Inspire Success

What is 360 degree feedback

360 degree respondents can be the employee’s peers, supervisors, managers, team members, other staff members, customers, suppliers – anyone who can provide objective feedback on the employee. Sources should be chosen on factors such as their knowledge of the employee’s performance, the importance of their relationship with the employee and their ability to provide objective feedback and use examples to back up their opinions.  The process for identifying respondents should be clearly set out with employees having some opportunity to input. The feedback is typically provided on a form (paper or online) showing job skills/abilities/attitudinal/behavioural criteria and some sort of scoring or value judgement system. The employee should also assess themselves using the same feedback form. In order for the 360-degree feedback process to be effective, it is important that it be designed and used correctly. The confidentiality of everyone involved should be respected at all times and the feedback should be summarised and delivered to the employee by individuals trained in feedback techniques. Employees should always be offered support to act on feedback.

Why use 360 feedback:

360 feedback can help to identify strengths and development needs for the employee and also help managers by providing insights into their management and leadership role. 360 feedback can open up communications about performance because the process involves giving and receiving feedback from all directions in the organization. Understanding ourselves and how we interact with others helps us understand the impact we have on those around us. 

Companies typically use a 360 feedback system in one of two ways:

1. 360 feedback as a development tool to help employees recognize strengths and weaknesses and become more effective
When done properly, 360 feedback is highly effective as a development tool. Employees can gain insight into how others perceive them and have an opportunity to adjust behaviours and develop skills that will enable them to improve / excel at their jobs. It can tell you where the development is needed for your employees so you don’t end up wasting a huge amount of money on training that people don’t need.

2. 360 Feedback as a Performance Appraisal Tool
360 feedback focuses on behaviours and competencies more than on basic skills, job requirements, and performance objectives. These things are most appropriately addressed by an employee and his/her manager as part of the annual review and performance appraisal process. The 360 feedback can enhance your performance management system, by incorporating 360 feedback into a larger performance management process, but only with clear communication on how the 360 feedback will be used.

What does 360 Feedback measure

• 360 feedback measures competencies – for example leadership, decision making, problem solving, customer service, motivation etc
• 360 feedback can identify underlying attitudes and thinking patterns that drive behaviour  and even help resolve what is causing counter-productive actions
• 360 reviews provide feedback on how others perceive an employee
• 360 feedback addresses skills such as listening, planning, and goal-setting
• A 360 evaluation can identify and measure areas such as customer service, teamwork, training needs, work environment and leadership effectiveness. The feedback can then be used to create development plans to increase capabilities and performance.

Is this something that could be an issue at your place? Inspire Success is all about implementing practical solutions that help create high performing workplaces which are customer focussed and free of conflict - no matter what size your business is. Contact Rae Phillips at Inspire Success for further information raephillips@inspire-success.com

In recent newsletters we have discussed the importance of finding and employing the right employees, their induction and their probationary period. Hiring employees is just a start to creating a strong work force. Next, you have to keep them. High employee turnover costs you in time and productivity. Here we discuss ways to reward and retain those employees, the importance of showing employees why they should stay working for you and also how it can improve your reputation with future employees. Salary increases and bonuses are ways to reward and retain employees but in this article we will focus on non monetary ways for retaining that key talent in your business......

Why put so much effort into keeping them?

Retaining employees is a good measure of how healthy your business is. If you are losing key employees chances are that other employees are looking also.

There are a lot of benefits to retaining your employees and these include:-

• Cost savings – the cost of staff turnover is very expensive as well as time consuming
• Improved productivity – continued work efficiency and customer service. It also ensures a reliable knowledge base about your business processes, policies and procedures
• Positive staff morale
• Happy clients – clients have continued relationship with same staff members
• Allows employees to build on their knowledge base and make career development
• Positive culture for your business which is good for current employees and new recruits

Ways to reward and retain employees
It is important for your business to keep your employees motivated and engaged and in return retain them. As the saying goes; “A happy worker is a productive worker”.

