employee performance management powerpoint presentation

Performance management presentation: The all-in-one guide

Performance management presentation: Improve employee performance, drive business success.

Raja Bothra

Building presentations

Welcome to this comprehensive guide on performance management presentations.

In today's corporate landscape, delivering a compelling presentation on performance management can be a game-changer. Whether you're an HR professional, a supervisor, or just someone eager to improve employee performance, you're in the right place.

So, what exactly is performance management, and how can you craft an outstanding presentation? In this guide, we'll walk you through the ins and outs of creating a top-notch performance management presentation that leaves a lasting impact.

What is performance management?

Performance management, often referred to as "PM," is the systematic process of improving employee performance to meet organizational goals and objectives. It's a dynamic approach that involves setting clear objectives, evaluating progress, and providing feedback and support to enhance performance. In essence, it's about aligning individual and team goals with the strategic planning of an organization.

It is the cornerstone of effective HR practices, ensuring that employees' performance aligns with the organization's mission and vision. Now, let's dive deeper into how to create a compelling performance management presentation.

Read more about strategic planning presentation

How to create a captivating presentation on performance management

Crafting an exceptional presentation on performance management goes beyond just slides and charts. It's about engaging your audience, delivering valuable insights, and leaving a lasting impression. Here's a detailed guide on how to make your presentation truly captivating:

Begin with impact

Start your presentation with a bang. Hook your audience right from the beginning. You can use a compelling anecdote, a thought-provoking question, or a surprising statistic related to performance management. The goal is to pique their interest and make them eager to learn more.

Define clear objectives

Be crystal clear about what you aim to achieve with your presentation. Outline your objectives early on. Are you educating your audience about the basics of performance management? Are you discussing strategies for improving employee performance? Setting expectations will keep your audience engaged and focused.

Know your audience inside out

Understanding your audience is paramount. Know their preferences, their level of familiarity with the topic, and their pain points. Tailor your content to resonate with them. Use language and examples that they can relate to. The more you connect with your audience, the more effective your presentation will be.

Craft a seamless content flow

Organize your content logically. Create a storyline that flows smoothly from one point to the next. Use a mix of slides and visuals to maintain engagement. Each section of your presentation should naturally lead to the next, creating a cohesive narrative.

Visual impact

Incorporate visuals that pack a punch. High-quality images, infographics, graphs, and charts can make complex concepts easy to understand. Visuals not only enhance comprehension but also make your presentation visually appealing.

Engage with compelling stories

Don't just present data; tell stories. Share real-life examples and success stories related to performance management. Stories resonate with people on a personal level and make your presentation memorable. They can relate to the experiences of others and see the value in what you're presenting.

Encourage interaction

Keep your audience engaged throughout the presentation. Encourage questions, discussions, and participation. Interactive elements like polls or group activities can break the monotony and make your presentation more dynamic.

Stay aligned with organizational goals

Throughout your presentation, emphasize how performance management aligns with the broader goals of your organization. Show how it contributes to achieving success, not just for individual employees but for the company as a whole.

The power of prezent

Consider using AI-powered tools like Prezent to streamline your presentation creation process. Prezent offers a wide range of templates, slides, and design options that can elevate the visual appeal of your presentation. It also allows for real-time collaboration with your team.

By following these steps, you can create a performance management presentation that not only educates but also captivates your audience. Your presentation will stand out as a valuable resource, leaving a lasting impact on those you engage with.

How to structure an effective performance management presentation

The structure of your performance management presentation is the backbone that holds your content together. It ensures clarity, engagement, and an effective delivery of your message. Here's a comprehensive guide on how to structure your presentation for maximum impact:

1. Start with a compelling introduction

Your opening sets the tone for the entire presentation. Begin with a powerful hook that grabs your audience's attention. This could be a relevant quote, a surprising fact, or a compelling story related to performance management. Make your audience curious and eager to learn more.

2. Define clear objectives

Right after the introduction, clearly state the objectives of your presentation. What do you aim to accomplish? Whether it's educating your audience on the basics of performance management or discussing advanced strategies for improving employee performance, setting clear objectives helps manage expectations and keeps your audience engaged.

3. Establish context

Provide context for your presentation. Explain why performance management is crucial in the business world today. Share any relevant industry trends or challenges that make this topic relevant. This helps your audience understand the significance of what you're about to discuss.

4. Main content sections

Organize the main content of your presentation into sections. Each section should cover a specific aspect of performance management. Here's a suggested breakdown:

a. Performance management fundamentals

Start with the basics. Explain what performance management is and why it matters. Define key terms like performance appraisal and employee performance . Use clear and concise language to ensure everyone can follow along.

b. The process of performance management

Dive into the step-by-step process of performance management. Describe how it begins with setting objectives, involves regular evaluations, and includes feedback and support. Use visual aids like flowcharts or diagrams to illustrate the process.

c. Aligning with organizational goals

Highlight the importance of aligning performance management with your organization's goals. Explain how individual and team performance contribute to the achievement of these goals. Share real-life examples or case studies to reinforce this point.

d. Strategies for improvement

Discuss strategies for improving employee performance. This could include coaching and development, setting measurable goals, and using performance improvement plans . Provide actionable insights that your audience can apply in their roles.

5. Engaging visuals

Throughout your presentation, incorporate engaging visuals. Use high-quality images, infographics, and charts to simplify complex concepts. Visuals not only enhance understanding but also make your presentation visually appealing.

6. Transition smoothly

Ensure smooth transitions between sections. Use transitional phrases to guide your audience through your presentation. These phrases act as signposts, letting your audience know where you're heading next.

7. Encourage questions

At the end of each section, invite questions and discussions. This keeps your audience engaged and allows them to seek clarification on any points they find confusing.

8. Summarize key points

After covering each section, provide a brief summary of the key takeaways. This reinforces the most important points and helps your audience retain the information.

9. Engage with stories

Throughout your presentation, share relevant stories and examples. Real-life anecdotes and success stories related to performance management humanize your content and make it relatable.

10. Interactive elements

Consider incorporating interactive elements like polls, surveys, or group activities to break up the presentation and keep your audience engaged.

By following this structured approach, you can create a performance management presentation that is not only informative but also engaging and impactful. Your audience will leave with a clear understanding of performance management and how it can drive success within your organization.

Dos and don'ts on a performance management presentation

Now, let's explore some dos and don'ts to ensure your presentation hits the mark:

• Involve your audience : Encourage participation and questions. Make it an interactive experience.
• Use prezent : Take advantage of AI-powered tools like Prezent to create stunning presentations effortlessly.
• Align with organizational goals : Emphasize how performance management contributes to achieving organizational goals .
• Highlight improvement : Showcase how PM can lead to performance improvement.

Don'ts

• Avoid jargon : Steer clear of HR jargon that may confuse your audience.
• Don't overload slides : Keep slides clean and concise. Avoid clutter.
• Skip wordiness : Be concise and to the point. Avoid unnecessary wordiness.
• Humor naturally : If humor fits naturally, go for it. But don't force it.

Here is a guide on HR presentation .

Summarizing key takeaways

To wrap it up, here are the key takeaways:

• Performance management is the process of improving employee performance to meet organizational goals.
• Creating an effective presentation involves structuring your content, knowing your audience, and engaging with compelling stories.
• Use Prezent to streamline your presentation creation process.
• Follow dos and don'ts to make your presentation informative and engaging.

Use this guide as your roadmap to crafting presentations that not only educate but also inspire action. Remember, the key is to align individual performance with organizational success. So, go ahead, create your masterpiece, and make your next performance management presentation unforgettable.

