| If you want to improve employee performance, start | | | | (result of action).” |
| thinking about your daily conversations. You discuss | | | | Why does this approach work? |
| new projects, talk about overdue assignments, give | | | | The main reason this approach works is because you |
| updates about completed tasks, and so on. Use | | | | are able to explain the value of positive performance |
| these conversations to reinforce the importance of | | | | from different perspectives. You can talk about results |
| doing a great job. How? Link the performance to | | | | that are important to employees and results that are |
| some type of workplace result. Consider these five | | | | important to the organization. You are also able to |
| examples: | | | | use multiple reasons to explain why something is |
| 1. “When you submit your reports on time | | | | important or why something is not important. So if |
| (improvement you want employee to make), we are | | | | employees react negatively to one result (i.e. impact |
| able to meet our deadlines for submitting the monthly | | | | another employee), you can use a different result (i.e. |
| reports to the field office (result of improvement).” | | | | impact customer service). That means you don’t |
| 2. “Entering clients’ medical records into the | | | | have to say, “Do it because it’s your job!” |
| database by 5:00 PM every day (improvement you | | | | What type of results can you link to performance? |
| want employee to make) helps us achieve our | | | | At the individual level, performance can be linked to |
| strategic goal of quickly responding to health issues | | | | things like greater autonomy, less stress, reduced |
| (result of improvement).” | | | | workloads, or increased visibility. These emphasize |
| 3. “When you order the janitorial supplies timely | | | | personal and professional interests. On a broader level, |
| (improvement you want employee to make) that | | | | performance can be linked to things like organizational |
| allows the maintenance employees to do their job in a | | | | mission, office goals, customer service, or team |
| timely manner (result of improvement).” | | | | performance. These require employees to look at |
| 4. “If you attend the community meetings (action | | | | the larger impact of their performance. |
| you want employee to take), you will have an | | | | Make your conversations matter |
| opportunity to interact with all the senior managers in | | | | Talking about work is something you do everyday. |
| the company (result of action).” | | | | Make the most of these discussions. Give |
| 5. “By participating in the project (action you want | | | | employees a reason for doing a great job and they will |
| employee to take), you will have an opportunity to | | | | produce for you. |
| learn more about the organization’s strategic plan | | | | |