On-Demand Computing

Performance management systems really mean performance improvement for employees. I've heard sufficient stories to know that it doesn't always work out this way but on questioning HR people, employees and line managers, it is not the process or the software which is broken. The truth is the line management team and executive team are never taught how to manage people by setting objectives, measures and goals for them. This is all about consulting and training, not software.

A minor consulting industry is now forming around alignment consulting, strategy mapping and cascading objectives. Early practitioners are helping the CEO, executivess and managers to work with their teams and set meaningful goals. It is very much an issue of using the correct language at each level of the organisation. These consultants convert executive-speak to manager-speak to employee-speak. Ultimately, employees start doing what the executives really want, not instructions misinterpreted and changed by several layers of middle management.