responsibilities as a manager is to regularly assess the performance of your employees. The beauty of SMART goals is they make assessment easier; you simply compare performance with the metrics you initially set. In the beginning, you want to do this frequently — perhaps even every day.
If you see that goals are not being met or are being met too easily, adjust them. You might find an employee is not collaborating well with a team because other responsibilities conflict with their previously arranged meetings. Make it possible for the goals to be met, as long as the employee is trying.
How Nesco Resource Can Help
Top-performing employees are an asset to any manager. Do you need help recruiting people who give every job their best? We can help. We have a broad network of high-quality employees. Contact us today.
