If it is not measured, it is not managed. That is the bottom line when it comes to financial management, project management and operations management. And it is no different for staff management.
Staff are the key resource in any business. The process of reviewing and measuring how they have contributed in the past and planning for improved contribution in the future, like any of the processes above, requires planning and forethought.
The place to start is to have clear business targets in place. These targets provide the direction from which objectives will be set with staff and link the development of your people with the development of your business.
Secondly, you need clarity on measures of acceptable work performance. These measures provide a base line for staff performance and can be supported in writing with job descriptions and policies. Defining acceptable performance should not just include what staff do, but how they do it. For example, it will always be easier to track takings rather than a barmans productivity or to monitor food costs rather than the chefs ability to manage the kitchen team. But these things are all measurable.
Lastly there needs to be a commitment to time. The process of sitting down with your staff to discuss with them how they are doing, set objectives and identify support needed to achieve those objectives, takes time and energy.
However, this time and energy is a tangible investment in your people and, for the most part, will be welcomed by staff who will see the process as an opportunity to get some feedback on how they are doing and how they can develop.
A robust process will also prove critical for other staff related practices. Information from such a process can inform your salary plans, provide information on training needs and identify talent worth developing.
The emphasis is not just on tracking performance but setting performance goals to achieve higher levels of business performance. It is about motivating and challenging staff to develop with your business.
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