Performance management and appraisal - the challenges, causes and what Learning Technologists can do to help

1. Freedom to Learn
The Four Freedoms
FREEDOM

2. Freedom to Learn 2

4. Performance
management is
broken.

5. Sources: Gallup, McKinsey, NHS staff survey

6. Performance
management
saves lives
Borril & West, Aston University, 200

7. Why does it
matter to us?

8. L&D solutions
(and
technologies)
Role clarity
Performance
objectives
Feedback
(manager and
others)
Coaching
conversations
Individual and
organisational
learning/
performance
needs
Better
performance,
better
outcomes
Feedback

9. Why has it
broken?

10. Two key issues
#1
The purpose of the process often
creates a tension between control
and development
#2
It’s a simple process in a complex
world

11. #1 What are you trying to achieve?
1. Direction-
setting and
control
2. Reward and
recognition
3. Resourcing
and promotion
4. Legal/
compliance and
discipline
5. Personal and
professional
development
6. Individual and
organisational
improvement
7. Feedback and
communication
More
corporate
focus -
control
More
personal
focus -
development

12. Trying to do all this in one process
creates tensions
If I admit to having development needs, will you block my
promotion?
If I say I have spare capacity, will I be at risk of redundancy?
If I give you feedback, will you react rationally?
If you set my objectives, can I be sure they reflect what the
organisation needs?
If I set challenging goals, will I be disadvantages when we
come to score progress next year?
https://www.deviantart.com/graha
mgraham/art/One-Ring-294786480

13. The total of all performance-related conversations over the year
The manager/appraisee structured conversation
The written notes
The formal appraisal record
The “we did
it” tickbox
The tickbox challenge

14. Who knows what
they’ll be doing
in 3 months?

15. A simple process for a complex world?
“Performance targets are really
good if you're measuring what
you want to achieve. [but] if
people work for extrinsic values
you destroy intrinsic motivation”
(Dave Snowden)
https://cognitive-edge.com/videos/cynefin-framework-introduction/

16. Our manifesto

17. Our manifesto
• Think Holistically
• BLA
• The Flow of Work
• Conversation
• Wider than the Appraiser
• Smaller, Faster, Better

18. One size doesn’t fit all : what we find
Workflow-based branching forms, flexible processes
Standard Totara appraisal forms
Light-touch recording of date only
Use Totara learning plan and evidence store
Which of these models best describes your use of Totara for appraisal?
Source: Think Learning client research, 2018

19. Systems do help!
Empowering managers
Improved transparency and reporting
Reduced central admin
Increased calibration and quality
Improved clarity of process
Aligning appraisal and training
How has (Totara) technology helped your appraisal outcomes this year?
Source: Think Learning client research, 2018

20. About King’s
• One of the largest NHS Trusts in the country
• Founded in 1829, international reputation
• 6 main sites across South East London and 20 clinics
• 200,000 inpatients treated each year
• A teaching and research centre of excellence
• Over 12,000 staff
• Huge range of roles, very diverse staff groups

21. What’s working for us in
performance appraisal
• Build on the high uptake/acceptance of LEAP (our Totara platform) – single platform
for all Learning/Performance processes
• Think’s customised “workflow” tool to give us flexibility
• Trust your employees
• Provide different approaches to recording – from very light touch (just date/rating) to
online objectives/development/reviews – all feeding single reporting dashboard
• Treat appraisal as a “compliance topic” – on R/A/G dashboards, manager and staff
reminders, board-level visibility

22. • A Totara process, customised
with Think Learning
• We trust employees to drive
the process (including
selecting their
manager/appraiser)
• Guidance videos, on-screen
support, and training – the
recording system is a very
small part
• Choice of “full record” or
“rapid record“
• Local freedoms (only “must-
do” is annual appraisal date
and rating)

23. Choice of 4-
stage annual
process
“Rapid record”
date and rating
OR
(or mix-and-
match through
the year)
Mobile- and tablet-friendly
responsive design
Balance of flexibility (free
text fields, freedom to write
what’s relevant) and
guidance (focusing on links
to priorities and values)
Employee-driven process

24. What’s next for King’s
• Build further on current 90% appraisal rate
• Add in some (gentle) manager controls/signoffs
• Campaigns to focus on quality as well as quantity of appraisal
• Regular supervision as well as annual checks
• Link to pay progression checks
• Talent management
• Use of workflow tools for other L&D processes (e.g. onboarding)

25. What can you do?

26. Boundaries Space
A control diagnostic
• Where is your organisation
trying to position appraisal? Is
it in the right place?
• How do you approach
appraisal?
• How does your manager/your
employees expect to
approach appraisal
• What are the gaps between
these positions?
Model developed by BP, based on situational leadership
Direction
Support

27. • Organisation
• You
• Your manager
• Your team
Boundaries Space
Direction
Support

28. Five suggestions
• Use the diagnostic
• Engage with your HR colleagues
• Get the business involved
• Push learning data back into the performance cycle
• Look around!

29. • Nick Shackleton-Jones http://www.aconventional.com/
• Dave Snowden https://cognitive-edge.com/
• Julian Stodd https://seasaltlearning.com
• Mike Walsh http://www.mike-walsh.com/

30. True Eureka innovation is not
going to happen by an
internal training programme
but from engagement in the
real world
(Dave Snowden)
Thank you!
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