1. What is the role of performance management in an organization's human resource strategy?

Performance management plays a pivotal role in an organization's human resource strategy . It aligns individual and team goals with the broader business strategy , ensuring that employees contribute effectively to the company's objectives. By implementing a robust performance management system , organizations can track progress, set clear performance standards , and provide regular performance reviews to employees. This not only enhances employee engagement but also contributes to overall productivity.

2. How can I create an engaging performance management PowerPoint presentation (PPT)?

Creating an engaging performance management PPT involves more than just a series of slides. Start by defining clear objectives and structuring your content logically. Use visually appealing presentation slides with high-quality images and charts. Incorporate real-life examples and success stories related to managing performance to make your presentation relatable. Remember, the goal is to provide valuable information in a format that keeps your audience's attention.

3. What's the difference between a performance management program and a performance measurement system?

While both are crucial components of performance management, they serve different purposes. A performance management program encompasses the entire process of setting goals, conducting performance assessments , and providing feedback. On the other hand, a performance measurement system focuses on collecting and analyzing data to evaluate individual and team performance against predefined metrics. Both are essential for enhancing overall performance and identifying areas for improvement .

4. What is 360-degree feedback, and how does it relate to performance management?

360-degree feedback is a comprehensive assessment method that involves collecting input from various sources, including supervisors, peers, subordinates, and even customers, to evaluate an individual's performance. It provides a holistic view of an employee's strengths and weaknesses and is often used as part of the performance evaluation process. This approach promotes ongoing communication and shared understanding among team members, making it a valuable tool within a performance culture .

5. Can performance management be customized to suit the specific needs of an organization?

Absolutely! Performance management should be customize d to align with an organization's unique goals and values. This includes tailoring job descriptions , setting attainable goals, and establishing a metric -driven approach to track progress. The ability to set goals that are in line with the company's business strategy ensures that performance is managed effectively. Moreover, adopting a continuous process allows for ongoing adjustments and improvements, making performance management a dynamic and adaptive tool for managing human resources.

Create your performance management presentation with prezent

Ready to create a stellar performance management presentation? Consider using Prezent, the AI presentation software trusted by top organizations. With Prezent, you can save time, maintain 100% brand compliance, and collaborate in real-time.

Incorporate Prezent's 35,000+ slides, business storytelling, and brand-approved designs to create personalized presentations that crush communication costs and instantly share your message.

Ready to transform your performance management presentations into powerful tools for success?  Try our Free Trial or book a Demo today with Prezent!

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Performance Management Training

This sample presentation is intended to be presented to supervisors and other individuals who manage employees. It is designed to be presented by an individual who is knowledgeable about performance management. This is a sample presentation that must be customized to include and match the employer’s own policies and practices. 

For the best experience, download this presentation using Google Chrome.

Performance Management (PPT)

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Home Blog Business How to Write and Present a Performance Review

How to Write and Present a Performance Review

The performance review, as a crucial part of performance management, is one of the dreaded exercises of both managers and team members. However, it doesn’t have to be an intimidating, negative situation. In fact, a manager performance review tip by Harvard Business Review is to pointedly keep the conversation positive. By focusing on successes and opportunities for growth, managers can turn the employee performance review into a constructive experience that benefits everyone in the end.

What is Performance Management

Before we approach performance review examples, it’s necessary to establish some definitions to make sure we’re on the same page.

According to UC Berkeley’s Guide to Managing Human Resources, “Performance management is an ongoing process of communication between a supervisor and an employee that occurs throughout the year, in support of accomplishing the strategic objectives of the organization.”

Notice that performance management is more than a performance annual review. The performance evaluation is one component found in many performance management frameworks. In fact, UC Berkeley goes on to specify that the process “includes clarifying expectations, setting objectives, identifying goals, providing feedback, and reviewing results.”

By the time managers sit down for the performance review process, they will ideally have already been participating in this ongoing communication method. It will lead to much more valuable results than only engaging in the feedback part of the process.

Types of Performance Management Frameworks

Following are three examples of common performance management frameworks.

The Arm­strong Per­for­mance Man­age­ment Cycle

Michael Armstrong , former Chief Examiner of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, established a performance management framework that many human resources professionals abide by. The Armstrong Performance Management Cycle is a continuous process of improving performance. This is achieved by establishing individual and team goals, working towards the goals, evaluating progress, and developing skills. As seen in the name of this management framework, this process repeats constantly throughout a team or individual’s career at the organization.

Agile Con­tin­u­ous Per­for­mance Management

Another performance management framework example is the agile continuous performance management. What makes the agile performance management system valuable is it’s focus on being continual and holistic. Feedback, which is called “check-ins” under this framework, is given frequently, making it feel more natural for all involved. With ongoing, positive performance management, managers and employees can develop authentic workplace relationships based on the performance improvement and transparency.

International Labor Organization’s Revised Performance Management Framework

The International Labor Organization’s system for managing performance aims to be a flexible process that can be applied to individuals or teams in many different fields and industries. It is also a continuous, comprehensive performance management framework. This cycle is divided into four parts, each focusing on dialogue and constructive feedback. One of the unique features of this management system is the inclusion of feedback from employee to leader.

What is a Performance Review?

The component featured in essentially all performance management frameworks is the giving of feedback. This usually presents itself in the form of a performance review. Other names for the performance review are performance evaluation or performance assessment. As opposed to informal or casual feedback, the performance review is a formal appraisal of an employee and their work during an established time period.

While there are dozens of employee review templates out there, most evaluate overall performance, an employee’s strengths and weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement. Many managers and HR professionals use this regularly scheduled evaluation to set goals, as well.

Performance review templates will vary based on who is assessing whom. Common types of performance reviews include the traditional assessment where a manager evaluates an employee’s performance, the self assessment, team assessment, and leader assessment. Different performance management frameworks will involve a combination of these four.

Employee Assessment

This top-down performance review is usually performed by a direct manager or HR manager. This evaluation is useful for establishing the value of an employee with examples of their performance to back it up. Often the employee assessment is conducted together with a self assessment.

Self Assessment

The self assessment component of a performance review is a helpful opportunity for individuals to reflect upon themselves with regards to their strengths and weaknesses. In order to turn the self assessment into a productive introspection, employees should also consider what they think they can do to improve and grow.

When conducted alongside an employee assessment, answers can be compared to see if managers and employees are on the same page. Any discrepancies can be analyzed and addressed, in order to strengthen the working relationship and understanding of the situation.

Team Assessment

A team assessment differs from an individual employee assessment in that it’s an opportunity to make sure team members are aligned and working well together, as well as progressing towards the team goals.

Leader Assessment

As mentioned in the International Labor Organization’s performance management framework, leader assessments can provide valuable feedback as well. During this assessment team members and employees evaluate their own managers, as well as potentially their manager’s superiors. This is often conducted anonymously, to ensure employees can be honest with their feedback without fear of retaliation.

Key Elements of a Performance Review

Depending on the performance management framework, reviews will have different key elements, but there are elements that all methods share, according to Harvard Business Review and Hubspot .

• Evaluate if job requirements are being met
• Compare strengths and weaknesses
• Highlight areas of improvement
• Evaluate if previously defined goals were met
• Recommend actionable goals
• Welcome employee input

How to Write a Performance Review

We recommend managers use a performance review template to help guide them through each step. Evaluation templates help managers know what to say in a performance review. They provide structure to the review, which makes the process consistent. Employee performance templates also make the review process scalable throughout the team or organization.

Prior to Writing the Performance Review

Harvard Business Review recommends reviewers set expectations early, prior to the official feedback. This involves informing the employee that they will be reviewing them soon, asking the employee for their self assessment, and evaluating employee career aspirations.

