Performance Evaluations: An Opportunity for Engagement! (Wendy Samson and Curt Swenson, 2016)
Believe it or not, there are some organizations out there that look forward to evaluations! You heard me. That arduous task of meeting with people to tell them their strengths and weaknesses on the job; taking time to specifically address an employee’s issues and concerns; getting to witness firsthand your co-workers’ peccadillos, idiosyncracies and temperaments in their full glory – has somehow become easier, more productive and even encouraging for some workplaces! What are these businesses doing right?
FutureSYNC International has been working with businesses and organizations for more than twenty (20) years in developing effective and affirming evaluation methods using Mosaic’s 12 Ingredients of Engagement model. To understand the efficacy of this model, you must first have some employee engagement definitions.
Highly Engaged Employees (HE) – Highly engaged employees are not only skilled at their work, they bring a productivity uptick into the workplace that is contagious. They operate openly, with good intentions and remain curious about their work. They continue to grow professionally.
Non-Engaged Employees (NE) – These are the clock watchers. They do well with lists, but are not personally invested in doing excellent work or providing discretionary efforts. When their boss is away, these mice will play. Some NE’s were once HE’s and could be re-engaged with strong evaluative processes.
Actively Disengaged Employees (ADE) – There are three types: 1) The first type is neither great at their job nor positive in their attitudes. Interestingly you would think that employers would let them go easily, but many businesses hold onto these highly ineffective employees for years simply because they perceive it as being easier to hang on to them than to let them go. This can cost the company an estimated $3,400 per $10,000 of payroll. 2) The second type is the nice person, with a good attitude who is not skilled at their job. They are miserable because they know that others are carrying their load. This type of employee is worth re-training or re-positioning because their attitudes are good. 3) The third type is the most dangerous and are often referred to as the squeaky wheel. They are skilled at their job but are experts at creating divisiveness on teams. They are non-supportive regarding most of the decisions made by leadership, complain a lot and recruit others to the “dark side”. Because they are good at their job, employers hold on to them way too long – often to their own detriment.
By creating evaluations that align with Mosaic’s Twelve Ingredients of Engagement, these businesses have discovered that effective evaluations can actually bring clarity to their standards and practices as well as providing a mechanism for keeping team members engaged and productive, with their eyes on the right target.
FutureSYNC International can help you develop your evaluative processes using the following Ingredients of Engagement categories: Capacity, Belief, Support and Contribution. Each of these categories contain three Ingredients of Engagement that are all evaluative and actionable, with shared responsibility between leadership and direct reports. Using the model helps both employers and employees understand how to assess and strengthen their work and their outcomes.
Give FutureSYNC International a call at (406) 254-2326 to discuss the full engagement model. By doing so, you can start your organization on their process of engagement today! (406) 243-2526!