The New Worker

Building strong relationships with your team members and gaining a deep understanding of their unique challenges and aspirations is essential. Central to this process is the continuous exchange of meaningful conversations, some of which may require careful planning and personalized attention.

In this article, you'll find a collection of 15 manager email examples designed to help you improve communication and navigate performance expectations with your employees. You can use them straightforwardly as templates, or extract their full value by seeing them as versatile preparation guides for any type of interaction.

As extra support, we also provided preliminary notes alongside each template, offering guidance on language, clarity, and tone so you can handle every situation with ease and effective communication. We're sure you'll find a great sample email to employee to improve performance.

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The importance of transparent communication for employee performance management

Unlocking the power of effective communication is at the core of successful performance management. It's the catalyst for driving individual and team excellence and building an effective performance improvement plan as great communication fosters clarity, productivity, and strong relationships.

• Facilitates clarity and understanding: Effective communication plays a pivotal role in performance management by providing a clear framework for defining performance standards to meet expectations, delivering constructive feedback, and setting meaningful performance goals. It creates a shared understanding that drives individual and team success.
• Fosters productivity: When communication practices are optimized, they contribute to increased productivity. By effectively conveying roles, responsibilities, and how to meet performance standards to reach expectations, employees gain a clear sense of purpose and direction, enabling them to work more efficiently and contribute their best efforts toward organizational goals.
• Enhances relationships: Strong relationships between managers and employees are built on effective communication. Open and transparent dialogue fosters trust, understanding, and mutual respect, creating a positive and collaborative workplace environment. These connections lay the foundation for a motivated and engaged team that thrives together.

⭐️ The foundation of healthy work dynamics is healthy communication. And positive work environments foster better employee engagement. From trust building, to active listening, to being clear on expectations, read our tips to boost communication.

The significance of emails as a formal communication tool in the workplace

From providing a formal record and enabling asynchronous communication to offering a broad reach, emails play a vital role in promoting accountability, facilitating thoughtful exchanges, and efficiently sharing information within teams and organizations.

• Provide a formal record: Emails serve as a formal document, capturing important conversations and decisions. This not only aids in accountability but also promotes transparency, ensuring that critical information is documented and accessible when needed via their personnel file.
• Enable asynchronous communication: One of the advantages of emails is their ability to facilitate asynchronous communication (communication that isn't time dependent). Emails allow for messages that don't require immediate responses, giving recipients the time to craft thoughtful replies and contribute to meaningful discussions at their convenience.
• Broad reach: With the capability to reach multiple recipients simultaneously, emails offer a highly efficient means of disseminating information or updates within a team or even across the entire organization. They ensure that important messages can be shared with the intended audience with the click of a button.

Key elements to include in an email about employee performance

With these templates, you can spend less time and energy thinking about how you want to write your email, and more time on big-picture, productive work.

Just remember, these are mere guidelines to start and respond to conversations. It's important to tweak them based on the individual and context.

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Before you send a formal document, ask yourself:

• Is this employee more communicative by email, instant message, or in one-on-one conversation?
• Should this conversation come at the beginning of the day/week, so as to motivate them right away? Or at the end of the day/week, so as to give them time to reflect?
• Does this employee respond well to directness? Or is a bit of small-talk a good way to warm them up?
• Does the subject line use language that is fear inducing?

Most importantly: Remember why you hired this employee, and what about them and their work do you find amazing. Keep that front and center in your mind when preparing for a talk.

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Here's what you should include in your email:

• Clear subject line: Ensure the subject line clearly indicates the purpose of the email, such as "Performance Review" or "Feedback Session."
• Professional greeting: Begin the email with a respectful and professional greeting, addressing the employee directly.
• Specific performance feedback: Include specific examples of the employee's work performance, highlighting both positive aspects and areas needing improvement.
• Actionable steps: Provide clear and actionable next steps that the employee can take to improve their poor performance, as well as your own action items, so that a personalized performance improvement plan can be adhered to.
• Open-ended invitation: Encourage the employee to ask questions or discuss their performance further, fostering a two-way communication process.
• Professional closing: Conclude the email on a positive note, offering continued support to the employee as they embark in their employee performance improvement plan.

Email samples to address an employee's poor performance or a performance issue

Addressing poor performance is not something you want to delay. You both want to get to the root cause of what is affecting employee performance and quickly implement solutions to mitigate this problem, as poor performance can have a ripple effect on teams and your company's overall performance. Understanding the "when" and "why" of any employee performance issue will help you tailor the right message.

• When to send emails about employee's poor performance: Constructive feedback emails should ideally be sent soon after a particular incident or employee performance review period where poor performance was noted. This helps ensure the context is fresh for both you and the employee, making the feedback more relevant and impactful.
• Why send constructive feedback emails: Remember that everything has to serve a purpose. The primary reason for writing a constructive feedback email is to help improve an employee's performance or behavior. It allows you to express concern about poor performance in a structured, thoughtful manner, providing clear guidance on areas needing improvements and promoting professional growth.

1. When an employee continuously shows up to work tired or lacking energy

Work fatigue or burnout might be caused by outside-work factors, and you don't want to appear too nosey. However, a tired employee (one who lacks energy for a while) cannot work at their optimal capacity, which, as a manager, is your job to fix.

Choose your words wisely to get at the right level of personal interest. And as we'll see, a common refrain will be to express how your door is always open. When writing such emails, ending on a positive note is important.

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Email template:

Hey _______,

I noticed that you seemed a little tired the last few days, is everything okay?

I don't mean to get too personal, but if there is anything going on outside of work that you need time to deal with, just let me know. Your well-being is the priority. Just know that if you ever need to chat about anything, I'm here for you.

[Your name]

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2. When an employee continuously shows up to work late

Consistent tardiness affects can really make a dent on employee performance and it can also be upsetting to their coworkers. That said, you don't want to single anyone out by using language that pits the employee against the team.

Again, express that you're open to hear them out and eager to help. Avoid reproachful words like “unacceptable” and “unfair.”

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Email template:

Hey _______,

I noticed that you've been getting to work late the last few days. I think that might make things difficult for your coworkers who depend on you. Is everything alright?

If there's anything on your mind or anything I can help with, let me know!

Thanks!

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3. When an employee misses too many deadlines

Since employees are typically aware of missed deadlines, there's no need to tiptoe around the issue. It's best to address it directly and honestly, ensuring clear communication and accountability.

If you need to email an employee to improve their poor performance, ask if there's a good reason for missing their deadlines, and be clear you're open to listening to them without judgment. Some times employees miss deadlines because other priorities come up or because the original deadlines are unrealistic. When this happens, let them know they can come to you to reorganize their workloads and timelines to better manage other coworkers' or teams' expectations. But if it's just a general slacking off, let them know that, as a manager, you have a responsibility to fix the situation, and you will.

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Email template:

Hey _______,

How's it going?

I want to discuss your missed deadlines. If there's anything that's been preventing you from focusing and you want to discuss it, I'm all ears and happy to help out in any way I can.

I can always manage your workload and move timelines around to avoid missing deadlines on our priority projects.

Even if it's just a matter of your work motivation levels, know that I am here for you and will help find a solution.

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💡Tip: Remember, the first step to making sure your employees are on the ball when it comes to deadlines is to clearly set and communicate expectations before a task or project. Otherwise, as a manager, you are just as responsible if your employee fails to meet these unclear standards.

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4. When an employee takes too much time off

You want to encourage a good work-life balance but need to be on guard for employees who may take advantage. Still, you never know the reasons behind the absenteeism, so it's important to tread carefully.

Mind your tone and be cautious before jumping to conclusions. Use language that expresses giving them the benefit of the doubt. You won't demand all the details, but if it's a work issue, you must express the importance of them being open with you.

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Email template:

Hey _______,

How's everything going?

You know we encourage work-life balance and are happy to let you take time off. However, from what I've noticed, you've been taking quite a bit of time off.

If there's anything you'd like to talk about, please let me know. I'd be happy to help in any way I can.

Going forward, you'll need to be more present to better support your team. That's how we'll all achieve our goals together!

Thanks!

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5. When an employee demonstrates difficulty in receiving feedback

This email is likely to come after you've had to dish out feedback about poor performance and the employee was not receptive.

While you can't walk back on your negative feedback, you should be mindful and explain that your intention is not to reinforce the criticism, but to convey that it was meant constructively, and that the employee understands this is for their benefit.

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Email template:

Hey _______,

It seemed like my comment earlier didn't land well. I hope there's no misunderstanding. Everything I said was meant to help you grow and become an even better employee. Sometimes feedback is hard to hear but the intention is always with your best interest at heart, to help you improve.

If there's ever anything you'd like to talk about, just let me know! I'm here for you.

Thanks!

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💡Tip: A difficult conversation should really talk place in person. You can give a head's up via email, which can give the employee some time to reflect and prepare. But you should also come prepared, not only with your negative feedback but also with potential solutions.

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6. When an employee has a negative attitude

This might be caused by non-work factors in the office (like personal issues with a colleague), or by circumstances in their private life. Your aim is to let them know their negative attitude might be affecting their work and their colleagues, but not to chastise them. The tone you want here is one of total openness.

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Email template:

Hey _______,

Lately, there has been a noticeable shift in your attitude, which differs from the positive demeanor we're accustomed to. It's concerning to witness any member of my team feeling upset, as negative attitudes can impact the overall team dynamic.

If this is due to something work-related, let's get together and work this out. If it's a personal matter, let me know if and how I can support.

[Your name]

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💡Tip: Employees that have a negative attitude may not respond well to emails. Assess each situation individually and decide whether giving direct feedback on the employee's attitude and behavior during a one-on-one meeting might be more appropriate.

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7. When an employee needs additional training

The goal here is to avoid making the employee feel like they're not good enough. You want to let them know that you're there to help them improve.

The tone is all about encouragement; the language zeroes in on “improvement” and “progress” as opposed to concepts like “falling behind.” And give your employee a heads up that you'll be scheduling regular one-on-one meetings going forward.

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Email template:

Hey _______,

How's everything going?

Your progress so far has been great in many areas. Now here are a few skills that I think you'd benefit from focusing on developing or working on:

[Insert list of skills]

I suggest we schedule a meeting once a week aimed at helping you develop in this/these area(s). I'm sure this way we can get you up to speed.

Thanks!

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💡Tip: New employees, or employees undergoing training for new responsibilities or roles might be in a slightly more vulnerable mindset, and you need to keep this in mind. This is an example where a personal chat will be more encouraging (and less intimidating) than an email.

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Email templates to provide feedback on employee behavior

It's possible to provide feedback through effective emails. The trick is to understand when you should send constructive feedback emails and why they are essential for supporting employees in their growth and to help improve their poor performance. Remember to explain your intention and always end on a positive note. And make sure to loop in human resources to keep a record in their personnel file.

• When to address your employee's behavior expectations: Timing is, as always, crucial when it comes to addressing inappropriate behavior via email. It's important to send the email promptly after the incident to ensure that the issue is addressed while it's still fresh. Taking immediate action not only helps prevent future occurrences but also sends a clear message that such behavior is not tolerated.
• Why you should address employee behavior expectations: In situations where an employee's behavior violates company policy, disrupts the work environment, or causes discomfort to others, it is crucial to address it through an official email. By doing so, not only is the incident documented within a formal letter, but it also sets the stage for a serious conversation regarding behavior expectations in the workplace.

8. When an employee overemphasizes their achievements or takes undue credit

You don't want to stifle anyone's brightness, but occasionally some self-promoting or over-confident behaviors of an employee can distract or upset colleagues.

Find the words to show you appreciate their talents and achievements, and that it's only how they express themselves that may be problematic. What's more, always remind them of the collective effort.

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Email template:

Hey _______,

It's been brought to my attention that you may be taking personal credit for the work the whole team is doing.

There's no doubt you're talented and I love your ambition, but the truth is that your work speaks for itself. More importantly, remember that we win as a team and pride collaboration and team dynamics over individual success.

I wonder, do you feel that you are not receiving enough recognition from me as your manager, or from your peers?

I am free to speak about this further if you wish to continue the discussion,

[Your name]

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9. When an employee behaves inappropriately toward a peer

This is a concern that needs to be nipped in the bud. One problem is, there are cultural differences regarding what's friendly and what crosses the line. Know the culture of the employee you're dealing with, but be very clear that your shared office culture comes first. Make sure to provide examples of inappropriate behavior too.

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Email template:

Hey _______,

This is a bit of a sensitive subject, but I wanted to talk with you about something.

Some of your behavior with coworkers is being seen as inappropriate. I know you probably didn't do this intentionally, but we need to make sure that this doesn't happen again.

If you're not sure what it was you did, or why it's inappropriate, let's have a chat and clear up that misunderstanding. Sound good?

[Your name]

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Email examples for when an employee wants to leave or has been fired

Addressing an employee's desire to leave or a teammate's termination with a personal touch shows your genuine care, value for their contributions, and commitment to a supportive work environment. It is important to also prioritize the well-being of your team, who may be affected by a colleague's departure. But make sure to consult with your HR team before sending any emails of this nature.