When Writing the Performance Review

When sitting down to write the performance review, managers should have supporting documentation to help them direct their evaluation. For example, comparing employee performance and characteristics to the organization’s specified values can help guide the evaluation. Additionally, managers can compare employee performance to the actual description of requirements for their role. This helps keep evaluations realistic and on-track. Finally, it’s a good idea to compare current performance to that of previous employee performance reviews. This gives the manager a bigger picture into employee growth, as well as what achievable goals are.

When writing a performance review, managers can also consult with others, including coworkers, other managers, and subordinates of the employee under review. This is called 360-degree feedback and can help give a manager ideas of what to write.

As far as the career aspirations we recommend requesting from the employee prior to the evaluation, this is useful for framing the review. Not every employee has very high aspirations. The evaluation should align both the organization’s expectations of the employee and their own aspirations.

Delivering the Performance Review

HBR also recommends presenting the performance review to the individual about an hour before their meeting to discuss it. This lets the employee move past any potential emotional responses and prepare rational responses. This will lead to a much more constructive discussion and allow for a more positive plan forward.

Whenever possible, hold the performance review presentation face-to-face to avoid misunderstandings. While a performance review PPT or pdf is beneficial for organizing and visualizing the evaluation, presenting them in person will lead to a richer discussion and more realistic action plans.

For high-performing employees, HR experts recommend focusing on the things they are doing well. After discussing examples of achievements and strengths, the manager can ask the employee their feelings about how things are going. This naturally leads into a conversation about opportunities for growth and improvement.

When delivering feedback to marginal employees, they shouldn’t sugar-coat criticisms or provide meaningless compliments. Instead, reviewers should be straightforward and clear with their message. Discuss what isn’t working, what is working, and what actions need to be adopted to improve. When giving advice for improving, managers should be as specific as possible and provide examples.

How to Present a Performance Review

Here are the most important slides to include in a performance review presentation. Following this performance review example structure will help managers lessen the discomfort of presenting a performance review, by following a clear presentation guide.

Slide 1: Cover Slide

Establish who is reviewing, who is being reviewed, and the date of the performance review. Note that this information is also important since the performance review presentation will probably become part of an ongoing performance documentation.

Slide 2: Table of Contents

Part of the discomfort of performance reviews is the concept of the unknown. For an employee, it’s speculating on what their manager is going to say in the performance review. A clear table of contents will hopefully help ground the employee by showing them clearly what they can expect from the presentation, and in what order.

Slide 3: Evaluate if job requirements are being met

In this PPT slide, the reviewer should compare, side-by-side the job requirements and the actual job performance of their subordinate. This requirement versus performance comparison helps the evaluation stay objective. Provide examples of when the requirements are or are not being successfully met, whenever possible.

Slide 4: Strengths

When presenting employee strengths, be as specific as possible. Explain why this strength matters, an example of when this strength was evident, and what impacts this strength has had. In the presentation, add a list of strengths with or without a short description and/or example, in case the performance review is presented without the accompanying meeting.

If the manager previously asked for a self assessment, add a comparison here between the reviewer’s opinion of the employee strengths and their employee’s opinion.

Slide 5: Achievements

List any specific achievements the employee has made during the performance period.

Slide 6: Highlight areas of improvement

This is another way to frame weaknesses. When presenting areas of improvement, consider what the employee needs to improve, why these areas are necessary to address, how the manager can help the employee improve, and what specific steps are needed to improve. Be specific and provide examples whenever possible.

This is another good slide where managers can compare their evaluation of areas of improvement with the answers employees provided in their self assessment. You can combine these slides with other performance improvement plan templates for PowerPoint and Google Slides.

Slide 7: Evaluate if previously defined goals were met

If this isn’t the first performance review a manager has conducted for an individual, then there will be previously defined goals from former evaluations. On this slide, list the previous goals and add a brief evaluation for each. This will help decide what goals should be checked off, maintained, or adjusted for the next evaluation period, which will be presented in the next slide.

Slide 8: Recommend actionable goals

When presenting goals, we recommend using the SMART formula. SMART goals stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based. This method of creating goals helps ensure the goal will be achieved as expected.

The goals established in this performance review will most likely be evaluated during the next performance review. As such, the “time-based” aspect of the goal should take this into account.

Slide 9: Welcome employee input

Close the performance review presentation by giving the employee space to talk.

By following this performance review template, reviewers can make sure their evaluation is more than just a meaningless task checked off the list. When done well, the performance review sets the mood for the whole next period, giving both managers and employees a clear guide towards moving forward and achieving their goals more successfully. As far as the tendency for employee evaluations to be uncomfortable situations, follow the advice in this article, practice, and you’ll soon find the valuable potential of a well-presented performance review.

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Performance Management

Ivan Andreev

Demand Generation & Capture Strategist, Valamis

March 14, 2022 · updated April 2, 2024

17 minute read

Increasingly, organizations are understanding that their management systems must be brought into the 21st century if they are going to be competitive in the current market.

Research shows that previous systems, such as yearly appraisals, are outdated and can even serve to decrease employee engagement and motivation. In light of this, more companies are turning to performance management than ever before.

This dynamic and strategic approach to developing improved performance in employees is gaining ground in companies large and small, including many Fortune 500 and industry-leading organizations.

What is performance management?

The importance of performance management, the purpose and goals of performance management, the benefits of performance management, 15 employee performance management best practices, 5 real-world examples of performance management, what is the difference between performance management and performance appraisals.

Performance management is a strategic approach to creating and sustaining improved performance in employees, leading to an increase in the effectiveness of companies.

By focusing on the development of employees and the alignment of company goals with team and individual goals, managers can create a work environment that enables both employees and companies to thrive.

Based on the definition of performance management, a system is built within an organization to measure and improve the performance of the people in that organization.

In practice, performance management means that management is consistently working to develop their employees, establish clear goals, and offer consistent feedback throughout the year.

In contrast to other systems of reviewing employee performance, such as yearly performance appraisals , employee performance management is a much more dynamic and involved process with better outcomes.

For the Human Resources department, performance management is an important system for onboarding , developing and retaining employees, as well as reviewing their performance.

It is increasingly understood that a yearly performance appraisal system does not effectively engage employees, fails to consistently set and meet company objectives, and does not result in a strong understanding of employee performance.

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Why is performance management important?

In any organization, no matter the size, it is important to understand what your employees are doing, how they are doing it, and why they are doing it.

Without a system in place to define roles, understand individual strengths and weaknesses, provide constructive feedback , trigger interventions and reward positive behavior, it is much more difficult for managers to effectively lead their employees.

Smart organizations pair their performance management with an incentive management process. The two systems have a lot in common, from defining roles and setting goals to reviewing and rewarding employee behavior, and as such, do very well when run simultaneously. Using incentive management also means that the all-important ‘reward’ step of performance management is done properly.

Talent management is an important part of every organization. Three of the main problems that organizations face are:

• keeping employees engaged
• retaining talent
• developing leaders from within

These are the issues that performance management very effectively targets.

1. Keeping employees engaged

Engagement of employees is a focus of any management team. In a yearly appraisal system, goals would be given at the beginning of the year and then revisited 12 months later to see if they had been met. This long stretch of time without feedback or check-in is an almost certain engagement killer.

In fact, 94% of employees would prefer their manager gives them feedback and development opportunities in real-time, and 81% would prefer at least quarterly check-ins with their manager, according to the Growth Divide Study .

Studies show that employees do best with feedback on a monthly or quarterly basis, with regular check-ins serving as a zone to problem solve, adjust goals as necessary, and to refresh their focus on the goal. In fact, companies where employees meet to review goals quarterly or more frequently are almost 50% more likely to have above-average financial performance.

