Employee evaluation has gone through a massive transformation, and one of the main reasons for it is the hybrid working model. According to an Accenture report, 68% of high-growth companies have adopted this model, making the traditional methods of evaluating performance almost obsolete. So as an HR, you need to look for methods that are relevant, effective, and fair for both remote and on-site employees.
Measuring Employee Performance in a Hybrid Work Setup
Establish Clear and Objective Performance Metrics
The best way to evaluate employees in a hybrid work environment is by keeping the metrics of success common across departments or offices. By integrating technology in setting and measuring the metrics of success, you can cut down on important company time. You can track an employee’s performance by conducting reviews regularly and by using an HRMS, like greytHR. It’ll help you measure, evaluate, and improve employee performance in many ways.
Your employees’ morale will also get a boost as you can be transparent with the company’s expectations, provide set objectives, and have open communication. Once you look at the employee’s work regularly and keep it objective, there’s a low chance of any bias coming in during performance appraisals. This helps create a level playing field for both remote and in-office employees.
Ensure Equal Career Prospects and Growth
Remote employees in such a setup may feel they aren’t getting the same career development opportunities as those in the office. To add to that, their interactions with the upper management and HRs are limited, creating a disconnect between you and them. One of the ways to avoid this is by ensuring that they are having the same growth as those in the office. Include them in the key decisions, offer necessary training, and give them enough opportunities to grow.
Managing the performance of an employee shouldn’t be a one-way thing. Involve them to hear what they want and understand their expectations. Keep asking them for feedback, so that you, as an HR, can know if you’re moving in the right direction. Try using one of the best HR software in India, greytHR, where employees can share their feedback and insights with you. This data can help you make a better plan of action in the future. Simply put, ensure that every employee of your organization feels heard and valued.
Shifting from Time-Based to Output-Based Evaluations
Don’t just measure performance by the number of hours an employee puts in. As an HR, it’s important to focus on the value and impact of the work they do, which gives a much clearer picture of their true contributions. This will also improve productivity, as the employees will now be more involved since they’ll be held accountable for the completion of tasks.
Think about a developer who can finish their task within a few hours. Their performance shouldn’t be counted based on the hours they’ve put in finishing the project, but on how well they’ve done it. As long as it’s submitted within the deadline, the number of hours spent on it shouldn’t matter.
Regular Check-ups and Continuous Feedback
It’s important to schedule frequent check-ups with your employees in the hybrid work environment. You need to discuss the goals, progress, and challenges they face and offer a platform to speak their minds. Giving feedback regularly would also keep everyone on the same page about the kind of performance expected out of each employee. This also allows you to be prepared for any potential issue that may arise and can go out of hand soon if not addressed.
Apart from this, the employees should also feel empowered to give feedback on the way things are being done in the company. Getting insights from them on how the processes, workflows, and performance evaluation methods can be improved would help the company stay relevant and adaptable to the current market scenario. This also helps employees feel included in processes and makes the environment more welcoming to new employees.
This is something that IBM has also done to foster a culture of improvement. To be relevant and competitive in the industry, they changed their traditional performance management tactics and adopted new methods. IBM has a feature called ‘Checkpoint’, which helps employees adjust goals throughout the year and encourages quarterly feedback from managers.
So now, instead of one annual score, employees are judged on five parameters: business results, client impact, innovation, responsibility to others, and skills. They also have their own app that facilitates 360-degree feedback among employees, managers, and peers.
Promoting Diversity in Leadership and Review Panels
In a hybrid work environment, having diverse leadership and a review team helps understand various perspectives. It makes the working environment more inclusive, removes barriers that may come due to distance, and eliminates any biases that may come in.
Take a look at Microsoft’s mindset for diversity and inclusion in the leadership to improve performance management. By having a diverse HR team, they’ve ensured that every employee’s experience, right from hiring to performance evaluation, has low chances of any bias coming in. Their Allyship program encourages employees and managers to create an inclusive environment. Such an approach makes the performance management process more customized, supports innovations, and increases employee satisfaction, irrespective of where they are working from.
Promote a Trustworthy Hybrid Work Culture
Having a culture that prioritizes every employee is necessary in a hybrid working environment. Make the culture such that every employee feels valued, irrespective of where they are working from. Ensure that every message is sent across the company and no one misses out on any events or updates.
For this, opt for tools like greytHR, which can be used to send messages across the company in one go via mail and messages. It also lets you create company-wide polls in seconds, send tailored messages of appreciation, share achievements across the organization to inspire others, and more. This way, no one will feel discriminated against for not being physically present in the office.
Summing Up
Performance management has taken a complete turn from the olden times due to the rise of a hybrid working culture. Companies should focus on revisiting their evaluation system and consider changing them. From providing set goals to employees to not being so overly restrictive about time to offer a safe space for everyone, companies can adapt to this change. The sooner they do it, the better it is for everyone.
FAQs
What Is the Impact of Hybrid Working on Performance?
Hybrid work arrangements can significantly influence performance by providing flexibility and enhancing work-life balance. This can lead to increased employee satisfaction and motivation. On the other hand, this approach can also present challenges, such as communication barriers and feelings of disconnection among team members. A lot of it boils down to how effectively organizations implement hybrid policies, cultivate collaboration, and support employees in both remote and in-office settings.
How to Measure Work Performance in a Hybrid Work Environment?
By being specific in goals, making the performance management process objective and quantifiable. Ensure that everyone knows the criteria for success and give them achievable targets.
Does Hybrid Working Increase Productivity?
Yes, it does. According to a survey, almost 74% of employees felt more productive in a hybrid work setup and 85% of the employees were satisfied with their job. You can find plenty of such surveys that support hybrid working. It all depends on how well a company manages the hybrid work arrangement.