• When to address that an employee wants to leave: Addressing an employee's desire to leave or informing the team about a colleague's termination requires prompt attention. Responding immediately not only demonstrates your attentiveness but also conveys the value you place on their input and contributions.
• Why you should address that an employee wants to leave: By acknowledging their intention promptly, you demonstrate care and value their input. Being proactive allows you to understand their concerns, explore potential solutions, and potentially retain valuable talent or part ways amicably.

10. When an employee wants to quit

A lot of previous templates deal with problems you spot first. But when a good employee decides to leave, it's an opportunity for you, as a manager, to learn something. So definitely reach out. Let them know how surprised you were, and how that's because you possibly weren't paying enough attention, which you need to own.

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Email template:

Hey _______,

Your news earlier surprised me. I really appreciate you sharing how you're feeling about work.

I'd be very open to hearing more of your feedback and seeing where we can make changes and improvements to keep you on board. I really value you. You've made a big impact on the team and company.

Would you like to book some time to chat tomorrow?

Let me know!

Thanks,

[Your name]

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✅ Stay interview questions are designed to check-in with employees to see what works (what keeps them staying) and what doesn't (what could make the leave). Keep these 6 stay interview questions in your back pocket for your next one on ones.

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11. When an employee gets fired

Here's one case where we suggest that the initial announcement doesn't come from an email. Group meetings are best, whether in person or virtually, to communicate when an employee is fired. Afterward, it's a good idea to send a follow up email to let them know you are open to questions or concerns, and here to provide support.

Be proactive in taking responsibility for the decision, but don't seek pity for having been put in that position. Finally, never disparage the terminated employee.

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Email template:

Hi team,

This morning I unfortunately had to let _______ go. I know this is surprising to hear.

This decision was made because employee performance goals were not being reached. After working together for X amount of time to improve the situation, their performance continued to fall short of expectations.

Don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. I'm here to talk and be as transparent as I can.

I will be sharing a plan for how we will fill this gap on the team shortly.

Thank you. Keep up the great work!

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💡Tip: Before preparing how you will communicate this change to your team, you should familiarize yourself with the company's performance standards and firing process in case your team has questions. Also, have a plan ready for how the team is going to need to adapt with one person fewer.

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Email templates to ask for employee feedback and respond to negative feedback

Periodically requesting feedback from employees can help drive continuous improvements. Good or bad, a company that asks and receives all feedback nurtures a culture of communication, demonstrating the value placed on employee opinions. Emails are a great channel to do so.

• When requesting feedback: It's beneficial to send an email requesting feedback from employees periodically, perhaps after the completion of a project or at the end of a employee performance review cycle. Regular feedback helps keep communication channels open and can help improve their performance.
• When responding to negative feedback: If you receive negative feedback (perceived poor performance on your end or on the company's end), it's important to respond promptly. An email should be sent acknowledging the feedback, expressing appreciation for the employee's honesty, and outlining any steps to be taken in response to the feedback. This fosters open communication and shows employees that their opinions are valued and considered.

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🔁 Feedback is a two-way street, and companies want to sustain continuous feedback loops to foster engagement and retain employees. Get our guide on how to integrate this model as part of your engagement strategies.

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12. When you want to ask employees for feedback

The first tip of soliciting feedback is: don't put people on the spot; they'll be more likely to say what they think you want to hear.

Check out one of these non-intrusive ways to encourage your team to provide feedback freely, regularly, and without any pressure.

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Email template:

Hey everyone!

I would like to ask you for some feedback.

I want to understand more about your day-to-day pain points. The goal is to see if I can help solve them as a manager. I'd love it if you took some time to give us feedback on how I can help improve your experience at work.

We'll be using Officevibe, an employee feedback platform that ensures that everyone's feedback is completely anonymous so you can feel free to share whatever is on your mind.

Thanks!

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13. When you receive negative feedback

Well, this one's tricky. On one hand, you've given them the tools to provide anonymous feedback. On the other hand, you want to address negative feedback at the source. Make it clear you are not upset, and nobody will be reproached. Use the language of volunteerism, like “feel free” or “I'd be happy to hear more,” that avoids being demanding and sounding incensed. Everyone should show willingness to improve their performance.

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Email template:

Hi team,

I have received some anonymous feedback from the team about a concern. First off, I appreciate the sincerity. It's my goal to improve through your honest feedback.

If whoever wrote that wants to come chat, I'd be happy to address any concerns. It's not mandatory, though. You can all be confident that feedback will remain anonymous if that's what you choose.

We work hard to make this a great workplace, and we only want to make sure that everyone is happy here.

Thanks!

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💡Tip: If the employee does volunteer to chat about their negative feedback, that's great. Try as best you can to remove any managerial hierarchy when giving them the floor. First way to do this is to let them pick when, where, and how to communicate. Also, be prepared to explain your company policy and procedures if this criticism is not something easily resolved.

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Email samples to show gratitude to your employees

Unlike with poor performance emails, these ones are more fun to write. Showing gratitude to your employees reinforces a positive work culture, boosts morale, and strengthens the bond between you and your team. Recognizing their efforts and expressing appreciation cultivate a sense of value and motivation, leading to increased engagement and productivity.

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Psst! Read our step-by-step guide on creating a culture of recognition in the workplace to find tips on how modern employees want to be appreciated today.

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• Good for achievement recognition: It's appropriate to send an employee a thank-you email after they achieve a significant milestone, complet a project successfully, or exceed their performance targets. This not only recognizes their effort but also motivates them for future tasks.
• Good for acknowledging a display of core values: An email of appreciation should also be sent when an employee displays exceptional adherence to company policy and values, contributes positively to the team culture, or goes above and beyond in their role. This reaffirms the importance of these values and behaviors in the workplace.

14. When you want to thank a specific employee

This is one of those manager email templates that should be a joy to compose. But, it's no less essential. Giving recognition messages in person or email is a big part of what managers should be doing regularly. Be specific, have examples ready, and use personal expressions to describe your reaction to their great work.

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Email template:

Hey _______,

I just wanted to take a quick minute to tell you what a great job you did with that presentation earlier. I was seriously impressed!

The fact that you used those graphs in your slides to back up what you were saying was a really smart idea.

I'm confident that your contributions are going to play a major role in landing this contract and absolutely delighting the client. This is going to be a big win for everyone.

Thanks again, and keep up the great work!

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15. When you want to thank the team

Whether in a blast email or a live meeting, giving group praise is a humbling experience. But you need to make it genuine. Again, touch base on specific tasks or projects. Link their recent hard work to future opportunities and successes. And don't be shy about gushing a bit; they are your team.

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Email template:

Hey _______,

I just wanted to take a quick minute to thank all of you for your contribution lately.

You all did an incredible job with the X project. They were so impressed with our presentation and I'm pretty sure they'll end up becoming a client!

I can't express how much you all mean to me. I truly enjoy coming to work every day with all of you.

The future looks bright!

Enjoy your weekend 🙂

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Meaningful conversations starts with understanding and alignment

Effective communication with your employees is key to addressing any performance issue and fostering a positive work environment. Don't be shy to use our templates as a starting point, tailor them to your specific situation, provide examples that offer clarity, and continue the dialogue for ongoing improvement and growth throughout employee performance review cycles.

Of course, the purpose of these emails or chats is to initiate the conversation, but it doesn't end there. Once you've broken the ice and engaged employees, it's important to take the next steps by following up and having a one-on-one discussion to ensure understanding, build an effective performance improvement plan, and track progress. Remember that human resources are able to support manager-employee communications, especially during more sensitive conversations.

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In an ideal world, every company would have a thriving workforce with every employee firing on all cylinders at all times. But that simply isn't the reality. People are human, they have ups and downs, they have periods where they feel more engaged and perform better and others where they show signs of disengagement and lack motivation.

Trying to improve their engagement without a strategy in place is like trying to drive somewhere new without a map. You need a starting point, a destination you'd like to reach, and the guidance to help you navigate your way there.

As a manager, conducting employee engagement surveys can be a great way to start collecting insights and track metrics so you can reach your engagement goals. The right survey questions can help managers understand their team, boost employee engagement, motivate the team toward higher productivity, and even help ensure a healthy work-life balance.

In this article, we’ve broken down our employee engagement survey questions (and reasoning) into 10 clear categories. We also explain why to use employee survey questions, how to create them, and tips for administering them. By running these kinds of employee surveys weekly, management will be better able to stay up to speed with their employee morale and performance, and ultimately amplify team engagement.

Why use employee survey questions?

There are a number of great reasons to use employee survey questions. They provide you with valuable insights that you can then act on to help elevate and motivate the whole team. So let's dive right into the why.

The benefits of employee surveys

Better insights and progress tracking:

• Employee surveys provide valuable insights into employee opinions and feelings that you can consider moving forward.
• They allow you to identify the strengths and weaknesses within the organization so you can better leverage the strengths and find solutions to the weaknesses.
• They help measure employee engagement to better track progress and growth over time. By gathering feedback, taking action, then following up with subsequent surveys, you can really see the impact your changes are having.

Improved employee engagement and satisfaction:

• Surveys can help you identify areas where employees are not satisfied. When you know why they are unhappy about something you're able to find ways to make positive shifts.
• They provide opportunities to address concerns and improve employee morale. Knowing each person's specific challenges and aspirations can open the doors to constructive conversations.
• They increase employee motivation and loyalty by letting them know that you are in tune with them, hearing them, and supporting them.

Increased productivity:

• They help identify factors that may be hindering productivity so that managers can then address what's causing them to lose focus and help get them back on track.
• They help you tap into ways to increase productivity for each employee on your team.
• They encourage collaboration between team members and support more open communication.

Better decision making:

• They provide you with valuable insights that support a more informed decision-making process.
• They provide plenty of useful data to support management decisions.
• With the data in hand, and the ability to make more informed decisions, it also increases the likelihood of successful outcomes.

Reduced employee turnover:

• Employee engagement surveys help identify the causes of employee turnover. Knowing the underlying issues allows you to understand what’s impacting your employee turnover rate.
• Having this information helps you develop solid solutions to reduce employee turnover.
• These insights can also help increase employee retention and loyalty. Win win!

Employee surveys are a great tool to help you perform as a great leader within your company. Here are another 10 benefits of employee engagement surveys.

How to create effective employee survey questions

Now that you understand why employee survey questions are an important and valuable part of your employee engagement strategy, let's take a look at how to craft them in a way that's most optimal.

Key considerations for better survey questions

• Ensure questions are clear and easy to understand. If you want to gain clarity from the answers, be sure to provide clarity in the questions!
• Avoid questions that are too personal or intrusive. Not only does it lean toward being inappropriate, it can easily cause people to feel uncomfortable and shut down.
• Keep questions relevant to the purpose of the survey. Going off on a tangent won't garner you the information you hope to get. Keep questions focused to the point at hand.

Identifying areas to focus on

• Identify specific areas of the organization to assess. You can then tap into each one and get as in-depth as you need.
• Determine which aspects of the organization are most important to employees. This can then help you put your focus where it matters most.
• Prioritize areas that require immediate attention. Having a clearer picture of what's going on increases your efficiency in addressing what's most pressing.

Asking the right types of questions

• Open-ended questions allow for more detailed responses and provide valuable insights. Avoid asking questions that can simply be answered with a yes or no.
• Closed-ended questions are easier to analyze and provide measurable data. When you need concrete data, these are the way to go.
• Rating scale questions provide a range of responses to choose from, such as "Strongly agree" to "Strongly disagree". Use these to gauge sentiments across your teams.

Avoiding bias and leading questions

• Avoid questions that are worded in a way that leads respondents to a certain answer. Influencing their answer steers them away from what they would have naturally shared.
• Ensure questions are neutral and do not express any assumptions. Nobody wants to feel like they're under the spotlight or being interrogated.
• Avoid questions that may unintentionally offend or exclude certain groups. Be mindful of your wording and put yourself in other people's shoes to assess how a question may come off from their perspective.

Writing effective questions

• Keep questions brief and to the point. Long-winded questions can cause people to forget what's actually being asked, and have them go off-track with their answers.
• Use simple and concise language. Don't overcomplicate your questions, as you survey can become confusing and unclear.
• Avoid technical jargon or industry-specific terms. Ask questions that speak to everyone in a way they can understand.
• Test questions with a small group of employees before conducting the survey to ensure clarity and relevance. They can provide you with handy feedback that can help you better craft your questions.

Need a little guidance on how to conduct your employee engagement surveys? We've got you!

Survey questions to assess employee engagement

Being clear on how engaged your employees are feeling isn’t always easy. These employee engagement survey questions help clarify employee engagement levels, providing leaders with insightful data they can use to ensure their teams are productive, motivated, and feeling supported.

1. How would you describe the level of challenge you have at work?

Employee engagement and employee performance are complex to measure. It’s important for your team to strike a balance between being challenged to learn and building their strengths.

Let them know that the management team supports them throughout their work. Creating a safe space for them to fail forward encourages employees to feel engaged and build a growth mindset.

2. Do you know what you need to do to meet your goals and objectives?

Team productivity and engagement skyrocket when your people know how to set and meet expectations. As a manager, it’s vital that you’re clear on your expectations by defining what work-in-progress means and coming to a team-wide definition of “done.”