When surveyed, employees had some negative feelings about a yearly appraisal system:

• 62% of employees feel that their performance review was incomplete
• 48% did not feel comfortable raising issues with their manager in between performance reviews
• 61% feel that the process is outdated
• 74% feel that they would be more effective with more frequent feedback
• 68% of executives don’t learn about employee concerns until the performance review

All of this adds up to a lot of missed opportunities to solve problems and increase employee performance and engagement.

As employee engagement rises, nine key performance indicators show successful outcomes. Absenteeism, turnover, shrinkage, safety incidents, patient safety incidents and defects in quality are lessened by at least 25%, and often more, across the board. Customer experience, productivity and profitability all show positive outcomes.

This study, by Gallup , was conducted across a broad range of industries, showing that employee engagement is a critical factor, no matter the industry.

2. Retaining talent

Employees who have frequent meetings with management to discuss performance, solve problems and receive training are more likely to stay with the company.

If employees see that their management team is putting in the work to develop them professionally, help them succeed with their goals, and reward performance on a consistent basis, then they are more incentivized to both stay with the company and work harder.

3. Developing leaders from within

This consistent development and partnership between managers and employees allow for the development of leaders from within the company.

Recruiting costs can be extremely high, as are costs for onboarding and training new employees. To be able to groom leaders from within the company means that there is already a proven culture fit with this individual and that training costs and resources spent developing this person into an asset are not lost.

This leadership path also serves as a motivating force for employees, who can see that their hard work will be rewarded with promotions and other benefits.

Performance management also creates a need for management to consistently focus on company objectives and goals, and to consider how best to achieve them. This continual revisiting of goals means that they are more likely to stay relevant, as goals will be adjusted in light of new technology, changes in the market, or other factors throughout the year.

According to Forbes , ‘companies that set performance goals quarterly generate 31% greater returns from their performance process than those who do it annually, and those who do it monthly get even better results.’

The purpose of performance management is to give both managers and employees a clear and consistent system within which to work that, in turn, will lead to increased productivity.

• This system shows employees the pathway to success, allows for the measuring of performance coupled with feedback and offers training and development opportunities.
• Performance management allows management to understand what their employees are doing and track progress on company objectives while providing consistent feedback.

There are five main objectives of performance management:

• Develop clear role definitions, expectations and goals
• Increase employee engagement
• Develop managerial leadership and coaching skills
• Boost productivity through improved performance
• Develop a performance reward program that incentivizes accomplishment

These performance management goals show a clear path from the developing of goals to the rewarding of increased accomplishment. If one of these performance management objectives is not done well, then the others will suffer as a result.

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Performance management has a multitude of benefits for employees and managers, as well as for the company as a whole. If a company can successfully create an environment of engagement where customers are equally engaged by employees on the front line, their outcome is even better.

When organizations successfully engage their customers and their employees, they experience a 240% boost in performance-related business outcomes compared with an organization with neither engaged employees nor engaged customers. – Gallup

• Having well-defined roles and performance standards makes hiring an easier process, as candidates know what is expected of them, and HR can more easily understand if a candidate is a right fit for the role.
• Those well-defined roles and standards make training easier, as trainers know exactly which areas need to be covered, and which information is nonessential.
• Consistent developing and revisiting of goals ensure that the organization keeps up with changing market forces easily, and reacts quickly as a whole, regardless of the size of the organization.
• Clear expectations and roles set employees up for achieving goals from the start, providing a springboard to success.
• Employees who feel that their company is invested in their success stay with their companies, increasing employee retention.
• Consistent feedback and coaching from managers lead directly to increased engagement from employees while developing the ability to provide good coaching and feedback leads to more skilled managers.
• As employees become more skilled, they can move up through the company, creating a leadership pipeline.
• Productivity will increase thanks to increased engagement, clear goals and upskilling of employees.
• Employees remain incentivized to perform long-term, as they are properly rewarded for their hard work.

While performance management can sound deceptively simple, with just four steps as outlined above, the process itself is very complicated. That’s why we have put together this list of best practices for performance management.

Think of it like the essentials of performance management – these will help make sure that your employee performance management system is performing the way it should.

1. Identify the goals of your performance management initiatives

As you are creating your performance management program, you need to understand what you want to accomplish.

Asking the following questions can help you:

• Is increased productivity a priority?
• Does your organization want to identify leaders from within and develop them?
• Do you want to streamline the compensation process?
• Are you seeking to improve employee retention or engagement?

If you know what you want your program to do, it will be easier to build it to accomplish that goal.

2. Define and describe each role

We mentioned this above, but it bears repeating. It is much harder for an employee to be successful if they don’t know exactly what is expected from them, how they should do it, and what the end result should look like.

3. Pair goals with a performance plan

As you set goals, develop a performance plan to go alongside. Year-long goals often fail, as they are too large and employees can get overwhelmed before they start. A performance plan helps them visualize their path, making it much more likely that they will meet their goal.

4. Monitor progress towards performance targets

Review key areas of performance. Use metrics and analytics to your advantage, tracking how goals are progressing to make sure that interventions can happen early, if necessary.

5. Coaching should be frequent

The point of coaching is to help identify and solve problems before they get too big. If it’s not frequent, it’s not going to help at all. Monthly or quarterly meetings should be held to help keep employees on the right track.

6. Use guidelines to your advantage

Guidelines should be created for each role as part of the first stage of the performance management cycle. These policies or guidelines should stipulate specific areas for, or limits on, opportunity, search and experimentation. Employees do their jobs better when they have solid guidelines to follow.

7. Build a performance-aligned culture

Make sure your workplace has shared values and cultural alignment. A sense of shared values, beliefs and expectations among employees creates a more harmonious and pleasant workplace. Employees should be committed to the values and objectives outlined, and exemplified by, top management.

8. Organize cross-functional workshops

This helps employees – and managers – understand what other departments do, how they think and what their strengths and weaknesses are. They can discover something new and find new connections, which can help them in future work.

9. Management should offer actionable feedback

During these coaching meetings, tensions can arise if the feedback is not given in a constructive, actionable manner. It is not very important to look backward and point fingers, rather management should guide employees towards future success.

10. Keep it professional, not personal

Giving less-than-stellar feedback is hard on both managers and employees, it’s one of the reasons that performance appraisals tend to be a least-liked task. Managers should make sure to keep feedback professional and remember to focus on behavior, rather than characteristics.

For example, pointing out that David regularly turned in important reports late is feedback about a behavior. Saying that David is lazy, and that’s why the reports were often late is feedback about a characteristic. One of these can help an employee own their role in a project’s success (or lack thereof) and the other will make them defensive instantly.

11. It’s not only employees that need training

Management should be trained too. Coaching and offering good feedback are not easy jobs, which is why there are so many specialist coaches out there. For managers to be able to lead well, they should be trained in these skill sets.

12. Take advantage of multiple-source feedback

Ask employees to write feedback for each other. This will give management a more holistic view on employee performance, understand the challenges that teams are facing, and be able to better offer feedback.

13. Don’t depend only on reviews

While the review process is important, it is only one part of the system as a whole. Planning, coaching, and rewarding employees are equally key parts of the system.

14. Problems are not always employee-based

It can be easy to assume that problems are always caused by employees, but that simply is not the case. Problems can arise from external factors such as availability of supplies, internal processes that are causing issues, or organizational policies. Seek out the source of problems as precisely as you can in order to fix them.

15. Recognize and reward performance publicly and frequently

Management cannot expect employees to stay motivated if they are never rewarded, yet many companies overlook this key step. Make sure that employees are compensated and recognized for their hard work, and they will continue delivering for your organization.

Of course, it’s one thing to understand the theory of what performance management is, but it’s another thing to use it in a real company. Let’s take a look at some real-world examples of the performance management process in action:

It’s no surprise that Google would show up on a list of companies that use a newer, innovative system of management. This company has always been a trendsetter, and their performance management process is one that relies on data and analysis, as well as making sure that their managers are well trained.

