3 Tips to Improve Average Employee Performance
If you can manage to improve your average employee performance at your company, just think what you could accomplish. If each employee is working just a little bit smarter, a little more efficiently, and a little more passionately, the combined employee performance at your company could mean substantial overall progress.
When we talk about “average employee performance,” we’re really talking about two different things. First, we’re talking about the average performance of all employees in a firm. At the same time, “average employee performance” can mean the average performance of each individual employee. We’re going to start by talking about this second definition – the average performance of each individual employee. After all, success is contagious, and if one employee improves their personal average performance, you’re likely to see an improvement in every employee who associates with them.
The following three tips will help you to improve individual employee performance. After we discuss these tips, we’ll see how your overall average employee performance can change as a result.
Give Them a Challenge
Getting up early and commuting to work seems much less burdensome when there’s an interesting challenge waiting for you. On the other hand, when a person’s job consists of the same monotonous tasks day after day, year after year, motivation goes out the window, and personal motivation and creativity go with it. Yes, it’s true that some jobs are just monotonous, and they still have to get done, but creative managers find ways to challenge employees with these types of jobs. Maybe there’s a problem that needs to be solved, and instead of solving it yourself, you can delegate the problem to an employee who has years of direct experience with the system. Another way to challenge an employee is to give him/her a new task to conquer that is outside their normal duties. For instance, giving your receptionist responsibility for your company’s social media will give them an interesting new challenge and extend your marketing outreach.
Give Them Feedback
Many managers know that yearly employee reviews don’t make a big impact on average employee performance. The time period is just too long. Instead, make an effort to give more frequent feedback. Once a month or once a quarter, check in with each employee, even if it’s just for 10 minutes each. Ask how things are going, take a look at their results and efforts, praise them for work done well, and give constructive feedback and criticism in areas that could use more effort. This is also a good time to answer questions about how things could be done better or more effectively. In fact, some managers find that these frequent sit-downs to discuss performance can lead to a more collaborative experience. Instead of just manager/employee talks, these conversations can lead to the development of great ideas and increased employee performance.
Give Them Recognition
Kindergarten teachers know what they’re doing when they put stickers next to their students names for good behavior. And people never really outgrow the need for recognition and appreciation. Effective managers realize this, and they find ways to publicly recognize people for jobs well done. Sometimes this recognition comes with bonuses or other cash rewards. Sometimes it just comes with a pat on the back or a handshake. Either way, you’ll notice an improvement in employee performance when recognition becomes a part of your firm’s culture.
As each employee rises to your new challenges, with your positive feedback, and public recognition, you’ll find that employee performance improves across the board. The environment in your company will improve as each employee feels valued and important, thus improving overall average employee performance.