3. Do you believe your organization is able to reach its objectives?

Communicate important information to your team. This will help them establish a strong connection to their work, a larger sense of engagement, and a broader understanding of how they’re positively impacting the rest of the organization. 

Knowing how to achieve collective goals amplifies an overall sense of accomplishment, productivity, and employee engagement; it’s a win-win-win situation!

4. Do you have access to the material resources you need to do your work properly (equipment, supplies, etc.)?

Whether you’re in an office or working remotely, having the right resources and tools in place has a tremendous impact on employee engagement. The right resources can amplify employee performance and enable an ergonomic experience. Reach out to your team and make sure they have the right tools at their disposal.

5. Do you have access to non-material resources you need to do your work properly (information, training, support, data, knowledge, etc.)?

Without the right tools or support, employee engagement can dwindle, which can have serious repercussions on the rest of the team. To set your team up for success, you should:

• Forecast your employees’ needs when assigning projects
• Ensure your employees have access to the right information
• Connect them to other colleagues who can share insight/resources 

6. Do you feel you have enough freedom to decide how you do your work?

Everyone works differently. Acknowledge a way of working that promotes the right amount of balance for autonomy and collaboration. Giving leeway to your team will result in a strong sense of trust rather than feelings of micromanagement. This way you’ll foster higher employee engagement within your team rather than dependency.

Explore our guide on the 10 key factors of employee engagement that can help boost engagement in your organization.

Survey questions to garner employee feedback

Understanding the value your team places on constructive feedback helps their progress, encourages support, and amplifies areas in need of improvement. An engagement survey can help you achieve that by gathering effective, honest feedback.

7. Are you satisfied with the frequency of feedback from your direct manager?

This survey question helps measure the efficacy of employee feedback loops and what each team member needs when it comes to feedback frequency.

8. Is the feedback you get specific?

Knowing the level of detail that is required from your team will help shape the way you provide employee feedback. This is especially important for remote employees. Learn when it’s appropriate to generalize and when more details are required.

9. Does the feedback you receive help you grow and develop?

Survey data from this question is helpful when it comes to keeping employee feedback actionable and relevant. Your team’s engagement level will increase if they’re given the right tools to hone their skills.

Did you know that Officevibe's employee feedback tool enables you to automate and organize how you collect anonymous feedback from your employees?

Survey questions to improve employee satisfaction

Job satisfaction plays an important role in overall employee engagement. Learn what makes your employees excited to be part of your team by getting honest responses to the following questions.

10. On a scale of 0-10, how reasonable is your workload?

Learn about the role each team member plays within the team, as well as how they’re responding to fulfilling their mandate. Delegate work in a way that plays to their strengths and challenges them appropriately without burning them out. 

11. Do you enjoy the work you do?

The idea that work needs to be a struggle is outdated. The employee experience can (and should!) be exciting, challenging, and fun. Be open to understanding what drives your team to feel a sense of fulfillment and joy. Employees find greater satisfaction in their work when they truly enjoy what they do.

12. Does your direct manager care about your well-being?

It’s crucial for a management team to understand how respect is measured and how to establish a mutual sense of respect within your team. Checking in at the beginning of team meetings and ensuring that employees are not feeling stressed show that you respect them and care about their well-being.

13. Are your responsibilities clear?

When assigning tasks and projects, be transparent about expectations. In addition, provide clear guidelines regarding roles and responsibilities and what they need to succeed.

When work distribution gets complicated, this often results in disengaged employees, siloed teams, and feelings of frustration. Avoid this by keeping communication open, brief, and actionable.

Tap into 11 ways to improve employee satisfaction so you can increase engagement, boost productivity, reduce costly turnover, and build a healthy company culture.

Survey questions to understand and improve company culture

Employee engagement survey questions on your organization’s culture can guide leadership in helping employees feel aligned with the company’s mission, values, and culture. Clear company goals can help keep the team moving in the same direction.

14. Generally speaking, how would you rate your level of happiness at work?

It’s important that employees have a sense of connection to the work that they do and enjoy their work environment. Being curious and excited about projects fuels employee engagement and creates electric energy in the workplace.

15. Are you inspired by the purpose and mission of the organization?

Teams who feel aligned with the purpose, goals, and mission of their organization are more committed to their work. They’re also more invested in their roles. This survey question helps amplify employee happiness and workplace engagement by understanding how well people connect to their company culture.

16. Do the leaders of the organization communicate a vision that motivates you?

If your teams aren’t aware of the main purpose and vision of your organization it can lead to feelings of detachment in their day-to-day work. Make objectives clear and draw correlations between how they impact the bigger picture and contribute to organizational changes. Weekly pulse surveys help ensure your team feels aligned with the bigger picture and boost employee engagement.

17. On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to recommend your organization as a good place to work?

Employees determine how they feel about the company culture as it relates to the people they work with, the managers who support them, and their work environment. The best way to gauge loyalty and pride for your organization is with the employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS). It measures employees’ willingness to recommend your organization as a good place to work, reveals whether they’re engaged and enthusiastic about their work, and gives a sense of the overall state of your company culture.

Learn about 11 ways to improve workplace culture so you can meet and exceed employee expectations.

Survey questions for distributed teams

When not physically in the office, an employee engagement survey can help management learn more about the impact of remote work environments on engagement in their team.

18. Does your work environment allow you to work distraction-free when you need to?

Make sure your team has distraction-free zones available to them. This will avoid your employees from feeling disengaged and will have a significant impact on their performance and well-being.

19. Are you satisfied with the level of comfort in your physical workplace?

Well-being at work plays an important role when it comes to productivity and motivation. Making sure teams have an ergonomic space can improve wellness and happiness in the workplace, which ultimately makes them better and more productive employees.

20. Do you feel supported by your organization if you need to make use of flexible working arrangements?

Be clear on when your team should be available during the week and build a stable framework for remote meetings to establish a sense of routine. Learn your team’s behaviors and encourage them to take breaks. Maintaining a work-life balance is key.

21.  Do you think someone would say or do something if you felt distressed at work?

Empathize with employees who feel overworked and overwhelmed. Often, they may not be the first to come forward and admit to this. Make sure each team member feels a level of approachability with you as their manager and with each other. Encouraging support within a team is essential, especially during tough times.

Need more inspiration? Here's a list of 30 remote work survey questions to help you measure engagement levels in your remote team.

Survey questions for employee recognition and morale

Your team members are invaluable to your organization and each other. Recognize them for their strengths and their progress. Encourage them to celebrate and highlight each other’s workplace wins, no matter how big or small.

22. How would you rate the frequency at which you receive recognition?

Acknowledge that employees have different needs when it comes to being recognized for their work. So be creative! Establish consistent recognition with your team outside of your regular one-on-one meetings or performance reviews. This is a great way to help employees feel seen and valued.

23. Is recognition given in a timely fashion?

It’s normal to have a tendency to provide recognition during designated review periods or feedback sessions. However, providing real-time feedback and recognition is highly impactful and inspires employees to feel more engaged and motivated. 

24. Is recognition meaningful when you receive it?

When you recognize your team, make sure you’re acknowledging their experiences so they feel appreciated. Take the time to learn about what will resonate with them by being specific when describing their positive impact through employee recognition messages.

25. Does your organization encourage employees to recognize each other?

Let employees know the importance of paying it forward by encouraging them to support one another. Peer recognition facilitates teamwork, builds trust, and allows your people to know that they add value in their own ways to other team members.

Consult our guide on creating a culture of recognition in the workplace so you can help your teams feel valued and bring engagement to new heights.

Survey questions for career growth and personal growth

An employee engagement strategy is most effective when employees feel their career path gives them an opportunity for growth and learning. The right employee survey questions can help you zero in on whether their work is putting them on the right path for their professional development.

26. Do you have a development plan aimed at improving your employees’ skills?

Individual professional growth is unique to each team member. Support your team by curating thoughtful career development plans that take into consideration each team member's skills, strengths, and areas for improvement.

27. Is there someone at work who helps you grow and develop?

Often employees are most engaged when they feel they are being guided by someone they trust and, on some level, admire. Get to know your employees and help them find appropriate professional mentors whom they can learn from.

28. How would you rate the way your organization makes use of your strengths?

Thriving employees feel a sense of fulfillment toward their team. They want to feel as though they’re adding value. Give them opportunities to share their areas of expertise with the wider organization; doing so will challenge their perspective, take them out of their comfort zones, expand upon their leadership skills, and help their professional growth.

Providing them with professional development opportunities can also help them develop new skills.

29. Are you appropriately involved in decisions that affect your work?

When employees understand the context in which they work, it becomes much easier for them to feel motivated toward larger objectives. Make sure that you’re being transparent with your team and show them that you believe in their skills by involving them in meetings where they can provide more input and different perspectives, and explore their strengths.

Use this template to guide one-on-one career development discussions with your employees.

Survey questions about relationships with managers

Having a healthy relationship with your team matters both professionally and personally as employees need to feel supported to succeed. These questions help refine relationships to ensure they’re built on trust, communication, and mutual respect. Great managers are ones that are in tune with their employees’ needs.

30. Is your direct manager someone you can trust?

Having trust in the workplace is essential to leading a team successfully. Trust can be established in different ways for different employees. It starts with learning more about your team and demonstrating a genuine interest in who they are. Be transparent and clear with employees when it comes to their work, growth, and any feedback you provide.

31. On a scale of 0-10, how satisfied are you with how frequently you communicate with your direct manager?

Whether you’re working remotely or in person, it’s important to establish frequent one-on-one conversations and feedback loops. Be mindful of your employees’ preferred methods of communication; make an effort to use these as you get to know one another and build your relationship. Many employees need frequent communication, while others prefer their check-ins to be more spaced out.

32. How would you rate your direct manager’s management skills?

As your team grows and they continue to nail their objectives, managers must also learn how to take care of their own development. Keeping an open ear to your team’s feedback will help you learn what your own strengths are and how you can equally improve upon your existing skills.

We put together trust-building questions to help guide your conversations on where trust stands in the relationships with your employees.

Survey questions to understand how employees perceive their workplace relationships

A helpful way to see how well your team works together is to prompt employees to reflect on how they feel about collaborating with their colleagues. Strong team dynamics facilitate productivity and engagement, improve employee satisfaction, and contribute to a positive workplace culture.

33. Do you feel like you are part of a team?

Do employees sense that they carry the weight of projects on their shoulders? Or do they feel they can rely on their team for support? Discover their perspective to learn how to help build your team’s dynamic and encourage employee engagement.

34. Do you and your peers collaborate well together?

A sense of collaboration allows teammates to understand that they can trust each other. As a result, employees feel more inclined to reach out to one another for help, celebrate wins together, and learn about their collective growth.

35. Do you feel your peers are committed to doing quality work?

A strong baseline of expectations motivates teammates to collaborate effectively and achieve their goals. Be clear about how you expect employees to work with each other and be open about their individual strengths. By shedding light on their potential, they’ll play to each other’s strengths and keep each other motivated. 

Tips for administering employee surveys

Once you have your questions prepped and ready to go, the final part of your strategy is to determine how and when to conduct your surveys. Here are some factors to consider:

Timing and frequency of surveys

• Determine the appropriate timing and frequency for surveys. It's not optimal to send them too often or not often enough. Find the sweet spot to keep the momentum going! We found bi-weekly surveys work well for most teams.
• Consider organizational changes or events that may impact employee responses. Factor this in when asking your questions and getting your feedback.
• Communicate survey schedules to employees in advance. Give them time to think and prepare and avoid springing it on them out of the blue.

Anonymity and confidentiality

• Ensure employee anonymity and confidentiality to encourage honest responses. Be sure to clearly communicate this to employees ahead of time.
• Use third-party survey tools if necessary to maintain anonymity. This way employees will know that their answers aren't going directly to your inbox without any layer of privacy.
• Communicate the measures taken to ensure confidentiality. Be transparent in the process to help build trust with employees and make them feel more comfortable being open with their responses.

Communication and transparency

• Communicate the purpose and importance of the survey to employees. Knowing the why behind the process can help them get onboard.
• Provide clear instructions on how to complete the survey. This can prevent you from missing out on valuable insights simply because the survey wasn't carried out properly.
• Update employees on survey progress and communicate the results. They'll appreciate knowing the positive impact their participation has on the broader team.

Encouraging participation

• Encourage employee participation through incentives or rewards. When there's something in it for them, there's something in it for you.
• Communicate the potential benefits of participating in the survey. This will give employees a greater sense of purpose in their participation.
• Provide reminders to employees to complete the survey. If it's not top of mind, it's at the bottom of the to-do list. Gentle reminders can do the trick.

Analyzing survey data

• Use appropriate software to analyze survey data. Once you have all the data, it would be a shame not to make the most of it. Great employee survey software can help you with this!
• Look for patterns and trends in the data. This is what's going to help you create meaningful change moving forward.
• Use employee survey results to make informed decisions and implement changes where necessary. This data is one of your greatest tools in creating positive change!

Create engaged employees

Uncovering helpful survey data starts with being inquisitive and open about the results you get from employee surveys. Officevibe's employee engagement software empowers managers to ask important engagement questions, review data, and take strategic actions to achieve their goals.