When assessing their performance management system, Google launched a project dedicated to assessing their managers, which has led to a thorough training and future development process that sets managers, and thus employees, up for success.

They also use a system of setting goals that have caught on across multiple industries. Using their Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) system, they reframe the goal-setting process, with great results.

Another tech trendsetter, Facebook has a performance management process that puts a heavy emphasis on peer-to-peer feedback. In semi-annual reviews, they are able to use that feedback to see how well teams are performing and understand where collaboration is happening – and where it is not. They also have developed an internal software to provide continuous, real-time feedback. This helps employees solve issues before they become problems.

Cargill is a Minnesota-based food-producer and distributor with over 150,000 employees and serves to demonstrate that even huge companies can ditch unwieldy performance appraisals and institute a new system. In following the latest research on the dissatisfaction of management with outdated performance management process, Cargill created their ‘Everyday Performance Management’ system. The system is designed to be continuous, centered around a positive employee-manager relationship, with daily activity and feedback being incorporated into conversations that solve problems rather than rehash past actions.

The Everyday Performance Management system had overwhelmingly positive results, with 69% of employees stating that they received feedback that was useful for their professional development, and 70% reporting that they felt valued as a result of the continuous performance discussions with their manager.

Adobe calculated that managers were spending about 80,000 hours a year on performance reviews, only to have employees report that they left those reviews demoralized and turnover was increasing as a result.

Seeing a system that only produced negatives, Adobe’s leadership team made a bold leap into a performance management system that began by training managers how to perform more frequent check-ins and offer actionable guidance, then the company gave managers the leeway they needed to effectively lead.

Management was given much more freedom in how they structured their check-ins and employee review sessions, as well as more discretion in salaries and promotions. Employees are often contacted for ‘pulse surveys’ – a way for the leadership team to make sure that individual managers are leading their teams well. One of the many positive results of this has been a 30% cut involuntary turnover due to a frequent check-in program.

Accenture is a massive company – over 330,000 people, so changing their systems means a huge effort. When they switched to their new system, they got rid of about 90% of the previous process. Now, they are using a more fluid performance management process where employees receive ongoing, timely feedback from management. This has been paired with a renewed focus on immediate employee development and an internal app for communicating feedback.

There are common threads in all of these examples. Each company has built a system that works for them, rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach. What works for one company might not work for another – it depends on the industry, the speed and flexibility of the company, and the overall goal of the system itself.

With similar names and purposes that sometimes align, it is no surprise that some people find it hard to spot the difference between performance management and performance appraisals.

In fact, performance appraisals are often part of the performance management process , although some companies still rely on performance appraisals alone.

An easy way to understand the difference between the two is that performance appraisals are reactive, and performance management is proactive.

A performance appraisal looks at all of the past actions of the employee within a set amount of time , and rates how well they performed in their role and how many goals they met.

Performance management looks at the present and future of the employee, and what can be done to help future performance and meet future goals . Performance management is focused on the development and training of an employee, and how that can benefit both the employee and the company.

A performance appraisal is a formal, operational task, done according to rigid parameters and in a quantitative manner. HR leads performance appraisals, with input from management. Performance management is much more informal and strategic, led by management with input from the employees in a more flexible manner.

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5 Best Employee Management Software for 2024

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• Best for hiring and onboarding: BambooHR
• Best for a deskless workforce: Connecteam
• Best employee management with flexible payroll: Paycor
• Best for global teams: Deel
• Best for performance management: TriNet

Employee management software centralizes HR processes and workflows, ideally streamlining everything in a single platform. Employee management software encompasses many different features depending on the platform, which can make it hard to find the right one for your company’s needs.

To help you out, we’ve rounded up the five best employee management software platforms for 2024.

Top employee management software comparison

Besides pricing, there are many other features to consider when choosing an employee management platform. Keep in mind that some of these may be add-on only, depending on the platform.

BambooHR: Best for hiring and onboarding

BambooHR includes all the essentials that you need in employee management software, such as time off management, an applicant tracking system , onboarding tools, HR analytics and reporting, performance management and employee experience tools.

It also offers add-ons for time tracking, payroll and benefits administration (the latter two are available for U.S. employees only). BambooHR’s interface is simple to navigate, and the software is easy to learn, even if you’ve never used employee management software before.

Why I chose BambooHR

I chose BambooHR because it offers all the essential employee management features, plus an easy-to-navigate interface, making it a great choice for small and midsize businesses looking for a comprehensive HR solution.

For more information, read the full BambooHR review .

• Core : Contact sales team for a custom pricing quote.
• Pro : Contact sales team for a custom pricing quote.
• Optional add-ons : Payroll, benefits administration and time tracking.
• Time off management included in all plans.
• Hiring and onboarding tools available.
• Pro plan offers performance management and employee experience modules.
• Optional add-ons for payroll, benefits administration and time tracking.

Pros and cons

Connecteam: best for a deskless workforce.

Companies with a deskless workforce face unique challenges when it comes to employee management. Fortunately, Connecteam was specifically designed with the needs of hands-on workers in mind, and its HR & Skills plan comes with tools such as time off management, training courses and quizzes, document management, recognition and rewards and user management.

Connecteam also offers additional pricing plans for Operations and Communications features, so you can keep everything on one platform.

Why I chose Connecteam

I chose Connecteam because its employee management features are uniquely well-suited to companies with a deskless workforce and hands-on employees, which makes it stand out from my other picks for the best employee management software.

• The Small Business Plan : $0 for up to 10 users.
• Basic : $29 per month, billed yearly, or $35 per month, billed monthly, for the first 30 users.
• Advanced : $49 per month, billed yearly, or $59 per month, billed monthly, for the first 30 users.
• Expert : $99 per month, billed yearly, or $119 per month, billed monthly, for the first 30 users.
• Time off tracking and approvals.
• Learning management features such as custom training courses and quizzes.
• Employee recognition, rewards and celebrations.
• Document storage and management.

Paycor: Best employee management with flexible payroll

If you need payroll in addition to employment management software, definitely check out Paycor. Its payroll platform offers unlimited payroll runs, unlike some other providers that charge for each run. It also offers an AutoRun feature that allows you to schedule payroll to run automatically at a future date.

Other features include time offer management, recruiting and onboarding software , HR reports and expense management.

Why I chose Paycor

I chose Paycor because of its extensive payroll capabilities as well as its many employment management features, such as time off management and onboarding.

For more information, read the full Paycor review .

• Basic : Contact sales team for a custom pricing quote.
• Essential : Contact sales team for a custom pricing quote.
• Complete : Contact sales team for a custom pricing quote.
• Optional add-ons : Workers’ comp, time and scheduling, benefits administration and recruiting.
• Unlimited payroll runs and automatic payroll available.
• Self-service employee portal.
• Pre-loaded and custom reporting templates.
• Time off manager module.

Deel: Best for global teams

If you’re an international company — or you’re hoping to expand into new countries — then you should definitely check out Deel. This employment management software includes many different pricing plans to suit a variety of needs, from contractor management to international payroll to Employer of Record (EOR) services.

Its HR tools are also free to use forever, which will be a huge draw for small businesses on a budget, regardless of how many countries you’re hiring in.

Why I chose Deel

I chose Deel because of the many plans that it offers to support employment management for international companies that need to hire and pay employees in multiple countries.

For more information, read the full Deel review .

• EOR : Starts at $599 per month.
• Contractor management : Starts at $49 per month.
• Global payroll : Contact sales team for a custom pricing quote.
• HR : Free forever.
• Immigration : Contact sales team for a custom pricing quote.
• International payroll and EOR services.
• Contractor-only management plan.
• Immigration support available for an added fee.
• Ability to run background checks all over the world.

