Tag Archives: efficiency

No comments

7 Principles To Get An Immediate Return On Your Learning Investment

  By Christina Lattimer • February 1, 2013 - 7:28 am

 

There are many evaluation models and cost/benefit frameworks which attempt to determine the “worth” of learning and development in the workplace.  Depending on the type of learning required, some models and frameworks are easier to apply than others.  Sometimes even when applied, the expected outcomes and improvements have either not materialised or they have taken far longer than expected.

Even when the learning programme is excellent, it doesn’t always deliver results

A number of years ago, I worked with an organisation who had invested a great deal of employee time and financial resource into a learning and development programme, with frustratingly little result.  A professional business consultancy had evaluated before and after, calculated a ROI which was a persuasive driver to buy in the proposed programme, but 18 months later, the expected benefits had simply not accrued.

The MD was totally frustrated; as the learning programme was polished, expert and inspirational.  Employees were enthused, and bought into the concepts and the benefits of working in a different way.  The formalised feedback on the training event was excellent.  The business consultancy had done an amazing job.  So what had gone wrong?

Improving knowledge, skills and behaviours doesn’t always mean better results

In another example,  lack of effective leadership skills and behaviours had been identified as a big problem for this national organisation.  It was decided to re-design the leadership skills framework and to develop a programme for all senior leaders.   A set of behavioural standards were developed, and a methodology to measure changes was put in place.  A coaching and mentoring framework was agreed along with monthly action learning meetings.

There was a new spring in the step of leaders across the organisation.  They gave positive and enthusiastic feedback for the coaching and development programme.

When the 2nd annual employee feedback survey showed less than a 1% improvement in perceptions of employees, alongside results with marginal improvements, they were dumbfounded.

Great learning programmes don’t always result in improvements, but they should

Those examples are simply two of hundreds I have seen, when learning and development has been brought into an organisation; the learning has been evaluated and the content and application has been faultless. The organisation is absolutely clear about the improvements they want to see.  But yet, still, the expected results did not materialise.

Why is this?  As you know there are many factors which impel or motivate people to change the way they do things, and learning new skills, behaviours, knowledge or even raising awareness is just one part of the equation.

When your business is buying in development interventions, you want to be able to see a real return on investment, otherwise why would you use precious financial resources on it?   No one can completely guarantee a return on investment, but the chances of a return can be greatly improved, and more importantly you can pinpoint exactly why the return hasn’t been realised by introducing the following principles.

When I was asked to do some work for the organisation in the first example, the MD was frustrated that the learning he had bought in had not realised the outcomes he required, even though the learning providers had delivered the learning they had promised.

 

Seven simple principles

My first step was to establish the following 7 principles if I were going to take on the task of getting results:

  1. A learning and development provider will facilitate a real return on investment in partnership with the commissioning organisation.
  2. Learning must enable a measurable improvement or change by the learner.
  3. The improvement or change must contribute to the overall outcomes for the organisation.
  4. Each learner must develop a “call to action, or objective” where they are accountable for achieving the measurable improvement or change. 
  5. The organisation must enforce accountability, usually through their performance management system.
  6. The achievement collectively of “calls to action, or objectives” will result in a measured outcome for the organisation.
  7. “If it is not possible to set individuals a call to action or objective which aligns with overall business objectives, following learning then the commissioning organisation should consider whether development is actually needed.

 

I agreed to deliver a short refresher programme, with a pragmatic design.   I explained unless the training included an accountable call to action for each employee, it would likely be unsuccessful once more, and so secured his agreement to establish accountability for achievement within the organisation.

We agreed at the end of the event, each employee would identify a work based objective to improve, abandon or shorten a process and to quantify the savings.

  • Improve customer service or increase customer satisfaction, with a measurable difference
  • Reduce the number and type of complaints
  • Create a measurable increase in quality

In  a 6 month period, 95% of employees met objectives,  outcomes were recorded and collectively it was calculated that almost  £1 million had been saved up to that point as a direct result of achievement of the outcomes or objectives.

Not only were amazing results achieved, employees felt an increased sense of ownership of the success of the initiative.  They had tangible evidence of their contribution and saw a real difference.

Incidentally, these principles will also work for individuals if you are thinking of buying in your own self-development programme.  For the majority of learning, unless it translates into accountable action, then it might be a “nice to have” but not necessarily an activity which will create significant change

 

Join us on this amazing journey!

This great article is from the our 6 months themed series based on the Centre for Creative Leaderships Report of 2013, in which they identified the 6 top challenges for leaders across the globe:   Don't Miss Out! Sign up here to be notified of subsequent issues and posts

121242255

If you are a leader, you are continually developing and "Sharpening the Saw".  If you lead and manage teams, then you must read about our Inspirational New Leadership Programme.  Sign up now to find out more details when we launch in July 2014.  There is no obligation to undertake the programme, if you sign up today, you will simply be sent more information about the programme.  You can unsubscribe at any time!  Click below to register for further information.

