Performance management, development plans, hiring strategies and creating a culture of recognition: these 4 elements are essential for creating what we call an “engagement ring.”

Each of these is a process that will pay great benefits if used correctly, or lead to low morale and

cultural dysfunction if handled poorly.

Performance management means just that – managing employee performance. Self management is one side of the coin, supervisor

review of performance is the other side. Many people assume performance management means the dreaded “annual performance review,” and they assume that because it is so typical. Typical, but wrong!

Development plans align directly with performance management. Development plans cover both job training and beyond-job development. Employees (at every level) need a development plan. Where do they want to be in 5, 10, 15 years? Maybe they want to continue developing expertise in their current roles. Maybe they dream of climbing the ladder from mailroom to president. Maybe they need to focus on preparing for retirement. There is no right or wrong personal answer to what one wants to achieve, but there is definitely a right or wrong approach to having development plans within any organization – and the wrong approach is to drop the ball, to ignore this process that doesn’t appear to immediately affect “the bottom line.”

We hear the same story when talking with employees at various levels in numerous organizations: “If a simple job opens up, leadership will allow hiring from within, either as transfers or promotions. But as soon as a complex job opens up or a high-level management position, no one here is good enough, and they hire from outside.” There are only two reasons to not look within for promotions: either leadership does not actually know the skill sets of its own employees, or leadership has for several years failed to develop employees. Both “reasons” are inexcusable! What is your organization’s hiring strategy?

Every organization has its own culture, developed and reinforced over time. Imagine an organization that has a culture of recognition – where employees are recognized by managers or peers for jobs well done; where managers are recognized by their supervisors, peer managers and employees. Stunning thought isn’t it? Not handing out rewards, but lavishly handing out thanks and praise. Just like people are pleased when others remember their names, so they bloom when their activities and behaviors are recognized. The recognition doesn’t have to be limited to the latest, greatest PowerPoint slide show they created; it might be for leading a volunteer food drive, for helping out in civic theatre, or for just changing the jug on the water cooler. Recognizing people for doing the right things should never be used as a form of manipulation through positive reinforcement – it’s meant to be a genuine expression of thanks, and people can sense the difference!