The data you collect from your employee engagement surveys is a treasure trove of insights into how you can improve the overall employee experience. Let Officevibe help you tap into your team’s full potential.

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Goal setting plays an important role in everything from employee engagement to team alignment to retention. Setting goals not only helps individuals and teams alike reach their full potential but also helps with employee motivation toward big picture, organizational goals.

All goals are fit for purpose. But what types of goals should be set in different contexts? From professional development goals to employee performance goals, we’ve outlined some of the best practices when it comes to goal setting.

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What are good professional development goals for employees?

You’ll need to work with a variety of individual goal types to ensure your employees can achieve their potential, including:

• Performance goals
• Personal development goals
• Collaboration goals
• Time management goals
• Innovation goals

Aligning employee performance objectives with organizational goals is crucial for creating a unified sense of purpose within a team and achieving long-term success for both the individuals and the organization.

Officevibe' goals and OKR tool enables employees to align and connect individual performance goals to organizational objectives, ensuring strong alignment across the company.

Performance goals

Employee performance goals are an essential component of any business plan. They are the short-term performance objectives that employees must achieve to meet specific business goals or job responsibilities. For instance, a sales representative might have a quarterly sales quota they need to hit, or a marketing manager may be tasked with landing a new client. These goals serve as a benchmark for performance evaluation and help employees focus on achieving measurable results.

{emphasize}Some examples of performance goals include increasing sales revenue by a certain percentage, reducing customer complaints by a specific number, or increasing the number of successful product launches within a set timeframe.{emphasize}

Personal development goals

Personal development goals are focused on growth and learning and contribute to business objectives in a more indirect way. They are geared toward helping employees acquire new skills, knowledge, and abilities that can be used to improve their performance and participate in the success of the organization.

{emphasize}For example, an employee may want to improve their communication skills by taking a public speaking course, or they may want to earn an advanced degree to improve their expertise in a particular field.{emphasize}

Personal development goals are often self-driven, and employees may seek guidance and support from their managers to achieve them. These goals are not always tied to specific performance metrics, but they can help employees develop a growth mindset, increase their job satisfaction, and enhance their value to the organization.

Team collaboration and relationship building goals

These goals focus on improving team dynamics, communication, and trust. By setting team collaboration and relationship building goals, managers can help team members work together more effectively, which can lead to improved productivity, higher job satisfaction, and a more positive work environment.

{emphasize}Examples of team collaboration and relationship building goals may include enhancing communication and trust among team members, improving group dynamics and teamwork, and fostering a positive and productive work environment.{emphasize}

Time management goals

Effective time management is crucial to achieving business goals and staying competitive. Setting time management goals can help employees prioritize tasks, allocate resources effectively, and streamline processes, which can lead to increased productivity and better results.

{emphasize}Time management goals may include prioritizing tasks and allocating resources effectively, streamlining processes to reduce wasted time, and ensuring tasks are completed within set deadlines.{emphasize}

Innovation and creativity goals

Innovation and creativity are essential to driving growth and staying ahead of the competition. Setting innovation and creativity goals can help employees develop new ideas, products, or processes that contribute to business success.

By fostering a culture of innovation and risk-taking, managers can encourage employees to take on new challenges and think outside the box.

{emphasize}Examples of innovation and creativity goals may include encouraging the development of new ideas or processes, fostering a culture of innovation and risk-taking, and staying ahead of the competition with cutting-edge products.{emphasize}

How to align employee performance goals with organizational objectives

Aligning employee performance goals with organizational objectives is critical to ensure both employees and the organization are heading in the same direction. Here are three ways to achieve this alignment:

• Clear communication and expectation-setting: Managers should communicate the organization's objectives, mission, and values to employees to align their individual goals with the bigger picture, boost motivation, and clarify expectations.
• Link individual goals to organizational objectives: Managers should break down organizational objectives into smaller, measurable tasks and assign them to employees as specific goals tied to organizational goals. By linking individual goals to broader objectives, employees see the direct impact of their work on the company's success, motivating them to perform better.
• Provide ongoing support and feedback: Managers should regularly review employee progress, offer guidance, and adjust goals as needed to keep them aligned with evolving organizational objectives. This will foster a sense of shared responsibility and commitment. Regular feedback will also help employees understand what they need to do to improve their performance.

{emphasize}Try our helpful ways to foster strong team alignment within your business and rally your teams around shared, motivating goals.{emphasize}

Goal-setting frameworks to help reach business objectives

SMART goal setting

SMART goal setting helps employees grow and develop professionally so they can better contribute to business objectives. The SMART acronym stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-based. These elements help create structure and clarity for employees to achieve their targets. Let's take a closer look at each element:

• Specific: For employees to hit their goals, they need to know precisely what they’re working toward. A vague goal is difficult to achieve, and without clear direction, employees may lose motivation. Instead, make sure your employees’ goals are specific and concrete.
• Measurable: Measuring progress keeps employees motivated and moving toward their goals. So, it’s important to set clear key performance indicators (KPIs) and have reliable benchmarks. The right software or tools can help you track and measure progress toward your measurable goals.
• Attainable: Goals should be aspirational but not so aspirational that they’re unrealistic. If employees feel their goals are impossible to achieve, they may become disheartened and unmotivated. Ensure your employees’ goals are achievable and aligned with their skills, experience, and resources.
• Relevant: Goals need to feel relevant to the business context and your team member’s professional aspirations. Align employees’ personal motivators with team goals by setting objectives that help them grow professionally while contributing to the organization’s overall success.
• Time-based: Setting a timeframe for achieving goals helps employees stay on track, break goals down into smaller action items, and tick off milestones along the way.

OKR goal setting

OKR stands for Objectives and Key Results. This goal-setting framework is designed to help organizations align their objectives with measurable results. Its primary use is to track performance at every level (organizational, departmental, team, and individual) while making sure the entire team is aligned on what performance means and how to get there.

Objectives are specific and measurable goals, while key results measure progress toward achieving them. OKRs break down large goals into smaller, manageable objectives, with key results that are easily trackable.

Clear understanding of an organization's mission and strategy is important, and goals should be set regularly, on a quarterly basis. The framework is useful for prioritizing results-oriented goals, aligning individual goals with the organization's strategy.

{emphasize}There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to goal-setting frameworks. However, by using one of them (or a combination) to set employee performance goals, your team is sure to hit their targets every time, while staying aligned with the organization’s objectives.{emphasize}

10 Empowering employee goal-setting examples

Find below realistic workplace scenarios to inspire you for your next goal-setting session. Each employee goal-setting example is outlined with how they meet the SMART goal criteria or the OKR framework standard, depending on the scenario.

Examples of employee performance goals

Objective: I will improve our website user experience by the end of the year.

• Key result 1: I will achieve a 15% increase in website traffic.
• Key result 2: I will reduce the bounce rate by 20%.
• Key result 3: I will increase MQLs coming from website forms by 30%.

Objective: I will develop our brand's social media strategy for the next quarter.

• Key result 1: I will post 4 social media posts per week.
• Key result 2: I will increase our follower base from 7,000 to 10,000.
• Key result 3: I will maintain our engagement rate of 3%.

Examples of personal development goals for employees

This week, I will reach out to one co-worker with a role I aspire to. From there, I’ll schedule a one-on-one meeting to learn more about their role within the company and how they contribute to the team and company’s success.

• Specific: The employee needs to reach out to a co-worker to discuss their role in the company.
• Measurable: They need to schedule a one-on-one meeting.
• Achievable: The employee only has to schedule a single meeting, which is very doable given the time frame.
• Relevant: The co-worker has a role the employee hopes to one day grow into, making the conversation relevant to their professional development.
• Time-based: The employee must reach out and schedule the meeting by the end of the week.

This quarter, I will schedule one hour every Friday afternoon to read a book on communication styles. When I read, I’ll take notes on how to be a more assertive communicator at work.

• Specific: The employee needs to read about and take notes on how to be a more assertive communicator at work.
• Measurable: They need to read and take notes at a certain time (and for a certain time period) each week.
• Achievable: Reading and taking notes one hour each week is a realistic goal, especially because the employee can tackle it during work hours.
• Relevant: Learning more about communication styles sets the employee up for success and fosters better communication with the team.
• Time-based: The employee will continue pursuing the goal for the entire quarter.

Examples of team collaboration and relationship-building goals

This month, I will participate in team-building activities like Lunch & Learn sessions and coffee chats with my team members. The more I foster bonds, the better the trust and work dynamics.

• Specific: The employee will participate in team-building moments this month.
• Measurable: They will attend at least one Lunch & Learn session and have coffee chats with two team members each week this month.
• Achievable: It only requires a few hours of the employee's time each week to participate in the team-building activities scheduled by the company.
• Relevant: Fostering bonds leads to a more productive and engaged team.
• Time-based: The employee will pursue this goal for the entire month.

Feedback helps me improve my own performance. To be added value for my peers, I will actively engage in open communication and provide constructive feedback to help them.

• Specific: The employee will engage in open communication and provide constructive feedback to their peers.
• Measurable: The employee will aim to provide at least one piece of constructive feedback per week to a team member.
• Achievable: They will take 15 minutes at the end of the week to write down and share feedback.
• Relevant: Providing feedback to colleagues fosters a culture of continuous improvement within the team and develops communication skills.
• Time-based: The employee will continue pursuing the goal on an ongoing basis.

Examples of time management goals

In order to prioritize my tasks and allocate time effectively, I will develop and follow a daily schedule to meet my deadlines better.

• Specific: The employee will develop and follow a daily schedule to meet deadlines.
• Measurable: They will track progress and assess whether they're completing tasks on time and meeting deadlines more consistently.
• Achievable: The employee will use tools such as digital calendars or time management apps.
• Relevant: Self-management is necessary for employee productivity and performance.
• Time-based: The employee will develop and follow a daily schedule for the next month to see how it impacts their ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines.

Ahead of my annual performance review, I'll identify and implement tactics to streamline workflows and reduce time spent on non-essential tasks so I can focus on achieving the goals set out for me.

• Specific: The employee will implement tactics to prioritize tasks and manage their time effectively to meet deadlines.
• Measurable: They will track their progress by ensuring they are able to complete all the tasks associated with achieving their goals.
• Achievable: Developing and following tactics is achievable as it allows the employee to break down tasks into smaller, manageable parts.
• Relevant: Prioritizing tasks and reducing time spent on non-essential tasks is crucial for personal and professional success.
• Time-based: The employee will implement this goal immediately and continue to use it as an ongoing strategy for managing their workload.

Examples of innovation and creativity goals

Staying in the know of new industry trends and best practices will inspire me in my own work, so I've planned on attending a training workshop and conference every month.

• Specific: The employee will attend one training workshop and conference each month to learn about new industry trends and best practices.
• Measurable: They will attend one training workshop and conference each month.
• Achievable: Attending one workshop and conference each month is feasible and can be planned for.
• Relevant: Staying up-to-date on new industry trends and best practices will provide inspiration and help improve work performance.
• Time-based: Attending one workshop and conference will be achieved each month.

At this upcoming quarterly performance review, I'll make sure to contribute at least one innovative idea or solution to improve some of our current products or processes.

• Specific: The employee will contribute at least one innovative idea or solution to improve some of the current products or processes.
• Measurable: They will contribute at least one innovative idea or solution at their quarterly performance review.
• Achievable: The employee can easily start their brainstorming process ahead of time and does not need to spend more than an hour developing their idea.
• Relevant: Brainstorming and sharing innovative ideas and solutions to improve products and processes can increase internal efficiency and productivity, and drive business growth.
• Time-based: The employee will have provided at least one innovative idea or solution at their quarterly performance review.

{emphasize}We know that defining meaningful goals for your employees can be a challenge, so we've outlined these 9 tips for setting employee goals to help you along the way.{emphasize}

How to set employee goals that drive results

Goal setting is an important process that helps employees stay motivated, focused, and productive. To set effective goals, consider our 3 simple steps:

Step 1: Schedule one-on-one meetings

Setting goals is something you can tackle with every member of your team in a one-on-one meeting. When you book your employees, let them know ahead of time that you want to set individual goals with them that align with the team goals. That way, they can arrive at the meeting prepared with some ideas for how they can develop, and where they most see themselves contributing.

Step 2: Use a goal-setting software like Officevibe to make it easier

Officevibe's performance management software not only allows you to work with individual employees to set goals but also enables you to set goals for your entire team, promoting transparency throughout the goal-setting process.

This transparent approach helps team members understand how their contributions align with the company's objectives, thereby enhancing employee engagement, motivation, and team alignment.

Step 3: Create SMART employee goals and OKRs

You can work with your team members to create SMART employee development goals and define appropriate OKRs that tie back to company objectives. Then, set smaller action items, monitor progress, and offer feedback in every one-on-one to ensure all goals are aligned with the bigger picture.

{emphasize}Officevibe keeps a clear record of how every employee achieved their goals, making your next performance reviews a breeze.{emphasize}

Best practices for supporting employee performance goals

Clear communication, regular feedback, goal assessment and review, and recognition are crucial to support employee performance goals.

