Page 19 - Full_BritainsTopEmployers_2018

Check in, catch

up and excel

Annual reviews are companies have decided to
yesterday’s news but abolish performance reviews
altogether, instead introducing
what should take their more regular catch-ups. Software
place? Tina Nielsen company Adobe Systems used
to hold annual reviews for sta ,
assesses the options collecting 360-degree evaluations
for each team member. In 2012, performance appraisals are company leadership to how they
a decision was made to switch useless. “If you have socially and feel about the culture of the
erformance appraisals to a “check-in” process where interpersonally skilled managers business,” he says.
P have traditionally been managers meet with sta at from shop oor to top oor they Regular feedback ensures Metrics
considered the best way least once a quarter and discuss should give people positive and sta can work on it, explains
to evaluate an employee’s expectations, feedback, and negative feedback every day, not Cooper: “I might be a person who How to follow your leader
performance, but increasingly growth and development. once a year .” is quite abrasive in management
organisations are nding them of Adobe has since seen a Chris Bruney, talent meetings – rather than waiting
little value; employees nd them 30% decrease in the number acquisition team lead for EMEA until July the following year
stressful and unhelpful. of employees quitting – and at Hootsuite, says regular to tell me that, a really good
Importantly, they also take up a recovered the thousands of hours contact between employees and manager would be straight on It’s not easy to evaluate and 360-degree feedback – trailed it by companies, such as PepsiCo, have
lot of time – when Deloitte managers and employees had managers is important. “We it, saying: ‘Be a bit more open, top brass so how do you some distance, in 10th place. ‘The best focused on evaluating e ectiveness.
way to
PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY found managers and employees professor of organisational manager one-to-one time and you do that.’ That is the way to know if yours is worth your leadership development consultancy assess of Europe’s best business schools
been spending on their reviews.
analysed their own process, they
Mark Whybrow, founder of
advocate regular employee/
“PepsiCo has partnered with some
don’t put people down. I noticed
Sir Cary Cooper, visiting
we check in with sta regularly
Engage Technique , believes that
to design learning programmes that
spent around 2m hours a year on
give examples – regularly. And
loyalty? By Alison Coleman
leadership
throughout the year to hear
the same applies to praise, when
performance reviews.
measuring an individual leader’s
embrace virtual technology and
psychology and health at
intellectual understanding of
people do a good job.”
A growing number of
Lancaster University, says
their views on everything from
look at the
Petersen, vice-president, human
leadership attributes won’t reveal must be to the latest thinking,” says Jesper
eaders are often de ned by exactly how good they are at making a resources, PepsiCo UK & Ireland.
L qualities such as empathy, di erence when it matters. In his view, team ... their “Progress has also been made in
clarity and
Looking judgement. The key trait of a great leadership is to look at and measure sense of leadership development programmes,
inspiration, and strategic
the most e ective way of assessing
improving the assessment of the
using bespoke compass tools that
the bench-strength of the team.
leader is self awareness; the ability to
purpose’
“If leadership is about altering the
understand their own reaction to a
peers, line managers and stakeholders,
situation, the appropriate response, natural course of events and taking consolidate feedback from directs,
for a new pressure, even when it is not their leadership capability must be to look team assessment data.”
people with you, the best way to assess
together with self-assessment and
and to put it into practice under
Th is has led to enhanced clarity on
naturally preferred behaviour.
at the team capability and assess
In a recent survey by Top Employers,
behaviour, sense of ambition, sense of
ultimately, a heightened level of that
which polled more than 200 HR their clarity of focus, collaborative strengths and development areas, and,
watering the number-one HR driver in terms leadership and accountability.” maintaining an exceptional talent
key leadership trait, self-awareness.
directors, leadership was ranked
purpose, and also their own sense of
“Only through developing and
of its importance to their business.
Strong leadership that delivers
However, measuring leadership – via
the use of HR metrics and assessment strong results is the goal of every base will we grow our business
and deliver superior long-term
organisation – and to develop the next
hole?
performance,” says Petersen.
generation of strong leaders, some
tools, such as Harrison Assessment
successful people with innovative Richard Branson He also held GE’s leaders and
Five great and brilliant ideas. The Virgin founder is managers formally accountable for
business a keen advocate of both performance and values.
leaders Harriet Green delegation, believing
The former Thomas that making decisions Jacqueline Gold
Cook CEO, now an IBM develops leadership skills and builds The Ann Summers
executive, has con dence, as well as strengthening boss transformed the
Tim Cook transferred her the business. lingerie company into
Stepping into the leadership skills across industry a hugely successful
iconic shoes of Steve sectors. Known as a turnaround Jack Welch and more female-friendly business,
Escape the day to day and get Jobs was no mean specialist, she is admired for her As CEO of General but endured many boardroom
Electric, Welch
battles to see her ideas become
feat for Apple CEO
clear communication skills and her
closer to some real wildlife at PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY Tim Cook, but he is a leader who ability to keep the message simple, introduced its high- lucrative reality. She is also a
champion of workplace equality.
trusts his team and views them as
performance culture .
both internally and externally.
holidays.theguardian.com
Be happy! 3 February 2018 19