Page 95 - Anne Bruce - Building A HIgh Morale Workplace (2002)

Putting the Kibosh on Negativity 75

You can start by understanding the real objective of measur-
ing employee performance. It’s not to get workers to try and
become number one. Rather, the objective should be to encour-

age workers to want to continually improve themselves, sharp-
en their talents, and become lifelong learners. A manager who
relies solely on evaluating performance using the traditional
performance appraisal methods is missing the point. The key is

to develop people to their greatest potential using innovative
techniques and reevaluating old ones.
One way to make a change for the better is to start building
employee performance, rather than merely appraising it.
To start, focus on how to enhance and build employee per-

formance, confidence, communications skills, vision, under-
standing, and accountability. Here are seven steps to developing
highly effective performers
without using a traditional
performance appraisal. Better Performance
Means Higher Morale
You’ll probably want to
The objective of switching from a
adapt the following format
more traditional employee evaluation
to meet your individual
tool to a performance-enhancing
management style and the process is to be able to more effec-
needs of the organization. tively fight the negativity invaders that

You can even blend togeth- lower employee morale. By making
er your present employee the switch, you’ll be helping employ-
evaluation tool and this ees reach their peak levels of produc-
tivity and individual excellence.
more flexible, less formal
process, adding and delet-
ing to develop something that works best for you.

Seven Steps to Building Highly Effective Performers

Step 1. Define what performance means. Never assume that
your employees will understand or know what it is you mean by
“performance.” Define the term based on the circumstances of
your organization. It can take on a different meaning depending

on whether you’re in manufacturing, computers, marketing,
travel, or retail.