From Manual to Measurable

Focus

Performance management process redesign through system simplification and standardization

Context

As part of my role at a PNW nonprofit, I owned the performance management process and reviewed the existing approach ahead of the annual performance cycle. The goal was to understand what was working, identify gaps, and improve participation and completion across the organization.

Problem

Managers shared that the process felt cumbersome, which contributed to performance review completion rates of approximately 75 percent. This meant that 25 percent of employees were not receiving completed performance reviews and did not have clear feedback on their performance, growth, or expectations.

Approach

To understand the current state, I reviewed the performance review workflow in Paycom, including the system setup and review questions. I found that there were too many questions, the prompts were vague, and they did not encourage actionable feedback. There was also little guidance on how to write reviews or resources to support managers and employees throughout the process.

Based on these findings, I proposed simplifying the review from five or more questions to three focused prompts that guided managers and employees to reflect on goals, impact, and next steps. I also created standardized resource guides for managers and employees that explained how to write effective reviews and how to carry momentum forward after the review cycle.

Outcome

The updated process was implemented for the annual performance review cycle. Completion rates exceeded 97 percent, meaning nearly the entire organization received completed performance reviews.

What I’d Do Next

If I were still in this role, I would apply a non-manufacturing version of Lean’s 5S approach. I would start by identifying what worked in the updated process and removing what did not. I would organize the back-end procedures through clear internal documentation and resources, and create a centralized employee resource area with clear labeling. I would then standardize roles and expectations and put a plan in place to sustain these improvements over future performance cycles.