As illustrated in the chart on right, performance success is achieved when the needs of the company, the needs of the employee, and their ability to do the work merge.
When was the last time you reviewed your performance management process? Does your organization still use the annual “Performance Review” to provide employees with feedback on their job performance? The problem with this system is that it can be disruptive, ineffective and counterproductive.
When employees understand that performance management is meant to help their development and give them more control over their career advancement, they feel empowered and engaged. For your business, that translates to increased performance and a more robust bottom line.
The Enerpace team’s Performance Success Process stems from years of experience creating job descriptions, competencies and performance management methods. For maximum effectiveness, we recommend also training people leaders in the best practices for feedback conversations.
The Enerpace Performance Management Program
This is a shared activity between the manager and employee that results in an Individual Development Plan (IDP) to improve identified skills, knowledge or behaviors. The IDP aligns with expectations for the employee’s current role and prepares them for their future professional aspirations.
The table below compares an OPPP to an IDP:
One Page Performance Plan (OPPP)
- An individual’s annual performance goals and milestones
- Tied to your firm-level OPPP goals and cornerstones
- Cascades up and down within a firm so every person understands how their role contributes to the overall plan
Individual Development Plan (IDP)
- An individual’s annual development goals and milestones
- Specific to skills and competencies necessary to achieve OPPP goals and future career objectives
- Usually unique to the individual, although may share commonalities with others working on similar skills or those with similar career paths
Ladder or Lattice? Which Career Path Strategy Is Best for Your Employees – and Your Company?
Career development is essential for today’s workers. They are eager to grow in their careers and advance within their organizations. Companies unable to facilitate that growth will continue to be plagued with engagement and retention problems. There are two main options for moving a career forward – up a traditional career ladder or through a career lattice.
Ladder
Climbing the ladder is a vertical approach, best suited for highly specialized careers and employees who are already in a particular field and know exactly what role they want to have in the future. This approach offers employees the chance to become experts in their chosen field. Progression along the chosen career path is logical and easily flows from one position to the next.
However, the ladder approach limit’s the employee’s overall perspective of the company. As organizations are getting flatter, opportunities to move up the ladder may be limited. Employees may feel a need to move to another firm to get ahead. To avoid losing good employees, an increasing number of employers are choosing to create career progression using a lattice model.
Lattice
A career lattice offers employees the opportunity to move in several directions, both vertically, diagonally, and laterally, between jobs. The lattice’s movement across departments and functional areas enable employees to gain cross-functional skills.
How to choose?
Lattice or ladder? Enerpace can help you determine which is best for your organization and your employees. Engaged employees want to broaden their horizons, grow in their careers, and excel in new challenges. Companies that understand how to help employees navigate their careers will be rewarded with high retention and increased engagement.
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