| Have you ever been involved in a performance | | | | why they have to change the way they do things, |
| initiative where employees asked “why are we | | | | because they will know what the objectives are and |
| doing this?” Or they were apprehensive and you | | | | how they will contribute to reaching them. |
| received strong push back? Or even worse, they | | | | The most important aspect of implementing a |
| flat out refused to cooperate altogether? To say this | | | | performance initiative and gaining employee |
| is a common occurrence in enterprise performance | | | | acceptance is to encourage improvement. One of |
| management would be an understatement. | | | | the main reasons employees resist performance |
| Creating a high performing organization involves | | | | management initiatives is because they are afraid they |
| numerous requirements, perhaps none more important | | | | may look bad once they are measured on specific |
| than gaining employee acceptance. | | | | objectives. The goal of the performance initiative is |
| While most will agree that managing performance is | | | | to baseline your current service delivery and measure |
| critical to the success of a business, strong resistance | | | | performance, and base success on improvement. |
| is often met when it comes to an initiative which entails | | | | One of the most overlooked, but most effective |
| scrutinizing the productivity of business units and | | | | methods of gaining employee acceptance is to |
| employees. Often times, in the employees’ eyes, | | | | demonstrate support from executives and senior |
| a performance improvement initiative is a negative | | | | management. Many performance initiatives fail simply |
| reflection of their current performance. It may even | | | | for the fact that it doesn’t appear to be a priority |
| come across as if their performance is being singled | | | | from executives. When employees see these |
| out, or that others are telling them how to do their | | | | objectives being communicated from the executive |
| job. As a result, morale is diminished and the | | | | office, whether it be emails, newsletters, town hall |
| performance initiative is halted before it ever gets off | | | | meetings, or morality speeches they know that their |
| the ground. | | | | performance is being monitored outside of their |
| Methods for getting employees to accept new | | | | business unit or the consultants who come in and |
| performance initiatives include: | | | | manage the project. Some organizations do not |
| - Involve employees | | | | perform well simply for the fact that the employees do |
| - Clarify employee objectives | | | | not believe it is very important, or is being monitored by |
| - Strive for improvement instead of judge past | | | | executives. |
| performance | | | | Another effective method for getting employees to |
| - Getting visible support from executives and senior | | | | buy into the performance initiative and get into the |
| management | | | | mindset of peak performance is to challenge them. |
| - Challenging employees to act immediately | | | | This can be done by identifying an area of |
| - Enabling them to monitor results | | | | improvement, providing a process that can help them |
| To get better acceptance of the performance initiative, | | | | do it better than the status quo, and getting them to |
| as with any change initiative, it is best to involve | | | | commit to improving in those areas, starting one area |
| employees at all levels. Any new performance | | | | at a time. |
| management or evaluation system is not likely to gain | | | | When it comes to monitoring results, the most |
| acceptance if it's used to rate, rank or single out | | | | effective way to get employees to perform at a high |
| people or their services. An initiative is much more | | | | level is to make sure they know exactly what they will |
| accepted if it's shown to lead to individual growth and | | | | be measured against and to give them the ability to |
| development. And employees are much more likely | | | | monitor the performance in which an independent |
| to have buy-in if they are offered the opportunity to | | | | reporting team reports on. When employees have |
| participate and share their opinions and be part of the | | | | access to these results and understand why and how |
| process. | | | | they are being measured, they shift their focus to |
| Another way to improve employee acceptance and | | | | achieving those metrics. If the metrics are truly |
| performance is to make sure they understand | | | | aligned with the organizational objectives, then |
| corporate, team and personal objectives. Once this | | | | individuals within your organization will be fine tuned for |
| understanding is established employees won’t ask | | | | peak performance. |