Time for an integrated, agile Performance & Culture Management Model

With rapid changes to technology and the ways we work, it has long been no secret that the annual performance appraisal is very much ineffective and dead and we need to create better ways to manage the performance of employees in a competitive work environment. At the same time, however, we need to focus more on the important aspects of workplace culture and employee engagement and we need to find a way to incorporate all aspects of operating within the workplace, in our performance management methodology.

Dr. Cameron Sepah was instrumental in helping the world understand the importance of assessing the whole individual at work and finding a way of encouraging and rewarding not only ‘delivery’ in terms of traditional ‘how much of what, by when and of what quality’ but also assessing values-congruent behaviour in the workplace. The performance-values matrix is an invaluable tool in the modern workplace, as it enables employers to redefine the concept of ‘high performance’ to not only include a score relating to what the employee delivers at work, but also how they go about achieving their results. This matrix makes it easier to identify the people who are great at their jobs, but a nightmare to work with, or the truly ‘nice’ people who are ineffective leaders or just plain incompetent. Brilliant as the performance-values matrix is, however, most corporates simply do not know how to properly integrate the principles within their organisation and how to actually implement the matrix alongside their performance management system and their efforts to improve workplace culture and employee engagement.

That is, until now…

Deborah Hartung has developed the DIRC Model of Performance and Culture Management. This simple, yet highly effective model can be implemented either with HR Tech or People Data Platforms such as Hi5 Technologies or using much more traditional assessment tools.

The DIRC model enables an employer to assess any employee across four (4) crucial categories relevant to their employment - delivery, innovation & growth, relationships and corporate citizenship.

Delivery: any role in any organisation can be reduced to objectively measurable criteria such as time (meeting deadlines), quality and cost (working within set budget parameters and working effectively so as to not cause the employer unnecessary losses in terms of re-work or downtime)

Innovation & Growth: in our fast-paced, agile world, the best ideas often do not come from the Executive Team and we need any individual, at any level in the company to be committed not only to their own growth in terms of technical and soft skills, but also to the growth of the business and the improvement of effectiveness and efficiency in the organisation.

Relationships: our ability to be successful at work, depends largely on our ability to work effectively with others. A healthy workplace culture is characterized, amongst others, by employees who respect each other and are able to communicate effectively and resolve disagreements in a constructive manner, whilst proving themselves to be reliable, dedicated and trustworthy.

Corporate Citizenship (Culture): the best corporate cultures are created where everyone from the CEO to the most junior of interns, is truly living the company values on a daily basis, by displaying actions and behavours that support and strengthen these core company values.

By assessing individual employees across all four (4) of these categories, you are able to form a holistic view of an individual’s strengths and developmental areas and to accurately pinpoint exact areas to focus on in order to create balance and improve.

A simple slide deck, explaining this model and the associated 5 point rating scale, is available for you to download FREE right here.

If an organisation so wished, the model could be further adapted, using simple weighting, coupled with a robust rewards system that effectively forces an employee to focus on the areas required to improve.

The DIRC model will help you create a workplace that is characterized by exceptional performance, innovation and interpersonal relationships – thereby improving your corporate culture and levels of employee engagement.