Salary is not the only way to motivate staff. There are a number of non monetary ways to  help your staff feel important and rewarded and keep them motivated and happy. These include:-

• Incentivise your employees – there are low and no-cost incentives you can use to make your staff feel valued e.g. an afternoon off, cinema tickets, breakfast morning etc
• Meet your employees regularly to talk about their work, what motivates them, their professional development and discussing the long term vision for them with your business
• Good quality supervision of employees – supervisors have an important role in the retention of employees. Its very important the supervisor does not make the employee feel undervalued. Examples of good supervision include providing feedback about performance, having regular meetings and being clear about work expectations.
• Allow employees to offer ideas, have open communication and give feedback – let employees feel comfortable doing this and encourage their involvement
• Having a fair and equitable company – treating employees equally is very important in retaining them
• Giving employees the opportunities to learn and grow in their knowledge, skills and career -   coaching employees by Managers, attending seminars, training, conferences etc
• Promoting from within whenever possible, having clear paths of advancement for employees

To retain staff you must make them feel rewarded, recognised and appreciated. It is good to be creative in (non monetary) ways of keeping employees happy and choose whatever works best for your business, even the simple act of saying “thank you” can go a long way…….

Is this something that could be an issue at your place? Inspire Success is all about implementing practical solutions that help create high performing workplaces which are customer focussed and free of conflict - no matter what size your business is. Contact Rae Phillips at Inspire Success for further information raephillips@inspire-success.com

It seems that absenteeism is causing a lot of stress for many of us – not only because employees who are consistently absent or late to work cause headaches, but they also impact on our bottom line!

Here are our top 5 tips for reducing absenteeism at your place:

1. Set standards of attendance
Start right at the start –your induction and your leave policy should outline what you expect if they are going to be late or are not able to get to work. For example employees should;

• tell their manager they will be absent;
• phone their manager within a certain time-frame to advise why they are unable to make it to work, the nature of their illness and when they expect to return;
• know that they will be contacted if you haven’t heard from them about why they are absent; and
• provide certain evidence that they are unfit for work i.e. a medical certificate or statutory declaration, in a certain way and within a certain time-frame.
  

2. Keep an eye on why people are absent
Collect information on patterns of absence, regardless of how many employees you have. Only with these statistics are you going to know if you have an issue in your workplace. Keeping an eye on these trends can assist you to:

• identify if you have a problem with absence at your workplace;
• determine what type of absence usually occurs in your workplace i.e. is it mainly Monday morning ’sickies’ or cases of longer-term sickness?; and
• highlight patterns in absence levels. For example, are absence levels higher in one particular team or at a specific time of year?

3. Conduct return to work interviews
For longer term absences, a return to work interview allows you to determine whether the employee is able to return to their duties and if modifications to their duties are required. It also assists you to determine if there is enough reason for disciplinary action. The focus on their absence gives notice to the employee that it hasn’t been noticed. Of course this will depend on the employee’s absence record, and any patterns.

4. Promote opportunities for flexible work
We know it is a legislated requirement, but why not be a trail blazer and help employees achieve a balance between their work, family and lifestyle commitments? There are lots of statistics that show that work-life balance reduces absenteeism. Just looking at your workplace and the roles differently might unearth a few opportunities to work flexibly that you didn’t know existed.

5. Make the job as good as it can be
Research suggests our people spend only 20%, or one day each week, doing tasks for which they have a genuine aptitude. Of course they are busy all the time. You can add real value and unearth strategies to engage and fulfil your staff by identifying roadblocks and helping remove them. In your informal discussions ask, "How can I help make your job more fulfilling, engaging and productive?"

These conversations with your people have economic benefits. All investments yield a return. How can you get your staff to work?

It is all about PREPARATION!

• Speak with other supervisors who work with the employee and ask them for specific examples of how they meet or do not meet the expectations of the role;
• Show empathy - try and understand the employee’s perspective;
• Be a positive listener;
• Give comments with care. Focus on the performance behaviour of the employee rather than them personally;
• Avoid comparisons with other employees;
• The employee should complete a self assessment before the interview. This should form the basis for the discussion with the manager;
• Work through each section of the review form, asking for the employees perspective and then discussing yours;
• Be specific and compare current performance to expected performance, give examples of good and not so good performance;
• Where there is agreement, congratulate the employee and use your copy to make the appropriate notes;
• Where there is disagreement, ensure you have examples which are specific and allow the employee to understand what you mean.;
• Establish how and when to follow up on commitments for improvement;
• The employee should review the points made during the appraisal and summarise them;
• Encourage the employee to make comments in addition to the appraisal comments;
• Discuss the employee’s aspirations, potential and development needs;
• If they are unrealistic, explain the processes required and encourage more attainable goals;
• Set action plans detailing the person responsible and a time table for completion;
• Set a date for review of the performance issues and / or development requirements;
• Close on a friendly note, keeping the lines of communication open for future discussion.
  

