Continuous Performance Management

Effective employee continuous performance management remains one of the biggest challenges for today’s organizations. On one hand, performance management is critical for the engagement, retention, and productivity of today’s workforce. On the other hand, it is becoming more and more clear that today’s performance management processes are almost never sufficient to support managers in driving the best possible performance from their employees.

Ditch traditional performance management practices

Organizational researchers and subject matter experts have been suggesting for some time that traditional, annual performance evaluation processes need to be replaced. But what are the perspectives of the managers and employees who are on the frontlines of employee performance management every day? What do they want to get out of this process? Is there anything about traditional performance management processes worth keeping? Is continuous performance management even plausible?

Baylor University research

SAP and Baylor University in Waco, Texas researchers collaborated to better understand performance management
from the manager’s and employee’s perspective.

What does effective continuous performance management look like in today’s world of work, and what kinds of tools will help support these behaviors?

Findings from this multi-company, multi-industry research suggest that traditional performance management tools do add some value in supporting performance-related conversations in the workplace. They, however, do not fully support the interpersonal and process needs that employees and managers have when it comes to effective and continuous performance management.