It's the basis for a virtuous cycle, as improving employee performance not only leads to higher job satisfaction, engagement, motivation, and morale, but also contributes to an organization's overall productivity, efficiency, and bottom line.

Communication and transparency:

• Schedule weekly team meetings to discuss project updates and address any concerns. For example, use video conferences or chat platforms to keep remote team members connected.
• Encourage open-door policy, allowing employees to approach managers with questions or suggestions. For instance, set up regular office hours or virtual drop-in sessions.

Regular performance reviews and feedback:

• Conduct quarterly performance review meetings to assess progress and provide feedback. For example, use a structured evaluation form and discuss it face-to-face with the employee.
• Offer real-time feedback for significant accomplishments or areas of improvement. For instance, give praise or constructive criticism during meetings or via email.

Goal adjustment:

• Revisit employee goals during performance reviews to ensure they are still relevant and achievable. For example, modify goals in response to changes in job responsibilities or market conditions.
• Encourage employees to take ownership of their goals and make adjustments as needed. For instance, support them in identifying new opportunities or challenges that may require goal revision.

Recognition and reward for achievements:

• Implement an employee recognition program to celebrate outstanding performances. For example, encourage employees to recognize their peers when they are given a helpful hand or when a team member produces tremendous work.
• Offer tangible rewards for reaching significant milestones or achieving goals. For instance, provide career development opportunities or targeted mentorship programs.

Tools and techniques to track employee goal progress

Project management software

Project management software enables teams to organize, track, and collaborate on projects, ensuring timely completion within budget. It enables teams to set timelines, assign tasks, track progress, and manage resources effectively, making it crucial for achieving performance goals.

Project management software examples (you may already be using!) are Asana, Trello, and Monday.com, which provide features such as task assignment, deadline tracking, progress updates, and collaboration tools.

Goal tracking software

Goal tracking software are digital tools that help individuals and teams track progress toward specific goals. It is important for tracking progress because it enables employees and teams to set measurable goals and adjust their efforts as needed.

Officevibe's OKRs and goal planning tool is an example of goal tracking software that uses the OKR framework. It allows teams to set goals tied to measurable key performance indicators (KPIs), and track progress. Features such as progress tracking, goal alignment, and regular check-ins help employees stay on track and achieve their goals.

{emphasize}

Key takeaways

1. Aligning employee performance goals

One of the essential aspects of managing employee performance is to ensure that each team member's performance goals are aligned with the overall goals of the organization. When everyone is working toward the same goals, it creates a unified sense of purpose and direction for the team.

For instance, if the company's primary objective is to increase sales revenue, employee performance goals should be tailored to support this objective. This ensures that the team is working together in a coordinated and strategic way, leading to better outcomes for the business.

2. Fostering personal and professional development

Encouraging personal and professional development is crucial for ensuring long-term success for both individuals and the organization so they can grow together. Employees who are provided with opportunities to improve their skills, knowledge, and performance tend to be more engaged and productive. This, in turn, leads to increased innovation and career growth.

Investing in employee development can take many forms, such as offering training and development programs, providing mentoring or coaching, or giving employees the autonomy to work on projects that align with their career goals.

3. Enhancing employee motivation and engagement

Giving employees a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities is an essential aspect of enhancing motivation and engagement. When employees understand how their contributions impact the company's success, they are more likely to feel invested in their work.

Additionally, providing employees with opportunities to give feedback and suggestions can increase engagement and motivation, as it shows that their opinions are valued. This can be achieved through regular team meetings, surveys, or suggestion boxes, among other methods.{emphasize}

Individual and organizational success: The benefits of well-defined goals

Goal setting is crucial for the long-term success of an organization. It helps create a motivated and focused workforce by setting well-defined and aligned goals that contribute to both individual and organizational performance.

Ultimately, creating alignment throughout an organization is key to ensuring everyone is working toward the same objectives, and goal setting is an essential tool in achieving this alignment.

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One-on-one meetings keep you connected with your people and give you a pulse on the work your team is generating. But maintaining streamlined and efficient processes can be difficult, particularly when having crucial discussions with several direct reports on a weekly or monthly basis.

With an agenda for each meeting, you cover the right talking points, follow up on action items, and create continuity from one conversation to the next. It goes without saying, the right one-on-one meeting template will help make every conversation focused and productive.

Next time you have a one-on-one meeting with a team member, make use of our meeting agenda templates, which cover more than 15 different one-on-one scenarios. These are designed to help you and your team member gain a clear and shared understanding of the next steps to take.

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What is the purpose of a one-on-one meeting?

The practical purposes of one-on-one meetings include everything from getting status updates on employees’ priorities and deliverables to removing blockers and planning what’s coming up. But they can also be a moment to tackle difficult conversations, exchange feedback, discuss a direct report's career goals, and much more.

Having regular one-on-one meetings provides many benefits and helps managers:

• See the bigger picture
• Detect and prevent potential conflict
• Manage up with senior managers more effectively
• Acknowledge accomplishments
• Support employee career development
• Make conversations on performance management a positive experience

Ultimately, the purpose of one-on-one meetings is to maintain ongoing communication with each member of your team. Better one-on-one conversations with your direct reports can help drive employee engagement, career development, and team alignment. This can be done well with the right human touch, even if happening over video calls instead of in a conference room.

Having a one-on-one agenda helps you plan, think out discussion points in advance, and not miss any pressing issues, making one-on-one conversations flow. Coming to a meeting prepared shows your employees you care and builds trust and rapport.

What should you discuss in a one-on-one conversation?

During a one-on-one meeting, it is important to remember that the meeting is primarily for the employee's benefit, rather than the manager's. While managers may guide and contribute to topics discussed, the focus should be on the employee's goals and needs. These meetings can cover a wide range of topics, from task management to personal life and job satisfaction, and should be used to build rapport and achieve mutual goals.

Whether you’re following up on an action item you set in your last meeting, preparing for performance reviews, or giving constructive feedback to your direct reports, a clear plan and agenda can help to make the conversation more efficient. Plus, allowing the employee to contribute to the agenda can boost their engagement and participation in the meeting.

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A shared meeting agenda, where managers and employees can collaborate on talking points throughout the week, ensures everyone is on the same page before the meeting. A one-on-one software like Officevibe provides you with customizable meeting templates that help you do just that.

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Ultimately, however you choose to go about your one-on-ones, preparing ahead of time offers an opportunity for everyone to have a more productive and smooth conversation during their one-on-one meeting.

One-on-one meeting agenda templates

One-on-one meetings are how you stay connected with each direct report and build alignment across your team. No matter how the context changes week to week, having a meeting agenda template to structure the conversation helps you cover the most important topics, guides you through the meeting, and sets action items that lead to tangible outcomes.

Setting yourself up with a one-on-one meeting agenda template can save you a lot of time in the long run. The same idea applies to team meetings, too.

Classic one-on-one meeting template

When you meet regularly, as you should with one-on-ones, it may be challenging to know what to discuss. However, the great thing about weekly or bi-weekly meetings is how just a few questions can drive great conversations, based on the past week and week ahead, and help set top priorities. We’ve compiled these questions and created a classic one-on-one meeting template with talking points to bring up during your meeting, which is great for weekly, monthly, and even remote one-on-one meetings.

Regular one-on-ones are a time for leaders and their team members to have a meaningful touchpoint. This 30-minute, short version of “the classic” is designed for leaders short on time who want to discuss the most critical topics while taking a pulse and making sure their direct reports are on the right track.

1. Informal check-in (5 minutes)

This meeting might be a monthly or a more frequent touchpoint to talk about the day-to-day work. Start the conversation off with a warm tone. Especially when you’re working remotely, it’s important to check in and maintain connections with employees while also not derailing the agenda. Ask your direct report what they got up to over the weekend, or what they’re most looking forward to in the next month.

2. Recent work recap (10 minutes)

These segments are also referred to as status updates. Let your team members lead the discussion and aim to keep this part positive. Find opportunities to give words of recognition and express that you appreciate their hard work, as it's important that employees feel valued.

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Talking point prompts:

• Can you share a recent example of a work situation in which you thrived? What were the key components that led to your success?
• Describe a recent work situation where you felt you were at your best professionally.
• What skills or actions enabled you to obtain your goal?

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3. Upcoming work preparation (10 minutes)

Look ahead together and mitigate any risks or blockers to your team member’s success in their upcoming work. With the context of their recent accomplishments still top of mind, you can also give feedback that applies to what they’ll be working on next.

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Talking point prompts:

• As things stand, do you think the team will be able to achieve our goal? Why?
• In your opinion, is your workload reasonable? If it isn’t, can you suggest solutions that we could implement together to address the problem?
• What is your understanding of what is expected of you and your work in our current remote work context?

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4. Wrap-up and set action items (10 minutes)

Highlight the key takeaways of your discussion and set 2 or 3 action items together.

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Talking point prompts:

• What are the main points you got out of our conversation?
• Is there anything we haven’t covered that you’d like to discuss?

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⌛ Pro-tip: If you don’t have enough free time for weekly or bi-weekly one-on-ones in your schedule, a good practice is to schedule a meeting every month with each employee. Monthly one-on-ones help busy managers retain the good habit of having regular touchpoints while also providing a great opportunity to look back at how the past weeks have been. Use the long version of the classic template to structure and guide your monthly one-on-one meetings.

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Goal setting one-on-one meeting template

One-on-one meetings are an opportune time to set professional goals for career development. Both managers and direct reports know that individual professional goals are part of the success of the entire organization. The one-on-one "goal-setting" meeting template has questions to guide a conversation that will get every employee thinking about a goal they want to achieve. It's ideal for:

• Quarterly individual and team performance reviews
• OKR goal-setting meetings
• Career development touchpoints
• Role transition plans

1. Employee self-reflection (before your one-on-one meeting)

Have your direct report reflect ahead on their skill sets and strengths, and how they might leverage these in their work.

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Self-reflection prompts:

• What motivates you the most at work?
• What is one skill that is harder for you that you could work on?
• How would you like to use your strengths in the future?

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2. Setting individual employee goals (during your one-on-one meeting)

Aim to set 2 or 3 goals with your employee and balance performance goals with development goals. Beyond setting employee goals, be sure to discuss how your team member can achieve them, and what support they’ll need.

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Talking point prompts:

• What new knowledge would you need to obtain to achieve your goal more easily? How could you acquire it?
• Do you have sufficient resources (IT, human, budgetary, material or others) to pursue your goal?
• Do you need to have a clearer picture of how your individual goals allow us to attain our goals as a team or a company?

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3. Establish smaller action items (wrapping up your one-on-one meeting)

How can you and your employee make strides toward accomplishing these long-term goals? How can you equip them to succeed? Set a few smaller action items together, and add them as talking points in your next one-on-one meeting agenda.

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Officevibe's one-on-one software helps you follow up on every action item with meeting notes that carry over from week to week.

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Difficult conversation one-on-one meeting template

Not all one-on-one meetings are routine, where you set priorities, give constructive feedback, and celebrate wins. Sometimes, one-on-ones are called to address a specific team member’s actions or attitudes and should be handled differently.

Our one-on-one "difficult conversation" meeting template includes extra guidance on preparing for a difficult or sensitive conversation with an employee. It has talking points with a few tips to structure the conversation to ensure a well-rounded discussion and positive outcome. This one's best for conversations around:

• Poor or underperformance
• Disengagement
• Problematic behavior or attitude
• Conflicts between team members

1. Establish the objective (5 minutes)

Give visibility on what you’d like to discuss by setting talking points ahead, and start the difficult conversation with the employee by establishing a common objective. Do you want to give feedback, understand your team member’s perspectives, or plan a solution to a problem? State your intentions clearly and give the employee a chance to do the same.

2. State the issue and its implications (5 minutes)

Get straight to the point and focus on the facts when you’re having a one-on-one with a difficult employee. What is the issue, what is its impact, and what are the potential consequences? Whether you’re addressing problematic employee behavior or giving negative feedback, remember you can be both clear and compassionate at the same time.

Giving any kind of feedback to employees can be challenging, but it is a necessary part of being a manager. When delivered effectively, negative feedback can be constructive and help employees grow and improve their performance. However, if done poorly, it can have a demotivating effect on employees.

To provide constructive feedback without demotivating employees, it's important to be specific, use an encouraging tone, focus on behavior and not personality, and provide actionable steps for improvement. It is also important to give enough feedback so that direct reports have a clear understanding of the big picture.

3. Listen to what the employee has to say (10 minutes)

Allow time for your direct report to express themselves, ask a question, or share their plan for moving forward. You can ask open-ended questions to encourage them to share their perspective and reflect on the situation.

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One-on-one meeting questions to ask your employee:

• Why is it important to resolve this situation?
• What’s at stake if we don’t resolve it?
• How could you do things differently?

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4. Check in and set action items (10 minutes)

Especially when you’re addressing more sensitive issues, you want to take the time to check in and establish the next steps at the end of your conversation. Ask your employee how they’re feeling and what they’re taking from the discussion. Set your top priorities so you’re both clear on expectations as you advance.

