10 November 2020

Remote working is here to stay. Tracking your teams’ performance requires more than just an annual review, but instead an agile, integrated, and comprehensive approach. Here's how to get started

2:00 Min

1 Evaluate the shifting landscape

If everything is going online, performance management should follow suit, says Human Resource Today. Performance management technology helps companies by tracking metrics and activities in real-time. This will offer team leaders insights without having to constantly and manually monitor employee productivity and engagement levels.

2 Set new and realistic goals

According to TalentX, the worst mistake leaders can make is setting unrealistic goals, which can lead to a stressed, anxious, and demotivated team. Every goal you set for your employees must be aligned with broader company goals. Secondly, each goal must be relevant to a team member’s talent and strengths. Finally, how you set a goal directly determines the potential outcome. For example, collaborative goals promote teamwork, while others can focus on an individual’s professional growth. Here are examples of performance management frameworks to set your team up for success.

 

3 Explain how to interpret those goals

The best way to make goals seem achievable is to make them SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Talk to your employees about desired outcomes with key indicators. For example, “Mario will increase e-commerce sales by 20% at the end of Quarter 4.” For advice on SMART goals, click here.

4 Check progress

Leaders may encourage status updates from team members to log their weekly work. This is an efficient way to track progress and complete tasks. These updates also help with evaluations, as you can keep track of every one of the team’s accomplishments. Here’s how to choose the best task-tracker tool to meet the needs of your team.

5 Measure results

The shift to remote work may mean changing performance criteria. Industry experts are focusing more on employee engagement – a category once overlooked before COVID-19. Social platforms such as  Workplace or Slack can offer a picture of how engaged team members are daily. The use of AI in measuring performance output may also be useful and valuable, says Dr. Sanja Licina of Globant. “With the help of AI, leaders don’t only have to rely on historical data to see this impact. They can anticipate who is becoming disengaged and have an opportunity to be proactive.”