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What is Business Performance Management?

D. Jeffress
D. Jeffress

Business performance management refers to a set of strategies that are employed to help workers increase their productivity and advance company goals. Business owners, human resources (HR) managers, and outside consultants design performance management programs to help employees learn how to perform their jobs more effectively. Ongoing communication between employees and management is essential in improving performance. Progress is carefully monitored and feedback is provided on a regular basis. An effective business performance management program can lead to happier workers, improved relations between workers and their managers, and increased profits for the company.

There are many important elements of an effective business performance management policy. HR managers and executives first identify company goals and worker expectations. They plan strategies to effectively introduce and enforce their expectations, which may take the form of direct training, company-wide memos, or personal meetings with workers. Business performance management plans that involve direct communication between managers and workers tend to produce the best results. Employees that know the importance of their work and understand that their managers are willing to discuss issues with them are more likely to be productive and content.

Business performance management is used to advance company goals and help workers increase their productivity.
Business performance management is used to advance company goals and help workers increase their productivity.

The next step in business performance management is monitoring and evaluating worker performance. Managers usually fill out progress reports or provide direct verbal feedback to help employees succeed and meet company goals. Performance management emphasizes the importance of providing encouragement and constructive criticism instead of reprimanding employees when they fall short of expectations. It is essential to actively help struggling workers develop new skills in order to fulfill company expectations.

Business performance management may include pay increases or bonuses for high-performing employees.
Business performance management may include pay increases or bonuses for high-performing employees.

An employee who is never presented with positive feedback or chances for career advancement is likely to become complacent in his or her work, which is detrimental to productivity. Providing rewards and incentives is an important part of many business performance management strategies. Employers can inform their workers of ways that they can earn bonuses, pay increases, or promotions. Executives can also add incentives for workers who are willing to offer their own ideas about how a company can improve its policies.

Business performance management helps employees do their jobs more effectively.
Business performance management helps employees do their jobs more effectively.

Some companies choose to hire expert performance management consultants from private firms to provide objective monitoring and analysis of company procedures. Professional consultants work with employees, managers, and executives to help them improve communication and identify common goals. They help HR personnel develop better training and performance monitoring strategies. Consultants often meet with employees to discuss their concerns and expectations regarding company policy, and attempt to resolve lingering issues with executives.

Discussion Comments

JaneAir

@KaBoom - That's terrible. It sounds like you work for a large company. I think the consultant we hired was so successful in part because our office is fairly small. The consultant really took the time to talk to us and address our specific needs.

Your company really needs better business performance management tools than that software. I know you said you're afraid of getting fired but your company should probably be afraid all their employees either quitting or cracking under pressure. Then how will the company run?

KaBoom

@JaneAir - I'm glad your office had such a pleasant experience with the consultant. The consultants the geniuses at my company hired were a complete nightmare! They spent months studying our work flow but the solutions they came up for us don't make any sense.

Also, they installed this horrible performance management software on all of our computers. They fed us a bunch of propaganda about how it was going to increase productivity, thus increasing business and our paychecks. Yeah right! We're still being paid the same amount but stress levels among the employees skyrocketed.

What ended up happening is the software basically tracks our every move on our office computers. It even logs all of our keystrokes! And if you aren't following the specific processes or being productive enough the company will fire you.

Luckily I've been able to hang on to my job but I don't know how much longer I'm going to last.

JaneAir

The doctors office I work for hired a business process management consultant a few years ago and it did wonders for our office. I know most people don't think about this but a lot goes into running a doctors office. Between scheduling the patient, seeing the patient in the office and billing the patient a lot can go wrong.

Before we hired the consultant our office was in financial trouble. We were just too disorganized and the billing process took much too long. The process management consultant came in and observed us for a few weeks and came up with a plan to allow us to streamline operations.

All of us who work in the office were very happy with changes and I think the patients are happier too.

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    • Business performance management is used to advance company goals and help workers increase their productivity.
      By: adam121
      Business performance management is used to advance company goals and help workers increase their productivity.
    • Business performance management may include pay increases or bonuses for high-performing employees.
      By: Diana Valujeva
      Business performance management may include pay increases or bonuses for high-performing employees.
    • Business performance management helps employees do their jobs more effectively.
      By: Minerva Studio
      Business performance management helps employees do their jobs more effectively.