Additional one-on-one meeting templates for different scenarios

Understanding the nuances between the different types of meeting agendas, it's clear to see how different scenarios call for different types of preparation. Here are additional examples of specific one-on-one meeting scenarios and their templates:

• First one-on-one meeting: This is a meeting between a manager and a new employee. This meeting is an opportunity for managers to get to know their direct reports, set expectations, and build rapport. The discussion may include topics such as the employee's background, work history, and goals, as well as their thoughts on the company's compensation philosophy, culture, and role within the team.
• Year-end retrospective: This meeting is an annual review typically held at the end of the year and is an opportunity to look back on an individual team member's or the team's achievements and challenges over the past 12 months. The discussion may include reviewing goals set at the beginning of the year, analyzing what went well and what didn't, and identifying opportunities for improvement in the future.
• Building trust with your team: Trust is a crucial element in any successful team, and this meeting focuses on strengthening that bond between a manager and their employees. The discussion may include ways to foster open communication, establish clear expectations, and create a culture of respect and accountability.
• Psychological safety discussion: This meeting is focused on creating a safe and inclusive workplace where employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas without fear of retribution. The discussion may include topics such as the importance of psychological safety, identifying potential barriers to it, and strategies for improving it within the team.
• Signs of stress discussion: This meeting is focused on recognizing and addressing signs of stress in the workplace. The discussion may include identifying common stressors, discussing the impact of stress on employee well-being and performance, addressing the past week's difficulties, and brainstorming strategies to mitigate stress and create a healthier work environment.
• Team spirit chat: This meeting is designed to assess and improve team culture and morale, and to foster positive and collaborative team dynamics. The discussion may include topics such as team-building activities, recognizing and celebrating team successes, identifying and addressing team challenges, and brainstorming ideas to improve team culture and cohesion.

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Officevibe has over 45 one-on-one meeting templates made by our experts to help. Use them to guide your next conversation to build confidence as a leader and better rapport with your employee.

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One-on-one meeting questions for managers and direct reports

One-on-one meetings are an essential tool for building relationships, developing career paths, fostering communication, and improving team culture. To make the most of these meetings, it's important to come prepared with relevant questions that help facilitate constructive discussions. Here are some questions managers and employees can ask each other during one-on-one meetings:

For managers:

• What can I do to better support you in your role?
• What are your career goals and how can I help you achieve them?
• How do you prefer to receive feedback?
• What projects are you most excited about right now?
• What challenges are you facing in your work, and how can we work together to overcome them?
• Is there anything you'd like me to do differently as your manager?
• What resources or support do you need to succeed in your job?
• Is there anything you'd like to see me do differently as a manager?

For employees:

• What are your expectations for me as your employee?
• How can we better align my role with my career goals?
• Where do you see my role evolving?
• What skills do you think I need to develop to advance in my role?
• When’s the best time to get feedback on [project name]?
• What do you think of my contribution to team meetings?
• How can I better support you?
• What do you think should be my priorities for the next quarter?

Such questions help all parties involved gain a better understanding of each other's perspectives, identify areas for mutual improvement, and build stronger relationships.

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For more inspiration, take a peek at our 50 useful one-on-one meeting questions. You won't run out of things to say!

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Empower and improve one-on-one meetings with Officevibe

Officevibe's one-on-one meeting tool helps you have better conversations with your employees. Whether it’s your first meeting with a new employee, or a goal-setting session for the upcoming quarter, having your own templates on hand will bring confidence to any meeting scenario.

The best managers come prepared and ready. Show up equipped for your next meeting — keep track of meeting outcomes with one-on-one agenda templates, wrap-up notes, and action item features, all of which are always accessible to managers and the direct reports involved. And remember: the same principles can apply to team meetings, too!

One-on-one meeting template FAQ

What is a one-on-one meeting template?

A one-on-one meeting template is a pre-designed outline or structure that managers can use to guide conversations during one-on-one meetings with their employees. The template usually includes a list of topics and questions that helps managers and team members stay focused and productive during the meeting.

How often should managers schedule one-on-one meetings?

Managers should schedule one-on-one meetings regularly, ideally every week or every two weeks. The frequency of the meetings may depend on factors such as team size, employee needs, and workload.

How do you schedule one-on-one meetings?

To schedule a one-on-one meeting, managers should send a calendar invite to the employee with the date, time, and location of the meeting. The invite should also include a brief description of the meeting's purpose and an agenda outlining the topics that will be discussed.

What should you include in your one-on-one meeting agenda?

A one-on-one meeting agenda should include various topics related to the employee's work, such as progress updates, goal setting, feedback, and concerns. It's important to include a mix of tactical and strategic items in the agenda to ensure that both short-term and long-term goals are being addressed.

Additionally, it's essential to leave room for open discussions and any topics that either party wishes to bring up during the meeting.

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What's in this article

• From first impressions to fostering feedback
• Want great feedback? Ask great questions
• Kick things off on the right foot

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Whether we’re shopping for a pair of shoes or looking for a new restaurant to try, chances are we’ll want to read some reviews and see what others have to say about the product or experience first. This kind of feedback can either do wonders for reputation, or point out issues where there’s room for improvement.

The same goes for employers. Why would someone want to work for your company? What are others saying about it? Do employees feel seen and heard? Are there opportunities for career growth? And the list goes on. When the employee experience is a positive one, you get retention, much like a store or restaurant gets repeat business and customer loyalty.

But staying engaged doesn’t happen on its own. It stems from a continuous communication loop, checking in, gathering feedback, and acting on it to ensure employees feel happy, valued, and motivated at work. From the moment an employee is onboarded, until the moment they leave the company, it’s important to collect valuable feedback at every step of their employment journey.

With only 32% of U.S. employees feeling engaged at work in 2022, it clearly shows a gap in communication and expectations between employees and their managers. If they don’t have the opportunity to express their needs and gripes, how can there be positive, effective change?

Granted, gathering employee feedback can be challenging as HR and managers of course want to implement best practices, but don't always know where to start. But once you find a strategy that includes the kind of questions to ask, the frequency at which to ask them, and what to do with the answers, you’ll be well on your way to having employees who feel more engaged. 

And this process should start at the very beginning of their employment journey, during the onboarding period. Read on to learn how to collect feedback, ask useful questions, create a more positive employee experience, and learn what to do with the feedback in order to improve the onboarding process!

From first impressions to fostering feedback

They say that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. That’s why the onboarding process really sets the tone for the kind of culture and environment an employee can expect to be a part of, especially since only 12% of employees say their company does a good job of onboarding, according to Gallup, meaning there are plenty of opportunities for improvement.

At the foundation, it starts with creating an environment that fosters feedback. This means:

1. Making feedback part of the routine

Gone are the days of annual performance reviews only. It's all about the monthly and weekly check-ins, as well as frequent informal conversations that make gathering feedback feel more natural. Incorporate systematic feedback tools to make this process even more well-rounded.

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💡Tip: In Softstart, you can automatically set-up weekly or monthly check-ins to collect feedback in 1-1, but also automate it by collecting feedback on each onboarding activity or with pre-built surveys. And... it's free!

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2. Leaving judgment at the door

If you want to receive meaningful feedback, you have to allow employees to feel comfortable giving it. Make it a safe space, free of judgment, and you'll build trust and get more honest feedback (trust us!)

3. Giving positive feedback for accomplishments

It's all about giving credit where credit is due. If someone is doing great work, tell them. Celebrate the little wins as well as the big, and your employees will feel more valued and motivated to do good work.

4. Having honest feedback sessions with your team

A great way to integrate new hires into the team and give them a feel for the kind of feedback culture your company has is to have group discussions. It not only normalizes manager-employee feedback and peer-to-peer feedback, but it also helps strengthen bonds within the team.

5. Giving feedback in real time and following-up one on one

Providing feedback in the moment is especially helpful for new hires. Any extra guidance while settling into their position helps set them on course for success. Following up lets managers build authentic connections with them (and everyone!) by showing your team that you value their feedback.

6. Being crystal clear about expectations and goals

Without a map, you’re bound to get lost. When people are clear on what they are supposed to be doing, they’re better equipped to do it well. This is especially true during onboarding to ensure that new hires are aligned and clear on their role as an individual, and on their team.

Want great feedback? Ask great questions

Want great feedback? Ask great questions

When it comes to asking for employee feedback, it’s best to try and gather qualitative feedback. More in-depth answers give employers better insights into what’s working well, and what’s not. This kind of feedback is crucial for fine-tuning the onboarding process and ensuring employees are happy in the long run. Open-ended questions are a great way to gather this kind of valuable feedback. Here are some examples that you can integrate into your onboarding strategy:

• Are you clear about your responsibilities and what’s expected of you in your new role?
• Is this role what you expected it to be within the company?
• Do you have all the tools and resources you need to perform your job successfully?
• Are people responsive when you ask for help?
• Did you easily get access to all documents and resources you needed?
• How are you feeling now about next week?
• What is the biggest challenge you’ve experienced so far?
• How can we support you in doing a great job?
• Which part of the onboarding process was most helpful for you?
• Which parts of the onboarding process do you think we can improve?

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💡Tip: If you want to get the most feedback and useful information, ask open-ended questions that will require a detailed answer. When it's possible, try to avoid the questions that could be answered by simply yes or no.

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Leveraging answers to questions like these serves to guide you in improving the onboarding process, making the employee experience even better, and highlighting any missed opportunities to get employees off on the right foot and stay aligned.

For example, if the employee shares that the role is different than they expected, then you know that you need to improve communication and clarify expectations during the onboarding process. If they say they need more support or different tools, it enables you to ensure all future (and current) employees are properly equipped with what they need to do their job the best they can.

In the end, alignment comes from having clear expectations and goals, so onboarding is the perfect time to introduce both personal and team goals that will provide newcomers with a clear path to follow.

Kick things off on the right foot

Workleap Onboarding can help you come out of the gate prepared for smooth onboarding, and help newcomers understand the company, experience the culture, train for their new role, find documents, install their tools, meet their teammates, and pretty much anything else that helps make the process easier. And it’s customizable to your company’s specific needs. Now we might be biased, but we think that’s worth a 5-star rating!

At Workleap, our mission is clear: to make every employee onboarding a success. We're also passionate about making these tools accessible to businesses of all sizes, ensuring that everyone can experience the benefits. We deeply understand the crucial role that a strong onboarding process plays in driving organizational success. Studies have shown that companies with strong onboarding experience an 82% increase in new hire retention and a remarkable 70% boost in productivity. That’s why we’ve made it even easier for you to join us on this exciting journey as we rethink the way you welcome and empower your new hires.

We're excited to announce a free version of Workleap Onboarding, where we offer you the ability to unlock the full potential of your employees through a world-class onboarding process entirely for free. Now, you can experience firsthand how Workleap can take your onboarding to the next level and help you harness the true capabilities of your team. Frictionless value, no trials, no credit card needed. Pure value, right from the start.

In this blog post, we'll explore the reasons behind this change, showcase the new features we've introduced, and highlight the compelling value that Workleap Onboarding brings to your organization.

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What's in this article

• Optimize Your Onboarding Process: Introducing Workleap Onboarding's New Starter Plan with 5 Free Onboardings
• Unleash the Power of Data: Introducing Pulse Surveys, Reports, and More
• Experience the Impact of Workleap Onboarding's AI Generators: Discover the Game-Changing Potential
• Unlocking the Value of Strong Onboarding: Boosting Retention by 82% and Productivity by 70%
• Foster Stronger Connections: Embrace a Human-Centric Approach to Onboarding with Workleap

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Optimize Your Onboarding Process: Introducing Workleap Onboarding's New Starter Plan with 5 Free Onboardings

We listened to your feedback and we understood that the previous 14-day trial was too short for you to fully evaluate Workleap Onboarding's benefits and set it up for success. That's why we're excited to introduce the Starter plan. With the Starter plan, you can now onboard five employees for free. Now, you have the perfect opportunity to witness the transformative power of our platform. After all, we all know the proof is in the pudding.

With our Free tier, you can now:

• Collaborate seamlessly with your team to streamline onboarding
• Automate repetitive onboarding tasks seamlessly and send notifications straight to Slack or Teams
• Scale up standardization, structure, and organization for efficient onboarding with templates
• Track and get real-time insights for proactive problem-solving
• Get up to five employees onboarded from start to finish completely free

Here's a breakdown of our plans and what's included in them.

Sign up for our Starter plan without any credit card requirement and unlock the power of five free onboarding plans. Experience the transformative impact on your organization's success at absolutely no cost. With the Starter plan, you gain access to a range of tools and insights to elevate your onboarding process. Our dedicated team is here to support you throughout the journey, ensuring a seamless and impactful onboarding experience for your organization.

Unleash the Power of Data: Introducing Pulse Surveys, Reports, and More

We're proud to introduce Pulse Surveys and Reports, powerful tools that automate feedback collection and provide actionable insights. For example, they can help you identify departments, locations, or managers with suboptimal onboarding experiences, and resolve recurring IT bottlenecks. Additionally, you'll stay well-informed about any new hires who may be falling behind.

With Pulse Surveys and Reports, you can effortlessly gather feedback and improve your onboarding process over time. Reports offer comprehensive analytics and visualizations for tracking progress and refining your strategy. They also help make presentations on program performance more visually appealing. Workleap Onboarding ensures a seamless and data-driven onboarding journey for all stakeholders.