TriNet: Best for performance management

TriNet is a fully featured HR software platform that excels at employee management, particularly performance management. Other features include recruiting, hiring, onboarding, HR analytics and compensation management. TriNet also offers advisory services if you need an expert’s opinion as well as PEO services if you want someone to take care of essential HR activities on your behalf.

However, TriNet doesn’t offer free tools like Connecteam or Deel. Check out our picks for the best free HR software if you’ve got a really low budget.

Why I chose TriNet

I picked Trinet as one of the best employee management software because of its comprehensive HR software, which includes a performance management module that supports goal creation and tracking, performance reviews, one-on-ones and more.

For more information, read the full TriNet review .

• Pricing information is not disclosed — contact the sales team for a pricing quote.
• Goal creation and tracking for performance management.
• Time and scheduling tools are included.
• Run payroll with only three clicks.
• Flexible benefits administration platform.

How do I choose the best employee management software for my business?

Employee management software is a broad category that can encompass a whole host of features, so it’s critical that you think carefully about what features matter most to your business. Consider what features absolutely must be included as part of the platform and what you might be willing to get through a third-party platform. Also be sure to check the integration options: It doesn’t matter if you’re willing to use a third-party time tracker if you can’t actually connect it to your employee management software, for example.

Besides features, you should also run some budget calculations and research how each platform approaches pricing. For instance, TriNet is purely quote-based, so you’ll only pay for the features you need. Meanwhile, Connecteam’s pricing is more transparent, but you might end up having to upgrade to a more expensive tier if there’s one specific feature you need.

Take advantage of free trials and demo calls before making a final decision on your new employee management software. Even if you’re pretty sure about the first one you demo, it’s worth it to test out other platforms so you can be absolutely sure of your selection before signing a long-term contract.

Methodology

To select the best employee management software, we consulted product documentation and user reviews. We weighed features such as time tracking, hiring and onboarding, payroll, benefits administration and performance management. We also considered other factors such as pricing plans and add-ons, customer support, ease of use and learning curve.

What is employee management software?

Employee management software is designed to centralize and streamline HR services, processes and workflows. It can encompass many different aspects of HR, from payroll and benefits administration to time tracking and PTO management to employee rewards and recognition. Choosing employee management software that fits your company’s specific needs is necessary for getting the most out of the platform.

What tool can organize and manage employee information?

Employee management is specifically designed to organize and manage employee information. Employee management software provides not just employee profiles but also offers document creation, digitization and storage to make it easy to find the information you’re looking for.

What are examples of tools for employee monitoring?

Some common examples of tools for employee monitoring include time tracking, software event logs and task tracking. Some more examples of advanced employee monitoring are geolocation or geotracking and website blocking and tracking.

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Boeing safety plan will improve quality management, employee training, FAA says

Boeing will invest in workforce training, simplify its plans and processes, eliminate defects and improve its safety and quality culture as part of a federally mandated plan to address what the Federal Aviation Administration has called “systemic quality-control issues.”

The Seattle-based airplane maker is the subject of numerous investigations following a Jan. 5 incident involving its 737-9 MAX aircraft losing a door plug midflight and was ordered to submit its plan to the FAA by May 30.

How to Upskill Employees: 11 Strategies

Amber Biela-Weyenberg | Content Strategist | May 2, 2024

In This Article

What Is Upskilling?

How to upskill employees, 11 ways to upskill employees in 2024, the future of upskilling, align upskilling with business outcomes with oracle grow, upskilling faqs.

Having employees with the vital skills to do their jobs is crucial to the success of any business. However, as knowledgeable workers retire, rapid technological advances change the skills required for many jobs, and business priorities evolve due to shifting markets, so many organizations find it difficult to keep up. Business leaders realize that continual upskilling is the answer to addressing these challenges and achieving their business goals.

Companies can create growth opportunities and retraining plans tailored to the organization’s needs to develop existing employees as job requirements evolve. By ensuring they have an agile workforce with the skills necessary to implement the business strategy, leaders can increase the likelihood of achieving the desired growth and performance.

Upskilling refers to a person learning new skills to enhance performance in their current role. Examples include a factory worker adding technical skills to perform an increasingly automated job, a software developer learning a new programming language, a healthcare aid becoming a certified nursing assistant, and any employee getting training in leadership and other soft skills.

Reskilling is a related term and refers to someone gaining the skills and knowledge needed to move into a new position, such as an assembly line worker training as a welder or electrician or an administrative employee learning to be a project manager. Companies often use both upskilling and reskilling to meet their needs and help employees grow and develop.

Upskilling vs Reskilling

• Upskilling involves employees learning new skills to enhance their current role performance, while reskilling prepares them for entirely new positions within the organization. Both are crucial for adapting to rapidly changing job requirements and technological advances.
• Continuous skills auditing is essential, allowing organizations to identify and bridge skills gaps by comparing existing employee skills with future needs, thereby facilitating strategic workforce planning and development.
• Creating a learning culture and encouraging employee empowerment are key strategies in upskilling, as they enable employees to align their career aspirations with the organization’s goals, thus improving retention and satisfaction.
• Leveraging technology such as AI-enhanced Human Capital Management (HCM) systems can streamline the monitoring and updating of skills inventories, enhancing the ability to address skills gaps efficiently and tailor career development paths.
• Establishing clear upskilling goals and personalized development plans can help organizations and employees focus on acquiring relevant skills, ultimately supporting business strategy and reducing the disruption caused by market and technological trends.

Companies will see the most significant gains from upskilling their workforce if they approach it purposefully and methodically.

1. Take an inventory of employee skills:

To create a companywide upskilling plan, human resources should start by taking an inventory of current employee skills using a common language to describe skills across departments to make it easier to track competencies. This information serves as a benchmark and should be continually updated and tracked in a human capital management (HCM) platform, allowing HR and business leaders to compare the skills inventory with skills requirements to help identify skills gaps at any given time.

2. Map out skills needs for now and the future:

Next, business leaders can collaborate with HR to map out what skills their departments need now and how those needs will likely shift over time as advances in technology, products, and industry practices alter role requirements. Some HCM platforms allow business leaders to define role requirements within the solution themselves. With this knowledge and visibility, HR and business leaders can spot existing and expected skills gaps.

3. Base upskilling strategies on needs gaps:

Then, they can create learning opportunities to help the workforce upskill and remain effective. This approach benefits both employees and employers by preparing them for what’s ahead and empowering them with the skills they need to achieve business goals. With an upskilling framework in place, organizations can guide workers and encourage them to take an active role in their career progression and development.

An upskilling strategy that connects all lines of the business and allows HR and business leaders to understand the skills makeup of the entire organization can improve internal mobility and thus help reduce employee turnover. Often, employees in one area of the business have transferable skills that can be transferred to another part of the business. That’s why business leaders benefit from having a view of the available skills across the organization—and a common language to describe those skills. With that view, business leaders can determine whether an employee on another team has the skills needed for a critical role. This visibility helps businesses deploy their people resources wisely and creates growth opportunities for talented people who might otherwise be tempted to look outside the company to advance.

With a skills gap growing globally, the top workforce priority for organizations is improving the employee experience and employee value proposition so they can attract and retain talent, according to Mercer’s “ 2024 Global Talent Trends ” report, which is based on a survey of more than 12,000 C-suite executives, HR leaders, employees, and investors. And the best way to keep employees? Upskilling. Providing learning and development opportunities is the #1 employee retention strategy for organizations, according to LinkedIn’s “ 2024 Workplace Learning Report .” Employees want to learn to stay relevant and grow in their roles.

