Our client is a multi-channel waste management company running national logistics operations in recycling, removal, disposal and hazardous waste.  With a head office of 75 staff, their approach to performance management, career progression and organisational structure was largely organic and not consistent across all the group.  The company’s Directors decided to review staff development and progression in the context of a business wide initiative.  Beststart HR was engaged to design and build a bespoke performance management process.

The starting point was a review of all Job Descriptions (JDs) in the business.  Our HR Consultant met with the Directors and Heads of each department to review the JDs for their respective departments.  A new format JD was designed to include sections for Business Competencies and Technical Skills, as well as the standard Key Accountabilities and Person Specification.  Once all the JDs had been updated and converted to the new format, we worked with the department heads to produce a suite of Technical Skills for each department, focusing on the specific skill sets required to be successful in each role.  A set of 5 core business competencies was then designed to reflect the company’s vision and core values.  For each core business competency (Accountability, Collaboration, Customer Focus, Integrity, and People Management) a competency framework with a full suite of behavioural indicators to allow Managers to identify levels of attainment was designed and built.

Our Consultant then worked with the management team to establish an organisational structure and hierarchy allocating job levels to all roles in the business.  This allowed the business to assign competency levels to each role based on their job level leading to a consistent expectation for management in terms of the core business competencies throughout the organisation.

We then designed an annual performance management cycle and produced all of the forms and supporting material, including a Performance Review and Development Pack, to allow Managers to measure the performance and development of their staff against their JD, technical skills, core business competencies and personal objectives.

Once all of the material and documentation was ready for implementation, our Consultant designed and facilitated workshops for Line Manager training on the new performance management cycle and process, as well as guidance on giving feedback, setting SMART objectives and training needs analysis.  Calibration meetings were held after implementation to ensure consistency in Line Managers’ approach and ongoing support provided to ensure a smooth roll out of the new process.

The new system has provided: a means for all staff to see clearly and objectively what good performance looks like in their role; identify any areas they need to improve in to allow development and progression in their careers; provided Managers with a clear framework for measuring performance of their staff and driving excellence through objective performance management; allowed the business to identify high performers for succession planning; and to reward appropriately with a performance related bonus scheme.