Experience the Impact of Workleap Onboarding's AI Generators: Discover the Game-Changing Potential

Experience the efficiency and convenience of Workleap Onboarding's AI plan and template generators. Our advanced AI technology makes onboarding faster and easier than ever. You can generate personalized onboarding plans and templates with one click, eliminating manual tasks and providing immediate inspiration. Then you can turn those plans into templates with just a few more clicks. Streamline your process, save valuable time, and ensure consistency and effectiveness for new hires with Workleap Onboarding's AI-driven solutions.

Unlocking the Value of Strong Onboarding: Boosting Retention by 82% and Productivity by 70%

Investing in a robust onboarding process pays dividends. Studies have shown that companies with strong onboarding experience an 82% increase in new hire retention and a remarkable 70% boost in productivity. The value of a strong onboarding process also extends beyond retention and productivity, mind you. It goes hand in hand with building a stronger sense of belonging and connection within your organization. In today's fast-paced and digital world, employees crave authentic human connections and a sense of belonging to their workplace community.

Workleap Onboarding recognizes the importance of fostering a human-centric approach to onboarding. We believe that by infusing personalization, empathy, and genuine connection into the onboarding process, we can spark a deeper sense of belonging among new hires. Our platform facilitates meaningful interactions between new employees, their team members, and the broader organizational community.

By using Workleap, you can create an onboarding experience that goes past the paperwork and administrative tasks through to full immersion.

Foster Stronger Connections: Embrace a Human-Centric Approach to Onboarding with Workleap

You have the power to cultivate a welcoming and inclusive environment where new hires feel valued, supported, and connected from day one. Whether it's through pre-recorded personalized welcome videos from the team, virtual meet-and-greets, mentorship programs, or team-building activities, Workleap Onboarding helps you lay the foundation for lasting relationships and a positive work culture.

When employees feel a strong sense of belonging, they are more likely to be engaged, motivated, and committed to their roles. They become active participants in the company's mission and are driven to contribute their best work. Workleap Onboarding's emphasis on human connection sets the stage for increased collaboration, knowledge sharing, and innovation within your organization.

In addition to the proven benefits of increased retention and productivity, Workleap's focus on building a stronger sense of belonging adds a valuable dimension to your onboarding strategy. It's about creating an environment where employees not only thrive professionally but also feel a genuine connection and fulfillment in their workplace interactions.

With Workleap Onboarding, you can unlock the potential to create a meaningful onboarding experience that sparks a sense of belonging among your new hires. Invest in building a stronger, more human connection within your organization, and reap the rewards of a highly engaged and connected workforce. Experience the power of Onboarding and witness how it transforms onboarding into a catalyst for growth, collaboration, and belonging.

You can start using Workleap Onboarding's free plan without using a credit card. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to email us.

Performance management is like a GPS for managers and employees — a handy system that continually helps track employee progress, navigate roadblocks, and recalculate when necessary, swiftly leading to the destination of improved individual and company performance.

In the past, performance management was centered around an annual review that judged how well an employee performed that year and how many goals they met. This system is increasingly being phased out, as some argue it demotivates employees by focusing more on what they did last year than improving their current and future performance for the good of the organization.

Instead, managers are now complimenting this traditional method with performance management, which centers on learning through regular, informal conversations with employees about their performance. This dynamic approach has companies, teams, and employees reaping the benefits.

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What is performance management?

Briefly put, performance management is a year-round conversation between a manager and an employee about their job performance and how they can improve and continue to sharpen their skills.

This ongoing process aims to boost individual performance and productivity by setting clear goals, measuring progress, providing feedback, training, and coaching, tweaking areas of improvement, and recognizing achievements.

Done right, performance management creates and sustains improved employee (and consequently company) performance, fostering an environment in which both can thrive.

⚡Performance management is undergoing a major transformation. Read more about where the method is heading and how leaders can use it to boost employee engagement and bolster career development.

Why performance management is important?

Performance management is a leavening agent, helping organizations (and everyone in them) rise to their full potential by improving performance all-round. It drives success by setting expectations, ensuring team alignment, and providing structures for managing, tracking, and evaluating employee performance.

A successfully implemented performance management system cuts down on time-consuming micromanagement, providing a vital blueprint for measuring your employees’ performance and identifying areas where they can benefit from improvement and training. With an effective performance management program, managers can understand what their employees are doing and how and why they’re doing it. On the flip side, employees will know exactly what’s expected of them on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. They’ll also be aware of how their performance is assessed and what they need to achieve to move to the next level.

In addition to this, an effective performance management system leads to:

• Better goal alignment: Setting aligned team objectives is more than just informing employees about the organization’s bottom-line goals. It encompasses individual, team, and organizational objectives in a way that encourages employees to work both individually and collectively toward them.
• Increased employee engagement and productivity: Providing regular feedback and recognition can lead to more motivated, engaged, and productive employees. In fact, one Gallup study shows that engaged employees are 18% more productive than their disengaged counterparts and their companies are 23% more profitable, too. Simply put, engaged employees are more motivated and eager to come to work every day.
• Improved managerial leadership: Consistent feedback and guidance also offer you the opportunity to routinely boost your coaching and mentoring skills. Plus, it helps develop employees’ skill sets, molding them into the company’s next generation of leaders and creating a circular system of knowledge-sharing within the business.
• Better talent retention: Employees who have frequent performance meetings and training sessions with their managers are statistically more likely to stay with a company (as in the case of Adobe, which managed to cut its involuntary turnover by up to 30% through its frequent check-in program).One of the main reasons for higher retention rates is down to incentivization; if employees know you’re working hard to develop them professionally, help them reach their goals, and reward their good performance, they’re more likely to stay with the company.
• Improved organizational performance: Helping your employees learn, develop, and perform better has a positive knock-on effect on a company’s performance, increasing revenue growth and improving customer satisfaction. Consistent monitoring of performance and skill sets can also unearth potential performance gaps within an organization, which can be addressed to strengthen its competitive edge and improve its performance.

The performance management cycle

Managing employee performance is a constantly evolving process, changing with the needs and requirements of employees, the organizations they work for, and the customers they serve. In this way, performance management can be seen as a continuous process of developing, monitoring, measuring, and evaluating performance, constantly working to align the success of employees with that of the organization.

The performance management cycle typically involves six key stages:

1. Planning

Performance planning helps set and manage expectations. The most effective ones include timelines and goals that are well-defined, measurable, attainable, and relevant — helping employees understand what needs to be done, why it needs to be done, by when, and the level of effort required. For better alignment, you could involve your employees in the creation of their own performance plan by discussing with them their responsibilities, performance standards, and developmental objectives. This helps employees visualize their path forward and allows senior management to identify training opportunities.

2. Monitoring

Monitoring and measuring an employee’s progress using key performance indicators (KPIs) is important to understanding whether or not they’re on the right track. Frequent check-ins, evaluations, and continuous feedback will help channel their efforts toward achieving company objectives and will alert you to any interventions that should be made before they become larger issues.

Helping teams set short- and long-term goals is a key part of improving employee engagement, boosting team performance, and empowering your employees to reach their full potential. With an Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) framework, you can help drive accountability and continuous alignment throughout your organization.

3. Developing

This stage involves working with employees to develop plans and strategies to address areas of improvement. Whether it’s by providing training and development opportunities, coaching, or mentoring, development is a key step in helping your employees and your organization achieve new levels of success.

Tip: If you’re wondering how you’ll have the time to structure and execute formal professional development sessions, rest assured they’re not always necessary. Instead, you can picture employee development as an ongoing process of checking in on people's morale and identifying any challenges they’re struggling with. From there, you can help guide or redirect them to get them moving in a positive direction.

4. Rating

There are various ways of rating an employee's performance. You can go for a more structured approach, basing your review on the KPIs and other measures laid out in your performance plan. For this, you might assign a score of 1-5 or use a performance appraisal form to document an employee’s strengths, areas of improvement, and development goals.

Alternatively, you can tackle it collaboratively, breaking each goal up and inviting your employees to describe how well they feel they did. This two-way approach can help build a greater sense of trust and mutual understanding between you and your employees.

5. Rewarding

Providing individual team members with recognition, bonuses, and promotions for a job well done doesn’t just fill them the boots with pride, it also incentivizes them to perform better. According to Deloitte, employee recognition programs experience a 14% improvement in employee engagement compared to those without these programs, leading to a 2% increase in profit margins and higher employee satisfaction.

You don’t need to wait till Christmas to reward employees. Pepper your people with praise and support throughout the year by trying different ways to increase recognition in your workplace.

6. Renewing

This final phase of the performance management cycle involves taking the insights gained in each stage and using them to continuously refine performance measures, revise goals and objectives, and update processes and procedures to ensure their ultimate effectiveness.

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Best practices for solid performance management systems

Given that only one in five employees perceive their company to manage performance in a way that motivates them to do their best work, it’s clear that the whole performance management process is due for a revamp. Of course, different models will work for different organizations, but we’ve identified seven best practices that you can start implementing today to create solid, effective, fair, and robust performance management systems.

1. Set SMART goals and track results

Setting performance goals is easily one of the most crucial elements of an effective performance management strategy. They provide clarity and accountability, ensuring everyone’s on the same page about what’s expected from them.

But having goals without tracking the progress made toward them blunts their effect. That’s because monitoring results helps you accurately assess whether your employees are meeting the performance expectations set out in their goals. They also help identify any roadblocks or issues that may be impeding progress, enabling tweaks to be made as needed.

To maximize the meaningful impact of your goals, it’s a good idea to follow tried and true goal-setting guidelines like the SMART method, which prescribes that your aims be:

• Specific: Clearly defined goals, roles, and expectations provide employees with a springboard to success. Knowing what your priorities are (whether it’s employee retention, engagement, or otherwise) makes goal-setting a million times easier. It also makes employees aware of exactly what’s expected from them.
• Measurable: To remain fair and free from implicit bias, you can use objective measures like KPIs to evaluate performance rather than relying on subjective opinions that may not be fully informed.
• Attainable: It’s great when employees reach for the stars, but starting out with realistically achievable targets forms a solid foundation for success. It also helps prevent burnout, as employees' boundaries are working within what is accessible to them at that time.
• Relevant: Market conditions can change rapidly, so regularly revisiting goals to ensure the company's aims are in line with the rest of the industry is essential. It's also a good idea to frequently reassess your company's and employees' priorities to ensure they too are aligned.
• Time-based: Breaking larger goals into achievable sub-targets is like setting up road signs on the path to your goals: it helps keep employees on track and manages expectations about what needs to be achieved and by when.

But just because you’re setting goals doesn’t mean they’re set in stone. Managers know that, in business, challenges crop up and priorities change. That’s why it’s important for goals to remain adaptable. Targets that help individuals and organizations to stay focused on what is most important while being flexible enough to respond to the unexpected, foster individual and organizational resiliency and learning.

Never underestimate the power of impactful goals. Concentrate on simplifying the foundations of solid goal-setting with our comprehensive guide.

2. Meet with employees on a regular basis

According to Officevibe data, 70% of employees surveyed say they’d like to touch base more regularly with their managers. That’s because a continuous performance management process that includes frequent one-on-one meetings is very effective. They can give insight into an employee’s performance and help spot collaboration bottlenecks and goal misalignments.

Providing continuous, real-time feedback in this way can help employees solve issues before they become problems. Who doesn’t want that?

Tip: Officevibe’s one-on-one software helps you touch base with your team more frequently and efficiently with its intuitive and easy-to-use meeting tools and templates.

3. Promote transparent, two-way communication

Meeting often is great, but it’s about as useful as mitts on a snake if you and your employee aren’t communicating well. Transparent, two-way dialogues with employees not only make them feel happy and heard but also helps foster trust, engagement, and knowledge sharing.

To improve communication at work, managers can set up regular meetings with their employees and teams, encouraging everyone to express their thoughts and ideas in a safe, judgment-free space.

Of course, this is easier said than done. That’s why it’s a good idea to employ the help of anonymous feedback tools that can help facilitate honest discussions and establish a vital sense of psychological safety.

4. Make sure feedback is meaningful

Continuous, meaningful, and constructive feedback helps employees align their goals and expectations, learn, self-correct, and grow. That’s because timely feedback that’s development-focused and grounded in truth encourages employees to be more receptive to comments and suggestions. It also makes them more likely to try new approaches, fostering a more profound culture of learning and inspiring greater innovation.

That said, giving good feedback is just as important as receiving it. Listening to employees’ feedback and concerns could highlight blind spots or areas of improvement that you weren’t aware of — and addressing these issues promptly will deepen trust and respect within your team.

You could also involve teammates in the feedback process, encouraging them to provide one another with constructive comments. This will help you gain a more holistic view of your employees’ performance and understand their pain points, leading to even more meaningful feedback.

Providing constructive feedback is the cornerstone of strong leadership. Learn how to give feedback like a pro to drive employee performance and engagement.