   
No comments

Getting the Performance Management Equation Right

  By Christina Lattimer • May 3, 2012 - 11:51 am
Performance Management is an Art!

If you want to be cutting edge you need to measure your results and performance manage your team.

Getting the best out your people can sometimes be a stressful business. In my many years of managing and subsequently as an HR professional, one of the biggest barriers to great performance management is that people have different perceptions of what performance management is about.

Even terminology around performance management can be misconstrued. For a business to succeed you need to make sure that when planning, developing and communicating your performance framework you get it right.  Your performance framework sits underneath your overall  organisational purpose and mission.  It is not the end result: a performance framework is the  examination and monitoring of the factors which will make you profitable, or successful;  or not.

Businesses who get their performance framework right have a huge advantage. I know of some organisations who don’t actually have a performance framework in place, and frankly they are missing a trick.  Because performance can contain a myriad of factors; the first hurdle is to decide on the unique framework for your business.

Measuring and managing performance are two different processes. They are frequently confused. Depending on style and culture of an organisation, these two simple elements can be approached in different ways. A good organisation will have no doubt at all about all of the elements of their performance measurement and their performance management regimes.

Performance Measurement

There are six basic equations: These are:

  • Productivity. – You can measure productivity individually or by team. Basically this measurement is about the quantity being produced in a given time. You can measure productivity across most outcome based processes, which could be a product, a service or an administrative task.
  • Performance. – This measurement is a little more sophisticated. It is the measurement of productivity for all of your team. It will include the team members who are perhaps not involved in the productive process. For example, managers or specialist advisors. The purpose is to see how effective the structure of the organisation is against outcomes.
  • Effectiveness – This is about throughput. Or in other words the length of time it takes to reach an outcome. Effectiveness links to productivity, and encourages businesses to examine the process to see if better results/profits can be achieved, or if customer expectations are met.
  • Efficiency – This is about the cost of the outcome. You can have great productivity and effectiveness, but if profit margins are too low, then you have to understand this.
  • Standards: The standards that you set. These can include for example standards about quality, quantity, impact or timing.
  • Service: – The impact made on your customer. You may have service level agreements or targeted customer satisfaction levels. The way you measure impact on your customer must be relevant and result in your business improving and increasing positive impacts.

The six components all work best when they work in a balanced scorecard framework comparing each equation against each other. So for example, you might be the most efficient team, but if your customers aren’t happy then that could affect profits. Likewise if your productivity is top end, but your costs are high then you haven’t got the right balance.

Performance measurements can be introduced at organisational or team level. They can include outcomes, targets and results, both quantitative and qualitative.

Once you have decided on the most impactful performance measurements, then your next task is to have a sound framework of performance management. This is the golden thread that runs throughout your business, and links your outcomes, standards and processes to your people and how well they perform.

Performance Management

Performance management is all about how your individual employees work. What makes performance management different from performance measurement is that it is about individual contribution. Performance Measurement is about the collective organisational and team results of individual contribution. It is a subtle distinction.

Obviously the elements of performance that you decide to manage should link into the measurements on your balanced scorecard;  but they are about the specific elements of that person’s job, and ability to do that job. So for example, the performance requirements of an office junior will be very different from an MD. For that reason it is essential that your business has the right job roles to get the right results!

The elements of individual performance can vary greatly. A way to keep this simple is to break down the components of what an individual needs to bring to the party to help your business be successful. The four most common components are:

  • Capability – This includes, knowledge, skills, competence any specialist knowledge as well as physical ability to do the work.
  • Impact – This is about individual objectives productivity, efficiency, effectiveness in relation to their specific job, their team and the organisational results.
  • Behaviour – This can be about attitude, buy in or engagement, contribution to the desired culture and values of your business.
  • Talent – this can be about how the contribution and potential of the employee impacts or can benefit the organisation. It can be about suitability for progression either across or up the organisational career path.

A good business will have aligned the overall desired measurements or results, with the elements of managed performance. I have seen literally hundreds of performance frameworks, and if you are intending to or in the throes of developing a performance framework, I would contend that there are only two rules:

1. Keep it simple. If your 13 year old can’t understand it, then it won’t work
2. Make it relevant. If the golden thread, connection or link isn’t made, then it won’t work.

What do you think? Do you have a great performance management system? Have you different views or essential elements you would include?

Performance Management

 

Join us on this amazing journey!

This great article is from the our 6 months themed series based on the Centre for Creative Leaderships Report of 2013, in which they identified the 6 top challenges for leaders across the globe:   Don't Miss Out! Sign up here to be notified of subsequent issues and posts

121242255

If you are a leader, you are continually developing and "Sharpening the Saw".  If you lead and manage teams, then you must read about our Inspirational New Leadership Programme.  Sign up now to find out more details when we launch in July 2014.  There is no obligation to undertake the programme, if you sign up today, you will simply be sent more information about the programme.  You can unsubscribe at any time!  Click below to register for further information.