Key Takeaways

• Continual upskilling and reskilling are crucial for adapting to rapidly changing job requirements and technological advancements, ensuring that organizations maintain a workforce capable of implementing their business strategy.
• Upskilling enhances an employee's performance in their current role through new skills, while reskilling prepares them for entirely new positions within the organization.
• Regular skills audits help identify and bridge skills gaps, integrating this data into strategic workforce planning and leveraging AI-enhanced platforms to streamline these processes.
• Establishing a learning culture and personalized development plans aligns employee career aspirations with organizational goals, boosting retention and job satisfaction.
• The future of upskilling will heavily involve AI, helping to more precisely identify skills gaps and offer tailored learning paths, thereby optimizing workforce development and supporting business outcomes.

The World Economic Forum proclaimed in 2024 that the 2020s will be the decade of upskilling because technological innovation is exacerbating the skills gaps companies already face. Many businesses have or will soon reach a point where their ability to accomplish goals and forge new paths will be hindered because they won’t have talent with the right skills. To meet business outcomes and help employees grow and perform well in their roles in the short and long term, more companies are upskilling their workforce using these 11 strategies.

1. Audit skills gaps and business needs continuously

Skills auditing is something a company needs to do continuously, not just once in a while. A skills audit or skills gap analysis is when HR identifies the available skills within the organization and compares them with what skills are needed now and in the future. Skills audits consider individual employees’ abilities as part of a whole. Typically, HR uses skills auditing to understand the health of teams, departments, and the greater organization from a skills perspective as employee skill sets evolve. Some HCM platforms let HR continuously track skills changes in real time.

The first step in conducting a skills gap analysis is inventorying what skills exist in your internal talent pool. The second step is to look at job requirements for current positions and inventory what skills you actively need. Completing both of these steps and connecting the findings is vital for accuracy. The disparity between the two inventories is how HR knows what skills gaps exist today. When creating an inventory of existing skills, remember that people often have skills irrelevant to their positions and thus don’t show up on their list of duties. Sometimes, workers don’t have 100% of the qualifications listed for their roles.

The third step is to work with department heads and other senior leaders to identify where the business is going and the skills required to get there. This phase is essential because roles change over time due to technological advances and evolving industry standards and procedures. Businesses also create new positions to meet new business needs and pursue new opportunities, such as offering new products or services. By comparing the skills forecast with the available skills, HR can see what gaps are likely to emerge and actively work to close them. Upskilling and reskilling can be a particularly appealing way to meet anticipated future needs if the company has the time to address identified gaps through a skill-building strategy.

Iteration is the vital final step. An organization’s collective skill set constantly changes as employees learn, onboard, and leave. That’s why continuous skills auditing is such a powerful strategic tool.

2. Assess and catalog employee skills

Companies can assess employees’ skills in multiple ways. For the most accurate understanding of your organization’s skills, HR should strive to continually conduct audits by using an HCM solution that connects talent profiles with the employee learning platform, lists of job qualifications, and other relevant data to capture and track an organization’s holistic skills matrix. Having a common, companywide vocabulary for how people should describe and classify their skills is a critical component of an effective skills catalog. A common vocabulary lets leaders look for talent across the company, and it also lets employees look for opportunities throughout the company that match their skills.

To have up-to-date skills profiles, the simplest approach is to regularly ask workers about their experiences and expertise and give them a way to easily update this information as things change. For example, HR can consider creating an electronic form that employees can voluntarily fill out to submit new accomplishments that human resources would otherwise be unaware of, such as earning an advanced degree or certification. HR can also send quarterly reminders to encourage individuals to share any updates.

Since getting employees to log their skills can be a challenge, a common way to make sure catalogs are accurate is checking that profiles are up to date during annual assessments. Companies may ask workers to assess their skills as part of annual performance reviews when they often also collect feedback from managers and peers. HR can use this information to update the organization’s skills matrix, as well as to support reviews for raises and promotions. Another opportunity to assess employee skills is during the candidate stage. In addition to new hires listing the skills they bring to the job, some companies require job seekers to take tests as part of the hiring process to validate they have the necessary skills for a position.

3. Empower employees

Creating a workplace environment where learning is encouraged and treated as a normal part of the employee lifecycle is essential. A company can have an excellent upskilling program, but it won’t benefit from it unless the workforce uses it. Organizations with a learning culture empower people to decide what they want their careers to look like and help them learn the skills necessary to achieve that vision—and to meet the company’s needs.

Workers may be unable to foresee how their roles will change over the next five to ten years. Business leaders, however, who are plugged into the industry and see the horizon have a much better idea. Their insights are vital to upskilling. Managers also play an important role. They understand their teams’ daily challenges and can help identify skills that would benefit individuals and the department. With these insights, organizations can suggest skills employees in specific roles will need to perform well in the future. These insights from business leaders and managers also apply to reskilling.

4. Connect skills data to career mobility opportunities

Some companies have a culture that encourages employees to move vertically and laterally within the organization, sometimes joining other departments to pursue an opportunity that requires new skills or applying existing skills in a different area. Companies can ask workers about their career goals, help them identify the skills they need to get where they want to be, and provide the necessary learning experiences to help them achieve their career aspirations. Internal mobility helps increase employee retention and keeps vital knowledge and skills within the organization.

5. Deploy technology, including AI

An organization’s skills matrix constantly shifts, making it challenging to inventory skills manually. However, the best HCM systems, powered by AI , are able to continually detect and catalog these changes because they connect numerous areas of HR, such employee skills profiles, job requirements, and learning platforms. For example, AI analysis could recognize that hiring managers are listing new skills in job requisitions more often and suggest opportunities to learn these skills to current employees who would benefit. Further, with this connectivity, these HCM solutions can suggest other relevant growth opportunities and create career paths personalized to each employee that will help them upskill and reskill based on their current role and aspirations.

Additionally, since AI can help organizations catalog and monitor their workforce’s skills in real time, it can give HR better visibility than it has traditionally had. With this reliable inventory of skills data, companies can discover valuable insights, such as skills gaps in key areas and recommendations for training, hiring, and more. Vitally, a unified HCM platform that connects your organization’s data also makes it easier to run reports, understand what skills are available, and visualize progress toward closing gaps.

6. Develop mentorship programs

Another valuable way for employees to learn new skills is through mentorship. While mentor-mentee relationships may form organically, formal programs help connect eager would-be mentors interested in helping others grow with employees seeking advice and guidance. Some HCM systems can even help mentees find ideal mentors to support their growth based on their jobs, career goals, and other contextual factors, solving a common challenge.

Mentorship programs benefit everyone. Mentees receive help navigating their career and skills development, benefitting from their mentor’s experience. Many mentors find mentoring fulfilling and often learn from their mentees too. Organizations benefit because mentorship programs tend to increase employee satisfaction and engagement, which may translate into a more productive workforce. Moreover, engaged, satisfied employees typically stay longer, reducing hiring costs. Additionally, mentoring and peer learning opportunities can help companies retain valuable institutional knowledge.

Mentorship programs could also have a positive effect on succession planning. Employees with greater institutional and industry knowledge who receive tailored guidance become higher-quality candidates to move into key positions later in their careers. Plus, mentors can identify promising candidates through the mentoring process.

7. Set upskilling goals

Research from LinkedIn’s “2024 Workplace Learning Report” found that people who set career goals use learning content four times more than those without them. Companies can help upskill the workforce using upskilling goals in these two categories.

