Talent & Performance Management: A Forward-Looking Approach

Gone are the days when the Performance Management process relied solely on year-end reviews, providing feedback without continuous tracking and monitoring. McKinsey reinstitutes that?humans like knowing how they're doing.?Engaging in daily conversations establishes the groundwork for future employee performance.

Organisations need to marry employees' career development goals with organisational objectives. Armstrong, M., & Taylor S.?(2023)?in their handbook of human resource management practise, provides a self-renewing?Performance Management cycle from planning, reviewing and monitoring?which should be effectively implemented to assess different phases of employee progress, so they remain engaged and invested in their career growth. Adopting analytical tools to help managers identify individuals’ performance is key to delivering objective feedback.?

Managers ought to embrace a coaching mindset and engage team members on a daily basis. Meaningful conversations allow employees to reflect on their performance and while, it is the managers' responsibility to address, correct, guide and steer individuals towards growth opportunities.

Duncan Brown?(2010: 1)?observed that the problems [of performance management] are…?not of ambition or intent, but rather practice?and delivery. Low rates of coverage and even?more frequently low-quality conversations and?non-existent follow-up are commonplace in the?wake of uncommitted directors, incompetent?line managers, uncomprehending employees?and hectoring HR with their still complex and?bureaucratic HR processes.

To achieve business objectives and identify individuals with the necessary skill set, Performance Management serves as a natural cycle of giving people less formal, and more regular feedback. Research from CIPD advocates for a shift towards more frequent Performance Appraisal and Management practices, rather than limiting them to once or twice a year.

Going forward, the importance of Performance Management extends beyond the employee and manager relationship; HR plays a crucial role in ensuring managers possess the right skills and employees receive proper guidance to establish performance targets. It involves implementing suitable technology systems to support these practices, emphasizing regular conversations, and prioritizing the setting of achievable goals.

Talent Management plays a pivotal role in nurturing employee development and facilitating career advancement to facilitate the practical implementation of the Performance Management process. Recruiting individuals who align well with the organization's values and goals is crucial for achieving performance that meets business objectives.?

Based on my professional experience, organizations can improve individual performance by implementing Talent Management strategies, such as incorporating Competency Frameworks.

A particular aspect of Talent Management involves elevating career satisfaction through Learning & Development initiatives. By formulating career development plans, organizations can customize growth opportunities for each employee, nurturing their professional progression. These plans act as a means to assess employee performance annually, taking into account the opportunities offered within the Talent Management framework. Consequently, Talent Management plays a pivotal role in enhancing individual performance.

Line managerial support for development (LMSD) enables an environment to drive individual talent performance, simultaneously supported by an organisational agenda. The SHRM literature has examined the devolution of HRM responsibilities to line managers and their role in effective implementation is linked to their support for talent development, promoting skill enhancement and career progression.

Organizational backing in Learning & Development and allocating resources for critical roles are essential to equip Line Managers with the tools necessary to cultivate an exceptional talent experience. When executed effectively, this fosters robust employee development, leading to the establishment of a learning culture and enhanced talent retention.

Moreover, aligning organizational support with the efforts of line managers towards a shared objective is crucial for improving talent performance. Developing competitive strategies and frameworks, along with mechanisms to implement inclusive approaches, guides the organizational workforce towards sustainable performance outcomes.

Furthermore, effective communication plays a pivotal role in addressing unforeseen and uncertain talent performance challenges that organizations may hesitate to confront.

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