Performance management strategies have changed the ways that companies handle fundamental HR issues. When done correctly, performance management provides a comprehensive and accurate assessment of an employee’s strengths, weaknesses, and overall value to an organization. When making the decision to promote, fire, or refocus an employee, this information is essential.
People tend to associate performance management strategies with employee retention, but they prove to be just as useful, and ultimately more effective overall, when they are a feature of the recruitment process. Taking simple steps to integrate performance management concepts into the initial stages of the employment process benefits both the applicant, and the company.
If performance management is not currently a factor in your recruitment process, it is time to do things differently. Use these simple steps to improve the way you attract, filter, and vet job applicants.
Define the Job
How does the vacant position fit into the overall operation of your company? In order to understand how important the position is, and what levels of performance to expect from a future hire, you need to think about how the job affects your day to day business and your long-term goals. Once you have a realistic understanding of the position, update your job posting so that applicants know how they will fit into your organization
Create Performance Goals
At what levels would you consider employee performance to be weak, adequate, or exceptional? These need to be quantifiable so that you can empirically evaluate levels of success. Once you have the numbers, work them into your job posting so that applicants know what standards they will be held to.
Prioritize Responsibilities
In any position, some responsibilities will be more important than others. Identify the tasks that are most important to your company, and make sure they are emphasized in your job posting. This step helps deflect unqualified candidates, and produces applicants that can add the greatest amount of value to your organization.
Educate the Applicants
We have talked about reworking your job descriptions, but it is important that you keep applicants informed about your performance expectations at every step of the application process. When you are interviewing, focus on the skills, experience, and abilities that are most essential to your company. Also, make sure the applicant is aware of the benchmarks they will be held to, and the consequences for falling short.
As you can see, it doesn’t take a lot to start integrating performance management concepts into your recruitment process. The goal, fundamentally, is to identify how an individual position supports your business goals, and then to seek out the candidates that are best qualified to meet the challenge. To learn more about effective recruiting in the 21st century, use The Squires Group as a resource. Contact our team of experts for more information!