• Organizational: When creating upskilling goals that impact the organization, the C-suite, business leaders, and HR team come together to identify the skills necessary to fulfil the company’s strategic vision. It’s vital to have an accurate skills matrix that gives your organization a benchmark to use to compare existing skills with those needed now and in the future, allowing you to identify and close current skills gaps and those likely to develop over the coming years. The company can create policies and implement tools to establish regular manager-employee touchpoints to discuss company skill requirements and employee development avenues.
• Personal: When setting their own personal upskilling goals, employees often consider how their job impacts their department’s annual goals and the company’s vision for the future. Then, they create realistic, impactful goals that will help them contribute to their organization’s success, and they map out the training or other development opportunities they need to reach those goals. Managers can regularly check in with employees to offer guidance and support.

8. Create personal development plans

95% of HR professionals believe that jobs “will be substantially disrupted by market and technological trends over the next two years,” according to HR.com’s Future of Upskilling and Employee Learning 2024 report. This uncertainty illustrates why it’s important for companies to offer personalized development plans for team members. AI is a key driver of this disruption and uncertainty. 2023 research by the University of Pennsylvania, OpenResearch, and OpenAI predicts that generative AI (GenAI) will affect 80% of jobs. The research estimates that nearly one-fifth of all roles will have half of their core responsibilities change, potentially requiring upskilling. However, the degree to which individual employees will be affected by these trends greatly depends on their current roles, responsibilities, and career aspirations.

For example, doctors who use GenAI to create patient notes or suggest actions, such as scheduling a follow-up appointment or sending a prescription to a pharmacy, will probably use the time they save to focus on their patients and increase care quality rather than learn a new skill. Someone in an administrative role, however, may need to upskill as repetitive tasks are automated and AI makes many aspects of their job faster and easier. And an administrative employee in marketing and one in finance will each likely need to learn different new skills, even if both positions involve many administrative tasks.

A one-size-fits-all upskilling approach doesn’t work. By using HCM platforms embedded with AI tools that consider insights from business leaders about how they expect job roles to change, an individual’s current skill set, and career goals, companies can offer employees personalized career paths . It’s in the organization’s and its employees’ best interests for the workforce to spend their learning time developing skills relevant to their specific needs.

9. Establish learning time and schedules

The primary obstacle to upskilling is often time. Employees have many competing priorities and frequently deprioritize learning. If businesses want their people to add the new skills the company needs, and want to increase employee retention rates by creating growth opportunities, companies should strongly consider designating time for workers to upskill.

Some companies set aside one day a quarter for the workforce to dedicate to learning. Others encourage employees to spend an hour or more a week focused on developing a new, valuable skill. Consider what cadence works best for your organization. Collecting employee feedback can also help you decide what will work best.

10. Create post-training plans

Once companies train employees to gain new skills, they need post-training plans to quickly put those skills to use if they’re going to realize the full benefits of upskilling and reskilling the workforce. These plans typically detail what an organization will do with upskilled workers. Companies can encourage employees to create personal plans too.

• Organizational planning: Once HR identifies skills gaps and employees start upskilling or reskilling to close those gaps, organizations should have a plan for how to connect newly trained people with new opportunities. For example, employees with new, in-demand skills might be the right fit for an open role with a more significant impact on business outcomes. Frequent updates and real-time visibility into the organization’s skills matrix and the ability to drill down and identify talent with specific skills are very helpful in making the best use of people resources. Additionally, if business leaders have visibility into how employees are upskilling, they may be able to help employees retain and practice those new skills by assigning them to relevant special projects. Post-training plans should also include ongoing upskilling. Inevitably, new skills gaps emerge, and employees will want to keep learning. In addition, HR’s learning and development team will want to ensure content is updated to reflect changing needs and seek employee feedback on the upskilling program and learning formats to find areas for improvement.
• Personal: Companies can encourage employees to plan for what they’ll do when they reach their personal learning goals. Employees’ personal plans may include applying to particular roles as they come open or helping their coworkers using the skills they’ve gained.

11. Track progress (reporting)

The most common way organizations measure progress toward upskilling goals is by tracking completion rates for training related to the specific skills or areas where they have gaps. Some HCM platforms let HR see learning and skill development progress in real time with high-level dashboards that also let them drill down into the data to see how individual employees and teams are doing. This information can be shared with the appropriate business unit leaders.

Additionally, learning and development professionals track metrics such as performance review ratings, employee productivity, employee retention, skills per learner, and business impact. Business impact metrics could include the number of deals closed or customer satisfaction scores to help measure the success of upskilling initiatives.

HR teams and business leaders should frequently revisit their upskilling plans, perhaps on a quarterly basis, and make adjustments as needed. If your organization isn't making enough progress, it's time to revisit this list and ask essential questions, such as:

• Does the workplace environment, including leadership, promote learning?
• Do employees have enough time to dedicate to upskilling and reskilling?
• Do they have guidance and know what skills are valuable to develop?
• Are they working toward a goal?
• Are you effectively assessing employee progress?

The idea of upskilling employees isn’t new. When computers replaced typewriters, companies had to train their people to use them to do their jobs in new ways. Employees will always need to learn new skills, and technology is a major reason why. But fortunately, technology can also help companies and individuals in their upskilling efforts.

AI looks like it will be a critical force in the future of upskilling and reskilling. AI can help HR teams uncover skills gaps faster by scanning and noting changes in their company’s job qualifications and requirements, employee talent and skills profiles, and other relevant data. AI tools can recommend personalized learning paths for each employee to help them grow within their current role and develop new skills to prepare for an internal move. Training and equipping employees with skills that directly improve their job performance is in any company's best interest to improve business outcomes.

Executives ranked redesigning work to incorporate AI and automation as one of the business strategies that will deliver the most growth, according to Mercer's “2024 Global Talent Trends” report, based on a survey of more than 12,000 executives, HR leaders, employees, and investors. Asked what could move the needle on employee productivity, 51% of respondents said employee upskilling/reskilling, and 40% said generative AI.

Continuous learning has long been crucial to business success and employee growth. Advancements in AI will only accelerate the need for upskilling, but they will also provide tools that can help HR teams more effectively track skills in their companies and deliver more targeted and personalized training opportunities. The right strategies and HCM platform can boost upskilling efforts and increase visibility into skills gaps, empowering employees, HR, and business leaders to plan for the future.

Oracle Grow , part of the Oracle ME employee experience platform, connects your organization’s talent, skills, job qualifications, and other data to create a personalized learning experience for employees that helps close organizational skills gap and increases the visibility of upskilling initiatives. HR, business leaders, and employees can all see progress toward developing new skills and aligning stakeholders behind clear, shared talent goals. Additionally, with this visibility, HR and business leaders can understand what skills are available at any time within departments and across the greater organization, which can help their company use their people more effectively.

A new feature called “role guides” lets business leaders create profiles featuring the desired skill sets for specific positions within their departments, helping employees in those roles identify vital skills to learn. It also takes the guesswork out of reskilling by helping those who want to transition into new roles understand exactly what skills are required, improving the internal pipeline of candidates. Employee growth and skills directly impact your organization's ability to achieve its strategic vision. Let Oracle Grow amplify your employees' and business's success.

How do I upskill my team? Companies can upskill teams by creating a learning culture with personalized career paths that help employees learn skills relevant to their roles, enabling them to increase individual and team performance while closing organizational skills gaps.

What are four top strategies for upskilling and reskilling? There are many strategies for upskilling and reskilling employees, but four key ones include fostering a learning culture with dedicated time for growth, creating personalized employee learning paths, encouraging mentorship and peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, and tracking metrics to improve your program.

What is upskilling and reskilling with examples? Upskilling is when an employee learns a new skill to improve performance in their current role, while reskilling is when they do it to move into a new one. For example, an office worker may upskill by learning to use the latest technology to do their job better or reskill by taking leadership courses to move into a management position.

Don’t have the skills you need? Oracle Grow helps you close the skills gap by unifying business goals, learning, and career mobility.

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