People Insights Model: Performance Enablement

Overview

Performance Enablement involves the efficiency and effectiveness with which employees perform their work and accomplish their assigned tasks. Being enabled to perform often involves good communication practices, avoiding information silos, employee involvement in decision making, and proper resourcing. Managers and leaders must balance enhancing productivity with employee well-being: pressing performance too intensely can result in burnout and regrettable attrition. Pressing performance too little can result in role and task ambiguity and disengagement.

Perceptyx Research and Insights

• Why Performance Enablement Is the New Performance Management (Jan 2025): 

  • Employees who feel supported by strong performance enablement practices are 51% less likely to be actively job-seeking and 13.7x more likely to be fully engaged in their work.

• Effective performance enablement extends far beyond individual employee satisfaction. Organizations excelling in this area see reduced turnover, higher levels of employee engagement, improved productivity, and better alignment between individual contributions and organizational goals.

• Leadership Blind Spots: The Problem with Equal Treatment (Jan 2025): 

  • When leaders treat everyone the same, it can lead to a range of negative outcomes, both for individuals and the organization. While the intention may be fairness, uniform treatment often overlooks individual contributions, resulting in a plethora of unintended consequences, including reduced team performance.

• Set personalized goals that align with employees' skills and aspirations, allowing flexibility in their approach. Regular check-ins should focus on progress rather than comparison, ensuring meaningful growth while staying aligned with organizational objectives.

Key Action Planning Considerations

When managers respond to employee feedback on performance enablement, they should focus on creating a supportive environment that provides the resources, tools, and guidance employees need to excel in their roles. Effective performance enablement addresses various factors, from clear expectations to ongoing support, empowering employees to reach their full potential. Here are key considerations for managers:

• Clarify Goals and Expectations: Employees perform best when they have a clear understanding of what is expected of them. Managers should ensure that individual and team goals align with broader organizational objectives and are communicated effectively. Providing clear expectations for performance metrics, project deadlines, and role responsibilities enables employees to focus their efforts strategically.

• Provide Regular, Constructive Feedback: Timely, constructive feedback is essential for performance improvement. Managers should establish regular feedback loops, focusing on actionable insights rather than just annual or quarterly reviews. Constructive feedback helps employees identify specific areas for development and reinforces positive behaviors that contribute to their success.

• Address Roadblocks and Resource Constraints: Managers should proactively identify and remove obstacles that hinder performance. This may include resource limitations, unclear processes, or bureaucratic inefficiencies. By addressing these roadblocks, managers demonstrate commitment to supporting employees’ success and creating an environment where they can focus on meaningful work.

• Track and Measure Performance Enablement Initiatives: Managers should track the effectiveness of performance enablement initiatives to understand their impact. Metrics such as productivity, engagement scores, and achievement of performance goals provide insights into what is working and where adjustments may be needed, allowing managers to continuously refine their approach.