Setting employees up for success in a new role requires planning and action. There are times that things won’t go according to the plan, but the system should be flexible enough to allow for this, and help it get back on track.

As business owners we are operating in one of the most challenging times ever. Many of us have had to change the structure of our business, lay off staff and rethink our priorities.
We have people in our organisations that we trust with the vision for our business and we are working hard to maintain productivity levels and customer satisfaction results. What can we do to make sure we keep our people fired up and excited?

These 5 key elements to effective performance reviews are presented to give you a head start when you are managing the performance of your people.

1. Be consistent;
2. Train everyone;
3. Keep good records;
4. Set expectations early;
5. Follow up.

It is our intention that with knowledge and focus, you will set your people up for success and improve individual and team performance and productivity! Good luck – let us know how you go!

1. Be Consistent
Implement a consistent method of reviewing performance at your place. This could mean having a 6 weekly mid probation review; meeting for 30 minutes every 3 months; a six monthly catch up or anniversary reviews. Always use self assessments and let people know what will happen after the meeting.

TOP TIP: As you bring on a new employee, schedule the review meetings in your diary so you are prepared and don’t miss any.

2. Train Everyone
Have you ever felt like you were ‘pulling teeth’ when meeting with your staff? This was probably because they were unsure of the reason for the meeting and what their role was. Make sure you not only train the staff who are conducting the performance reviews, but also those who are being assessed. You will get MUCH BETTER results if everyone understands the objectives and the best ways to participate.

TOP TIP: Give out an FAQ sheet with the review forms so that the reviewer and reviewed can benefit from previous experience and plan for their meeting.

3. Keep Good Records
Keep good records so you can refer back to the meeting content, justify your performance ratings and follow up. Always bring a copy of the position description, any previous reviews, any notes on file and your semi completed review form to the meeting. It is critical that you base the review on the typical performance for the entire period.

TOP TIP: If you can, have someone else making the notes and get everyone to read them and sign off at the
end.

4. Set Expectations Early
Prospective employees should know during the recruitment stage that you have a performance management process – don’t make it a secret! Make sure that performance is assessed against the information in the position description and only refer to tasks, skills levels, experiences that are required to carry out the duties of the role. Let them know what the expectations are for improvement. Who is responsible, when will the change need to occur?

TOP TIP: Your position descriptions are a practical tool that can be used from recruitment, to Onboarding, training and reviewing performance gaps – make sure they are reviewed before each vacancy is filled.

5. Follow Up
Is the change required skills based or attitudinal? Is it more related to continuing development? It is imperative that you do what you say you will – when you said you would! If it is your responsibility to arrange training or a buddy, get it done straight after the meeting so you don’t forget!

TOP TIP: Schedule appointments for follow up discussions and invite the right people as soon as possible so you don’t get side tracked and end up weeks overdue for a critical performance discussion.

Did you know that the first 4 weeks of employment are when our new starters are deciding whether they are staying or not? This is the time to make sure we set them up for success and make the most of the money we have already spent on recruitment.

If you include at least these 3 steps to your induction, we believe you are on your way to building a positive employment relationship with your new starter and will have a much better level of engagement (read higher productivity, less conflict, less complaints, easier work for you!):

1. Deliver on what you promised
2. Set the standards up front
3. Follow up at regular intervals

Setting employees up for success in a new role requires planning and action. There are times that things won’t go according to the plan, but the system should be flexible enough to allow for this, and help it get back on track.

