You’re an employee relations professional. How can you help managers improve employee performance?

U can only be an effective leader if you lead by example, compassion and empower people. When they fail, you focus not on judging them, you focus on making failure as an example for them to learn and be able to perform better in future.

Be curious and listen to what gives the employee energy and what drains energy - ask about what is a great day at work ? Use the input to ensure the employee has more tasks that gives energy than drains, and ensure a clarity in tasks and career plan ahead. Ensure to provide recognition often and support and remind employee that success comes in many different shapes and forms. So even small victories on a long journey is also a success. Be positive - believe in people, so they believe in themselves.

Feedback is a two-way street. When an employee provides feedback, it's important to take it positively and consider how it can help in managing the team effectively.Managers often overlook this aspect. While giving feedback is crucial, it is equally important for managers to be open to receiving feedback as well.

Building trust and a professional relationship with your employees and coaching and feedback are essential. Leaders need to ask how they can support their employees and be willing to adjust their leadership style to fit the needs of each employee. Having a high EQ is desirable too. It starts with the leader's willingness to engage with the employees needs in mind, connect authentically.

Set clear & achievable expectations: Make sure employees understand what is expected of them in terms of goals, deadlines, and quality standards. Provide regular feedback: Offer constructive feedback on a regular basis to help employees understand their strengths and areas for improvement. Recognize & reward good performance: Acknowledge and reward employees for their hard work & achievements, to motivate them to continue performing well.

performance management is indeed an ongoing process that goes beyond annual appraisals. It involves setting clear goals, monitoring progress, and acknowledging achievements regularly. As you mentioned, managers can benefit from guidance, resources, and training to implement a robust performance management system effectively. This includes aligning employee goals with organizational objectives, tracking performance indicators, and recognizing and rewarding accomplishments. Additionally, supporting managers in addressing performance issues through development plans, providing assistance, and conducting follow-ups ensures continuous improvement and employee engagement.

Performance Management isn't just about reacting to issues, it begins the day an employee joins the team. It's an ongoing process focused on setting goals, tracking progress, and recognizing achievements. It all starts with understanding your employees goals and how they align with the company's objectives. So the question now becomes, how can we support you in reaching your goals? And how can we ensure you feel confident and capable in every aspect of your role?

The Art of Effective Coaching and Feedback In today's dynamic workplace, managerial success transcends mere delegation; it hinges on the ability to coach and provide meaningful feedback. Coaching isn't about dictating tasks but fostering an environment where employees uncover their solutions. Likewise, feedback should extend beyond praise or critique, delving into specific and constructive insights. By sharing best practices, tools, and real-world examples, we can equip managers with the skills to elevate their coaching and feedback, enabling a culture of continuous improvement.

Open communication. Facilitate open and transparent communication between managers and employees.Encourage regular feedback sessions both formal and informal. Provide guidance on effective communication strategies ensuring that expectations, goals and performance standards are clearly communicated.

Use performance management as a support mechanism as opposed to a punitive consequence Work in collaboration with the individual to highlight challenges and work together to put in milestones and objectives to help support the individual develop It's important that this is approached from a learning and development angle as the individual should be given an opportunity to develop Regular reviews, set key milestones, ensure capacity and resources and tools are in place for the individual

Fostering a culture of learning and development is pivotal for enhancing employee performance and facilitating growth. Managers can be supported in cultivating such an environment by guiding them to recognize and offer learning opportunities for their workforce. Assistance can be provided in evaluating the skills and requirements of employees, developing and implementing training initiatives, and assessing the effectiveness of these learning interventions. Additionally, it is advisable to promote a culture conducive to learning by endorsing informal learning channels, mentorship programs, and peer-to-peer feedback mechanisms.

While there may be some benefits to this approach, it can also constrain managers and hinder creativity. An ideal culture should foster a two-way exchange, where employee engagement professionals promote a project-oriented environment. Managers should be actively involved with employees, encouraging innovation and idea-sharing. It's crucial to listen to all perspectives and provide timely feedback to foster continuous improvement.

Absolutely, fostering a culture of learning and development is crucial for employee performance and growth. Managers play a pivotal role in creating such an environment. They can be supported in identifying and providing various learning opportunities for their employees, assessing their skills and developmental needs, designing tailored training programs, and evaluating the effectiveness of these initiatives. Furthermore, promoting informal learning, mentoring relationships, and peer feedback channels can further enhance the learning culture within the organization. By empowering managers with the tools and guidance to facilitate continuous learning, employees can thrive, adapt, and contribute effectively to the organization's success.

I think the key is contained in Number 4. It’s all very much about Employee Engagement - that’s the real game changer. Empower employees, listen to them, be kind to their mistakes and make sure they have the resources they need to be successful.

To engage employees in performance management, you need to provide them with ongoing, timely, and constructive feedback and recognition throughout the year. This will help them monitor their progress, identify their gaps and opportunities, and celebrate their successes and achievements.

