Performance Management Software Should Aid Decision Making

The true measure of good performance management software is whether it clarifies or clouds your judgment. Here are just a few of the questions that can help you understand whether your current method of performance appraisal is working: Is your organization still struggling to identify, develop, and retain talent? Do managers, employees, HR, and C-suite executives disagree on basic issues like how to measure and reward productivity? Do you have any idea whether your current workforce can meet your company’s long term business objectives? 

Many Appraisal Systems Don’t Deliver

     Performance appraisals are a fundamental aspect of ongoing talent management. Unfortunately, too many organizations rely on outdated tools and practices that are:

• Non-standardized and inconsistently applied
• Opaque rather than transparent
• Unable to provide actionable feedback
• Reality-based but not actually relevant
• Antiquated and not adaptable

If this describes your current appraisal system, it’s time to shop for some new performance management software. 

What Should You Be Looking For?

When you start comparing products, the most important thing to keep in mind is the end product. It’s not the fancy graphs or “bells and whistles” that matter. It’s the business decisions that come out of the process. Seek out a solution that helps each stakeholder make more informed and strategic choices. 

Here are just a few examples of the kind of decisions that can be driven company-wide by talent management software that does the job right:

• HR should be able to consistently identify “rising stars” who will play a role in the organization’s succession strategy.
• Managers should be able to identify actionable ways to increase accountability, motivate employees, and improve individual and team performance.
• Executives should be able to use the data to communicate with HR about upcoming human capital needs far in advance instead of at the last minute.
• Employees should be able to understand any behaviors or gaps in skills and training that are obstacles to their success – and know exactly what they must do to improve.