Performance Review & Development Process

Professional Services Firm

Executive Abstract

The Principal of a professional services firm recognised that to build on the success to date of the business, it was important to create an environment in which ownership for the success could be engendered amongst the staff.

A Performance Review & Development Process would assist in creating such an environment by empowering and motivating staff to accept responsibility for the outcomes of their efforts.

Client Overview

The firm is a small professional services firm founded by the Principal and employs a Manager and a team comprising qualified professionals and trainees.

Objective of Assignment

The objective of the assignment was to design and assist in the implementation of a clearly defined Performance Review & Development Process to meet the needs of both the business and its staff in order to provide the opportunity to identify those staff who can significantly contribute to the growth of the business, whilst providing all employees with clear goals and motivations.

Process

A Performance Review & Development Process was a new initiative in a firm with previously limited formalised performance management procedures.

Prior to commencing the documentation of goals, achievements and aspirations, Role Descriptions needed to be drafted. These then provided the context within which goals could be agreed for the next review period.

A briefing session was held in which all staff participated. This briefing confirmed earlier communications between the Principal and staff that a Performance Review & Development Process would provide a framework that :

• provides feedback on performance;
• recognises areas for improvement;
• reviews achievements; and
• sets new challenges.

Staff were briefed in how to prepare Role Descriptions, write Objectives, prepare an Action Plan for achievement of Objectives and how to rate their performance.

The staff were asked to prepare Role Descriptions for their positions and complete a self-assessment of their performance over the previous 6 months, providing a draft indication for the context for achievement and success over the next 6 month period. This would provide the context for feedback review discussions.

Sentient Operations coached the Principal and Manager in preparation for the feedback review discussions.

Outputs

Templates were designed, developed and provided to enable the Performance Review & Development Process to be implemented. This documentation provided the basis of review discussions on an individual basis for all staff.