Employee engagement is critical to creating a positive and productive work environment. As an employee relations professional, you can help managers enhance employee engagement by promoting open communication, providing opportunities for employee feedback and involvement, and recognizing and rewarding employee contributions. Additionally, you can help managers create a positive workplace culture that supports employee well-being, diversity, equity, and inclusion. By enhancing employee engagement, you can help create a workplace where employees feel valued, motivated, and committed to achieving organizational goals.

People thrive on being acknowledged and valued for their contributions. By actively involving myself in my team's work, setting them up for success, and recognizing their efforts, I have seen a positive impact on their performance and morale. A silent team member is typically disengaged, which can hinder overall team productivity. Empowering team members involves transparency, involvement, and recognition. When employees feel that their opinions and actions are valued, and they understand how their work contributes to the company's success, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated. As a leader, there are nuggets of wisdom all around us. Be curious about those you lead.

enhancing employee engagement is vital for organizational success. Managers can play a significant role in this process by understanding and addressing the key drivers of engagement, including autonomy, recognition, feedback, growth opportunities, and a sense of purpose. Supporting managers in surveying and listening to employee opinions, needs, and suggestions can provide valuable insights into areas for improvement. Additionally, helping managers implement engagement initiatives and activities such as team building, recognition programs, and wellness initiatives can foster a positive work environment and strengthen employee commitment, motivation, and satisfaction.

In summary there are 5C's concept in Employee Engagement which are; Care, Connect, Coach, Contribute and Congratulate. These are vitals for building a motivated and productive workforce. By implementing these strategies, we can improve employee satisfaction, retention, and overall performance.

Start with fostering open communication: Clear communication about company goals, expectations, and progress fosters transparency and boosts engagement. Providing training, education, and growth opportunities demonstrates that the company is invested in employees' professional development, this includes Recognition and rewards. Most important to me is: Employee involvement and Meaningful work: Involving employees in decision-making processes and considering their opinions and ideas strengthens their engagement and commitment to the company. Employees want to identify with their work and make a meaningful contribution. Supporting projects that have a positive impact can enhance engagement.

despite proactive measures, employee relations issues can still arise. Managers can be supported in effectively handling these situations by providing advice, mediation, and proper documentation. This assistance includes guiding them to follow established policies and procedures, communicate clearly and respectfully with all parties involved, and meticulously document the facts and outcomes of the situation. Furthermore, helping managers prevent or minimize employee relations issues involves proactive measures such as addressing potential problems early, building trust and rapport with employees, and fostering a culture of respect and inclusivity. By equipping managers with the necessary tools and strategies

It is important for the managers to know the root issues of their team before let the HR professionals handle the issues. They are the first line reporting of their employees. In such employee relations issues, it is best to get the department manager involve, so that they will connect with the concerns employees, managing the internal departmental issues and prevent it from re-occur. As an employee relation professional, the matter will be handle and settle down professionally and legally.

Employee relation is certainly an ongoing process which you have to plan, monitor and implement carefully. Every employee is important for an organization and handling their issues with patience and care will make them feel valued. There can be conflicts and challenges in your way but it depends how effectively you can handle the situation. My experience says that if you handle any issue with empathy and deliver your message with positivity you can resolve any conflict in an organization.

Nomatter how small and insignificant issues being brought up by employees are,a manager should always attend to such issues from the perspective in which such employees sees them to be. Brushing aside issues being raised by employees is a recipe for disaster. Attending to employee issues results in building a culture of openness, trust, eliminating potential barriers to harmony at work among improving exchange of important information. It is such things that causes disgruntlement and affect employees' performance so every manager should attend to employee relations issues as a priority. The manager should be available to attend to issues affecting his or her team and should also be seen making efforts to correct them

As an employee relations professional, you are responsible for handling employee relations issues in a fair, consistent, and legal manner. This includes investigating and resolving complaints of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, as well as providing guidance on company policies and procedures. Additionally, you can help managers address employee concerns and conflicts, and provide training on topics such as communication, conflict resolution, and cultural competence. By handling employee relations issues effectively, you can help create a positive and inclusive workplace culture that supports employee well-being and success.

Take accountability for your mistakes and be open about it; don't deflect. Learn from those mistakes. Making mistakes doesn't make you less of a leader.

As a manager, don't take things personally because when you take things personally you invoke an emotional response to an employees behaviour/conduct and that never ends well!

I agree, David. The place to start is to listen to the employee. Learn what they need AND want to learn. Then make sure you customize the training. Once training is introduced return to the employee and be patient. Change, growth and improvement takes time.

Work-Life Balance: Advocate for work-life balance initiatives within the organization, as burnout and stress can negatively impact employee performance. Encourage managers to support flexible work arrangements and promote a healthy work-life balance for their team members.

Leadership transparency is also critical. Leaders being vulnerable, and sharing not so great exeperiences in their career where they've made mistakes, or failed to master a task in a short time frame. This will allow safe spaces for low impact errors and true learning/creativity as opposed to being told exactly what to do.