1. Deliver on what you promised.
Your recruitment systems should help here – what did you agree to in the interview? The letter of offer needs to be clear on what the job role is, what the pay is, when they start and how it will be reviewed.
Try to have this set up before the new starter arrives – it shows organisation in the business if their tools and workspace are ready, there is a name-badge and PPE, a handbook ready and an email address all sorted.
If you can, send the letter of engagement, personal details form, super and tax forms out in advance (we call this the starter pack). If this is completed at home and sent back in, you can set them up in payroll in advance and ensure there are no issues in getting that first pay. And if you pay monthly and they just miss the pay run – show them some flexibility by organising an end of month manual pay so they don’t have to wait 6 weeks!
TOP TIP: Have a checklist that you use to prepare for new starters, but that doubles as their checklist during Induction.

2. Set the standards up front.
You should have a standard checklist that is used by you or your key personnel so that you know every new employee gets exactly the same information. This checklist should include information on the company history and your service expectations, the focus of the division or department (this helps them understand how their position fits into the big picture) and very specific details like hours of work, where to park, uniforms, safety, timesheets, calling in sick etc.
Make certain that the checklist has a link to the position description so that the key personnel can work through the PD, letting the new starter know exactly what is expected of them and how their performance will be evaluated. Maintaining high standards during the Onboarding period will ensure that they continue.
By involving team members in establishing high standards of performance, you will build their pride and self-confidence. It has been shown time and again that setting high standards at the start improves staff retention and customer feedback.
TOP TIP: Your position description should be general enough that the employees understand the scope of their work, but specific enough that you can explain the standards (quality, quantity and time) you expect.

3. Follow up at regular intervals.
Specify on your checklist that there will be a weekly catch up, with a 6 weekly performance review mid probation. These catch ups should be casual, but structured, using the checklists as a guide.
Ask lots of questions, go over the information they have learned, ‘test’ that they have understood it and check to see where there are still gaps. During this time you should be listening for underlying problems with what the employees expected and what they are experiencing.
The 6 weekly probation review is a formal opportunity to provide feedback on their take-up of the new role, where they are going well and where there are performance issues. Document this discussion using a review form that you can go back to if necessary.
TOP TIP: These follow ups will work best if they are two way discussions. Ask the employee how things are going, listen to their response and then give your feedback. Resist the urge to jump in first.

Surveying your staff - what do they really think?
At the start of a new year, many people, personally or professionally, spend time reflecting on the past year - the things that went well and the areas that they could improve. This can also be an important element to your people strategy - what were your staff happy with and what ideas do they have to improve their work environment or the business?

This is even more critical with workplace legislation changing and new and different systems being introduced. How do we do this so that staff are not anxious or nervous?

When managed well, staff surveys can assist in increasing staff retention rates, lowering absenteeism, improving productivity, enhancing customer relations, and increasing profitability. When staff survey results are acted on, it can reinforce to employees that their input is valued by the organisation and help improve morale and loyalty - all valuable outcomes in today's candidate-short market.

The staff survey process often presents a number of challenges; high costs, a time consuming process, poor response rates, and administrative challenges around producing quality reports and charts. So how do we overcome these hurdles to implement an effective employee feedback program?

·         Conduct the staff survey using a mixed methodology of online and traditional paper based approaches. Online surveys save money and respondent time and paper surveys are essential in meeting hard-to-reach groups who don’t have access to the Internet.

·         Market the staff survey internally via email, notice boards or the Intranet and promote the benefits of taking part to increase response rates.

·         Make sure you have buy-in from team leaders and that they own the results. Appoint a staff survey coordinator who will liaise closely with your senior team.

·         Protect and communicate the anonymity of the employees’ responses and you are more likely to receive honest feedback. Using a 3rd party to conduct and manage the staff survey can assure the employees of confidentiality.

·         I have found that using a third party to conduct your staff survey also increases response rates, provides objectivity in the report and more quality in questionnaire design.

·         Communicate the results to your workforce whether they are positive or negative. This should be done quickly to show you’re being serious and then get them involved in working out what the actions will be.

·         It’s not enough to just conduct staff survey! You and your senior team needs to make sure you act on the results and communicate your actions to their employees. A positive plan of action needs to be put into place to address some of the key issues.

·         Finally run the staff survey at the same time every six months or so to gauge the difference in satisfaction levels and highlight any problems. Together with performance reviews, team workshops and exit interviews, this can build a picture of staff satisfaction and ensure that you retain your most valuable resource – your employees.