Employee Engagement: Do I need it?- By Pat Gonzalez

There's a buzz about employee engagement.  Either you have it or you don't, and I really think it's something you want if you like being successful.  In a nutshell employee engagement is an operation management concept that indicates employees are emotionally committed to your organization and it's goals.

Have you ever dined out and experienced incredible customer service that left you eager to return?  On that same thought have you ever experienced horrible customer service that made you decide to never return?  The difference in the experiences was the employee engagement factor at both establishments. Engaged employees made the difference in your experience and are making the difference on the bottom line of those restaurants.  I think we can all agree that engaged employees are good for your business.

Do you consider yourself an engaged employee at your workplace?  Can you identify the engaged employees at your place of business?  Engaged employees feel satisfied, eager to meet the company's goals, and sometimes don't even view their job as "work", but instead perceive their work as enjoyable and fulfilling. (I have to share that working with people that lean forward during their morning commute because they can't wait to start their work day are incredible people to be around.)

If you feel you're not an engaged employee- don't feel that you're alone.  Gallup's State of the American Workplace delivers some grim news below on employee engagement:

If you're a manager (decision maker) at your organization and suspect you have a significant number of disengaged employees an evaluation of your workplace should be considered.  Is your organization's culture to blame?  While I don't believe an organization can create employee motivation or employee satisfaction it can build a strategy to create a working environment that encourages employee engagement.  The key thing to remember is that employee engagement is a choice an employee makes along with other decisions about how they want to be involved at their place of work.

Look for my next blog where we take a look at how an organization can encourage employee engagement.  Your comments and feedback are always appreciated.  If you have a topic you would like to see on my blog please e-mail me your request. 

Making Performance Reviews Work for You (Part 2)- by Pat Gonzalez

In the perfect HR world all managers in your organization would complete and deliver performance reviews to their teams on a hard set schedule. In the real world performance reviews are on your leader's to-do list, but constantly battling for a spot on the top of the priority list.  The HR team can help managers by sharing the value of this tool and show the decision makers a direct impact on their bottom line.  I know it's an overused cliche, but a leader is only as strong as the weakest link on the team.

So what can managers do to make the performance review process a more enjoyable and valuable process?  The key is what to do prior to preparing and delivering the review:

• Maintain a file for each of your direct reports that contains accomplishments, lessons learned, and feedback from your team member. (Remember to ask your HR contact for assistance on setting these files up to remain in compliance with HR laws and your organization's protocol.) Make sure you have a copy of the last review, so you have a point of time to properly and accurately measure your employee's growth.  
• Set appointments for reviews at least with a week's notice.  This allows your employee to prepare as well.  If there are follow up meetings make sure to calendar them in advance with your employee for the best outcome.
• Provide your employee with a copy of your review at least 24-48 hours before your meeting.  This removes surprises and allows your employee an opportunity to read and learn from your assessment.
• If you feel uncomfortable with preparing (or conducting) the review set up an appointment with your HR contact. It's not uncommon for leaders to need training on this item. The HR team will coach you on language, setting, and administrative items pertaining to this task.
• Remember that the performance review ideally should not be linked to compensation, and that the evaluation is an opportunity for a conversation. The conversation should be productive and be a communication vehicle for your company's mission statement.  It should ideally include the role your employee will have (with your support) in meeting company and department goals.

Your responsibility as a leader of your team is to communicate your mission and action plans to your team.  Performance reviews are a tool to build and assess your team.  HR professionals love to share their knowledge, and can even customize a performance building metric for your team. All teams are different, and with that being the case the measurement tools used to track performance may need to be customized to truly gauge your team's performance. 

Make sure to read my next blog on employee engagement.  Your comments and feedback are always welcomed.  If you would like to see a certain topic discussed please don't hesitate to send me your request.

Making Performance Reviews Work for You- by Pat Gonzalez

There was a time when performance reviews meant pay increases for the deserving, but in today's market the performance review has evolved into a tool used for lay-offs and in some companies it has become extinct.  It's a shame because when used effectively the performance review can become such  a powerful tool in managing, re-directing, and developing your most important asset~ your human working capital.

Why do some employees and managers dread the performance review?  The question can be answered by taking a look at how your company uses this tool.  Is it a process that just gets completed, signed, and checked off before it's filed away into the dusty realms of the HR office? Or is it a tool that provokes conversations between employee and manager that ultimately results in a partnership for cultivating a win-win strategy to aid in meeting mutual goals for your company? Knowing how your company uses your performance review can be very beneficial to you.

As an employee how should you prepare for a performance review? Are you surprised that you should prepare?  Preparing eliminates surprises. You probably want to keep surprises to a minimum when it comes to learning about how your manager perceives your work contributions.  Here's a quick checklist for you that will make preparing easy.

1. Retrieve your job description.  Understanding your manager's expectations is key.  If you don't have a job description prepare a list of the things you believe your manager expects of you. This will provide an incredible "opportunity of sharing" to make sure both of you are on the same page.
2. Keep a file of your "save the day" moments or kudos you have received during the review period. (It's a good idea to know your review window of time.)
3. Keep a file of any record of discussions or write-ups you may have received during your review period.  The mistakes aren't as vital as the learning experiences that have been captured during those times of error. This is your opportunity to share how you have grown professionally.
4. Review your prior performance review. Were goals set? If so, were those goals achieved.  This is another opportunity for you to shine.  
5. Request an opportunity to do a self evaluation using the same forms your manager will be using to complete your review (in the event a self evaluation form is not offered to you.)
6. Request a copy of your manager's review prior to your evaluation meeting.  Most managers will provide you a copy, but it they don't explain to them that you would like to review it, so that your time during the meeting can be focused on developing a career/objective plan based on his/her review of your performance.  Reading your performance review 24-48 hours prior to your meeting will minimize surprises and also help you to understand your manager's viewpoints. Of course it also offers a cooling off period in case you and your manager disagree on any points.
7. Leave your ego at home.  Remember the performance review is a review of your job contributions and is not a personal attack on your person.  You are a great person and nothing changes that!

Look for my next blog on how a manager should prepare.  Questions and comments are always appreciated.