   
No comments

Underperformance – The Does and Don’t of Managing it

  By Christina Lattimer • January 18, 2012 - 10:25 am
The Do’s and Don’ts of Managing UnderperformanceManaging underperforance

The extension from one year to two years for right to file unfair dismissal claims in April is a welcome change for most employers.  There is a lurking fear that where employment is terminated, that disgruntled employees will resort to including other elements in a claim for example under the Equalities Act.  This should not daunt or deter you.

The extension of rights should not affect your approach to managing underperformance.  I’m sure you would agree, if it took you two years to identify and manage underperformance, there is something wrong.  Your people management skills will make sure that even though there is no recourse to tribunal, your termination processes and practices are fair.  This is especially important when you are managing underperformance.

Managing underperformance can be the most time-consuming task you have to undertake.  It takes a skilled and experienced manager to be expert and slick when it comes to raising individual performance.  One of the most frustrating experiences for a team is when they feel they are carrying a member who is not pulling their weight.

The respondents in the CIPD Report entitled “Performance management in action” which can be found “confirm that performance management is an enduring tool that has a pivotal role to play in the management of people”. Whilst this is an excellent way to bring on talent and drive up results, the downside for any manager is managing underperformance.

Underperformance can appear at any stage in the employment lifecycle.  Obviously you need to be extra vigilant in any trial period.  I have seen many managers give people the benefit of the doubt and live to rue the day they confirmed a permanent appointment, when they really had niggling doubts.   This is a time when you need to have a zero tolerance approach.  Either someone cuts it or they don’t.

So what are the do’s and don’ts of managing underperformance?

Don’t

  • Miss the telling signs in the trial period.  Follow up on any issues which arise during that time.
  • Wait until the next performance review. Deal with any emerging problems as soon as they become apparent.
  • Develop an attitude or fixed view of the employee, there may be many reasons for underperformance
  • Ignore what other people are saying about someone’s underperformance; subtly check it out, if you don’t at first agree
  • Wait until a major incident or disaster occurs
  • Wait until everyone else in the workplace is totally fed up because of the underperformance.
  • Confuse a performance issue with a conduct issue.  Misconduct of course impacts on performance, but they are two totally different issues.
  • Wait until the underperformer goes off on sick leave.

Do

  • Have a fair and equitable way of measuring performance for all employees
  • Use your internal policies and procedures for managing underperformance.  Your policies should be designed to assist you to get it right.  If they don’t then you should raise it with whoever develops them.
  • Identify the precise areas of underperformance.  Exactly what element of performance is the employee not achieving? Performance can be lack of productivity, efficiency, effectiveness, or under developed skill set, to name a few.
  • Have clear examples and facts about the underperformance. Do not rely on hearsay, because your boss told you to do it, or gut feelings.
  • Keep an open mind about the reasons for underperformance.  You do not know what is going on in the employee’s life.  Don’t assume they are underperforming and they just can’t hack it.
  • Talk to the underperformer as soon as possible, and listen to what they have to say. Let them know you are concerned, not accusing.
  • Ask them about external factors, their own views about their performance, and what they think the expectations of them are.  Ask them about training and skill sets.
  • Develop a clear and SMART action plan.  The outcomes of the action plan must actually prove to you that the employee is capable and willing to bridge the performance gap, and be able to sustain it without constant supervision.
  • Meet regularly and give honest accurate feedback about their progress.  Listen to how they perceive it and amend the action plan if there are credible reasons for lack of progress.   Use your judgement about how often you might do this though!
  • Give them every support in terms of training, mentoring, materials and guidance they might need.
  • Be kind.  The majority of people want to do well at work and it can be a nightmare experience for them if for some reason their performance isn’t up to scratch. Genuinely wish them well and hope that they succeed.
  • Be confident.  You know how you want your team to work.  Don’t settle for anything less, and expect great not mediocre results for your team.

If you’re managing underperformance and actually manage to raise performance, then this not only instils a sense of achievement for the employee, but also gives a great message out to other staff that you are fair and tuned in to what is happening.   Your team might not know when underperformance is being successfully tackled.  But they certainly do if it is not being addressed at all.

What do you think?  Do you have your own Do’s and Don’ts when managing underperformance?  I’d love to hear from you.

Managing Underperformance

 

Join us on this amazing journey!

This great article is from the our 6 months themed series based on the Centre for Creative Leaderships Report of 2013, in which they identified the 6 top challenges for leaders across the globe:   Don't Miss Out! Sign up here to be notified of subsequent issues and posts

121242255

If you are a leader, you are continually developing and "Sharpening the Saw".  If you lead and manage teams, then you must read about our Inspirational New Leadership Programme.  Sign up now to find out more details when we launch in July 2014.  There is no obligation to undertake the programme, if you sign up today, you will simply be sent more information about the programme.  You can unsubscribe at any time!  Click below to register for further information.