4 Performance Trends All Organizations Must Consider for 2017

It’s the start of a new year, which means, like most organizations, performance management and development programs are being put into place or being reviewed and adjusted. It is an ongoing cycle of planning, evaluating, and reviewing to cultivate an engaged and aligned workforce. 

Keeping this in mind, here are 4 major trends that will be influencing your performance experiences this year:

1. It’s all about the employee experience

According to a Workplace Trends survey, 60 percent of job seekers have had a bad candidate experience and more than 70 percent relayed this information on Glassdoor.com (or a site like it). This kind of negative feedback deters other candidates from applying and can also dissuade potential customers. 

In addition to enhancing the candidate experience, there has also been – and will continue to be – a stronger emphasis on increasing employee engagement and commitment. In a separate Workplace Trends study, 83 percent of HR professionals agreed the experience of employees is key to organizational success. 

But talking about engagement isn’t something new for any of us. However, over the course of 2017, consider how the employee experience affects the business with the same type of urgency that you do with customers. From the physical office space, involvement in the community, and learning and development to People (HR) programs and benefits, every aspect of the organization needs to be optimized to cultivate a happier and more engaged workforce.

2. More coaching and development conversations

2017 is the year to wave goodbye to annual performance reviews as we shift away from performance management toward performance growth and development. Managers are taking a more hands-on approach to leadership and helping to develop employees’ skill sets in meaningful ways. This trend can be attributed, at least in part, to workers – especially Millennials – wanting purposeful work and needing to feel like they are consistently evolving and progressing in their roles. This year, keep up with this trend by meeting with your people on a regular basis and conducting career-mapping conversations. Consider the individual’s strengthes and opportunities, and offer them the ability to develop and expand those attributes. 

3. The gig economy

This year, expect to see a more blended workforce, meaning a mix of freelancers, part- and full-time workers collaborating. According to Forbes, numerous studies have found freelancers will account for at least 40 percent of the workforce over the next few years. As more people join the gig economy, it’s likely you are going to see an uptick in a different worker model, ushering in the need to develop better practices for engaging these individuals. Seamless communication and fine-tuning your human capital management processes accordingly is going to be a necessity. 

4. Creative and personalized perks

More employers are starting to recognize that keeping their people engaged and committed doesn’t have to be costly. 

This year, you don’t need to break the bank to give your people the perks they want. You just have to get a little creative. There are plenty of affordable options at your disposal – from being more casual with expectations around office attire to offering the flexibility to work from home a few days a week. You can also mix it up for different employees. Not all workers want the same thing, so personalizing their perks or offering a variety of options can be extremely valuable. 

By keeping all of these trends in mind, you will be able to build the types of performance growth and development programs people expect and deserve in 2017!