5. Offer employee development opportunities

Mentoring employees and providing them with training and skill-building opportunities makes them feel like their company is invested in their success, which can strengthen their engagement and reduce employee turnover. In fact, so important is supporting employee growth that one study found that nearly one-third of tech workers said self-improvement through employee development or tuition reimbursement was their most-valued job characteristic.

To get started, you can set up a one-on-one meeting with your employees to chat about their individual goals and how their skills can be developed so they can reach their full potential. You can also discuss setting up a skills development plan that includes being challenged in a more senior role or expanding growth and knowledge through a lateral move to another team or department.

Professional development and career growth are instrumental in retaining your top talent around. Have the career development talk with your team members with the help of this tried and true template.

6. Focus on employee recognition

Praise, whether it’s in the form of a public announcement, a quick email, or a thumbs-up next to the office coffee machine, is worth its weight in gold. That’s because rewarding good performance motivates employees to keep it up and stick around. It also contributes to building a culture of recognition within a company.

But when it comes to cultivating recognition, the buck shouldn’t stop with managers. Encouraging colleagues to chime in with uplifting words for their teammates builds a sense of support and appreciation. And employees needn’t just be praised for their successes either; recognizing their effort (even if they don’t meet their targets) could help take the edge off their disappointment and spur them to try even harder.

💌 Highlight strong efforts and make peer-to-peer recognition easy with simple and fun tools like Good Vibes.

7. Use a performance management software

Enhancing performance management programs with the right technology can help facilitate feedback, plan meetings, track a team’s progress, identify areas of improvement, and maintain alignment — all in one place. This streamlines the performance management processes, positively affecting managers, employees, and organizations.

In fact, in a study conducted by McKinsey, 65% of respondents claimed their company’s adoption of software that supports performance management has had a positive impact on both employee and company performance.

A performance management system that drives business results

At the end of the day, performance management isn’t merely a tool for managing performance; it’s a fundamental process in a company. It enables managers to transform strategies into clear priorities and guides employees in where to focus their time and energy, ultimately improving organizational performance.

But beyond bettering a business’s bottom line, a solid performance management system is agile and adaptable and uses effective employee development software tools and methods that focus on people. It also ensures that employees understand their roles, receive constructive feedback, and have access to the support they need to do their best work.

In short, performance management is what gets employees rowing in the same direction to the best of their individual abilities, nurturing the environment of support, motivation, and inspiration that both people and businesses need to flourish.

Performance management and employee engagement are two critical aspects of the workplace that are also closely connected. While performance management focuses on setting and achieving goals and targets, employee engagement is about creating a positive and fulfilling work environment.

The best way to understand the relationship between the two is to consider that performance management and employee engagement activities have a symbiotic relationship — and a manager’s job is to ensure both feed into the other for the better.

Read on as we explore the link between performance management and employee engagement, providing you with actionable tips and tricks to boost engagement through performance management best practices.

What is performance management?

Performance management is a structured process that helps managers and employees set and achieve goals and targets together.

When done well, the benefits of performance management are vast and include better team alignment, increased task and goal completion, and stronger relationships and trust. The pros not only influence individual performance, but have a ripple effect on the success of the business as a whole, ultimately helping a company improve their bottom line. 

The performance management process typically involves 4 stages:

Stage 1: Goal setting 

It’s important to use a goal-setting framework such as objectives and key results (OKRs) or SMART goals, when defining goals with employees. There are many out there, so use the one that best meets your needs.

⭐️ Take it to the next level! While it’s a manager’s job to guide and oversee performance management, always encourage employees to suggest and create their own goals that align with company objectives as a way to encourage participation in the process and help them feel empowered in their own performance.

Stage 2: Performance feedback

Make sure to provide feedback constructively and regularly, focusing on specific behaviors and outcomes rather than personal characteristics. Feedback goes both ways, so asking employees for their perspectives on performance and solutions can be enlightening!

Stage 3: Performance evaluation

Use objective criteria and data to evaluate performance, and remember that evaluations are best used as a basis for career development discussions, rather than solely for the purpose of salary and promotions.

Stage 4: Performance improvement

Provide additional resources and support for improvement, especially if employees look to level-up. The performance journey is an ongoing and agile cycle, so monitoring progress, providing support, and adjusting plans as needed should be done on a continual basis.

The connection between performance management and employee engagement

There is an undeniable link between performance management and employee engagement. Engaged employees are likely to perform at a higher level, achieve their goals, and do so with less stress. This inverse is also true; effective performance management practices help improve engagement and keep the virtuous cycle going.

What does effective performance management look like?

• Giving regular performance feedback to employees based on their progress towards their goals, which also helps create a sense of purpose and direction.
• Encouraging employee participation in the goal-setting process, ensuring that they have a sense of ownership over their work.
• Providing opportunities for growth and development, such as training and mentoring, to help employees feel valued and invested in their work.

Why is engagement critical for high performance?

Engaged employees are critical for high performance: they are more productive, better collaborators, and likely to stay with the company longer. In contrast, disengaged employees can lead to decreased productivity, lower morale, and higher turnover rates. Hence why focusing on employee engagement is non-negotiable to achieve high performance.

✊🏼 Enlist employee commitment from the whole team. Look out for these 5 key traits of high-performing teams and make them your north star.

Improving engagement through effective performance management

To improve employee engagement through performance management best practices, we’ve got helpful tips any manager can apply to their day-to-day.

Before we dive into things, it's important to understand the bigger picture of employee engagement. Read about the 10 key factors of employee engagement and how they can help you raise the baseline.

Schedule regular meetings and performance reviews

Regular, one-on-one meetings and performance reviews provide employees with feedback on their progress, offer opportunities for improvement, and help managers identify any roadblocks. You can use these opportunities to recognize and celebrate employee achievements, offer constructive feedback, and set clear goals and expectations. Make sure to create the perfect one-on-one formula for less formal touch-bases, and have a thoughtful performance review structure to get the most out of these meetings.

Scrap the conventional and discover how business leaders are changing the game of performance reviews by leaving behind traditional performance reviews and other archaic processes.

Set clear goals and expectations

When employees understand what is expected of them, they are more likely to feel motivated and engaged. Managers can ensure clear communication by setting goals and communicating expectations clearly — adjusting along the course.

Make goals sweet and to the point with these 9 employee goal setting tips for every manager.

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Give feedback, often

Feedback helps employees understand where they stand, what they are doing well, and what they need to improve. You can and should provide feedback regularly, offering both positive and constructive feedback that is actionable and specific.

Deliver feedback in an empathetic and motivating way with these 22 constructive feedback examples and tips for managers.

Recognize achievements and efforts

Everyone needs to feel valued and seen. When employees feel appreciated, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated. You can recognize employee achievements through simple gestures like private thank-you notes and company shout-outs.

Modern employees want to be appreciated and valued. Move towards a culture of recognition with these 8 tips to increase recognition in your workplace.

Nurture employee development

Nobody looks to stay stagnant in their career, and employee development provides employees with opportunities to grow and develop their skills, and feel proud in their own progression. You can support employee development by providing key development goals as well as relevant training, mentoring, coaching, shadowing and other opportunities for growth.

Kickstart the conversation in your next one-on-one using our career development talk template.

Set and track performance metrics (OKRs)

Performance metrics like OKRs are an excellent way to measure progress and ensure alignment. Managers can use performance metrics to set clear goals, measure progress, and provide employees with feedback on their performance.

You really don’t have to start from scratch. Try using our goals and OKR tool to make your life easier and personalize your plans so they contribute to both employee performance and your organization’s growth.

Using performance management to improve employee engagement in different scenarios

Different scenarios at work require a different performance management approach. Here are best practices and examples of what to say for the 4 most common scenarios you might find yourself in as a manager.

Scenario #1: New hires

Provide clear onboarding and training, set achievable goals, and regularly check in to give timely feedback and support. This will help new hires feel welcomed and valued, and set them up for success.

Welcome to the team! We’re excited to have you on board. To make sure you have a smooth transition, we've set up an onboarding plan for you, which includes training sessions, shadowing opportunities, and regular check-ins with your supervisor. We'll also set achievable goals for you to work towards in your first few weeks. Don't hesitate to ask any questions or reach out for support.

Scenario #2: Underperforming employees

Use performance management to identify the root causes of poor performance, provide feedback, and create development plans to help the employee improve. By doing so, you can show that you care about the employee's growth and development, and help them become a more productive member of the team.

I've noticed that you've been struggling to meet the expectations we've set for your role. Let's have a chat about what might be causing this and how we can support you. I'll make sure to provide feedback on specific areas to focus on, and we can work together to create a development plan that outlines clear steps to help you achieve your goals. Regular check-ins will help us track your progress and make any necessary adjustments, so I’ll make sure we have those scheduled too.

Scenario #3: High-performing employees 

Provide employees with opportunities for growth and development, recognize and reward their contributions, and seek their feedback on how to improve the performance management process. This will help keep high-performers engaged and motivated, and set them up for continued success.

You've been doing an excellent job, and I wanted to take a moment to recognize and thank you for your hard work. I'm committed to supporting your continued growth and development in this role, so I would like your feedback on how we can improve the performance management process. I'll also provide opportunities for you to take on new challenges and responsibilities that align with your career goals.

Scenario #4: Remote employees 

Use video conferencing and collaboration tools to facilitate regular check-ins and feedback, provide clear goals and expectations, and create opportunities for virtual team-building and recognition. By doing so, you can help remote employees feel engaged and connected, despite being physically distant.

Since we're working remotely, I want to make sure we're still able to communicate effectively and that you feel supported. We'll use video conferencing and collaboration tools to check in regularly and provide feedback. I'll set clear goals and expectations for you to work towards, and we'll create opportunities for virtual team-building and recognition. Let me know if you have any suggestions on how we can improve our communication and collaboration as a remote team.

Performance management and employee engagement are key to success

Employee performance management and engagement are not only important for the success of individual employees, but also for the overall success of a company. And as a manager, you can feel empowered knowing you play a big role in boosting productivity, reducing turnover, and improving collaboration by prioritizing employee engagement in your performance management process.

By focusing on engagement, you can help your employees thrive and achieve their full potential, which can enhance overall team performance and contribute to better business outcomes.

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What's in this article

• Anatomy of a great job posting (to help you stand out from the crowd)
• Taking your job postings to the next level with ChatGPT
• Putting your best foot forward in recruitment with ChatGPT

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You were hired as an HR manager but it turns out you spend your days as a job posting copywriter. Sound familiar? Well, we’ve got good news for you. You can now focus on the important stuff and delegate the rest… to an AI sidekick.

Indeed, ChatGPT has been making waves in the tech world, with its ability to write and complete tasks with the help of AI. And we’re here to tell you it’ll rock your recruiter socks off too.

ChatGPT is a natural language processing tool (or artificial-intelligence chatbot) developed by OpenAI. With the help of prompts, it can help users by answering questions and assisting with writing tasks like composing emails, essays, and code, or editing.

With over 13 million users per day in just a few months—and a massive deal with Microsoft as it will soon be deployed across the entire Office 365 suite—ChatGPT is changing the game from search to email marketing to programming (and even writing your master's thesis).

But, more importantly, the AI-powered conversational agent on everyone's lips can help accelerate and enhance your recruitment content activities. 

This article will be your playbook to crafting job postings that catch the attention of the MVPs in your industry. We'll cover everything from the fundamentals of job postings to getting the most out of ChatGPT's unique skill set. Whether you're a seasoned recruiter or a rookie HR manager, we're here to help you knock it out of the park. In fact, we actually created a tool that writes your job postings automagically (you should try it!).

Get ready to hit a homerun in the job market with the help of ChatGPT!

Anatomy of a great job posting (to help you stand out from the crowd)

Before we dive into the power of ChatGPT, let's talk about the anatomy of a great job posting. 

A great job posting is clear, engaging, and informative. It should tell potential candidates exactly what they can expect from the role and what the company is looking for in a candidate. It should also be written in a way that is easy to read and understand.

To create a great job posting, you should include the following key sections:

Job Title: Make sure the job title is clear and concise to target more qualified leads. Use industry-standard terms to make it easy for prospects to find your posting—but avoid empty jargon!

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If you're posting for a software developer, make sure to use terms like "full-stack developer" or "backend developer" in the job title. Avoid using vague or generic titles like "tech guru" or "coding wizard".

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Company Description: Give a brief overview of your company and its culture. This will help your potential candidates determine if they would be a good fit for your company.

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If you're a tech startup with a laid-back, creative culture, highlight that in your company description. For example, you could say: 

We're a fast-paced startup that values creativity and innovation. Our team is made up of passionate individuals who love to push the boundaries of what's possible.

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Job Description: Clearly outline the responsibilities and duties of the position. Nobody likes bulky paragraphs, so use bullet points to make it easy to read.

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If you're looking for a front-end developer, clearly outline the responsibilities and duties of the position. For example:

Responsibilities include:

• Designing and implementing user interfaces
• Testing and debugging code
• Collaborating with other developers and designers

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Qualifications: List the required (musts) and preferred (nice to have) qualifications for the position. Be specific and include both hard and soft skills.

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For example (for a data analyst position), this could be: 

Required qualifications: 

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field
• Experience with SQL and data analysis tools

Preferred qualifications: 

• Experience with machine learning and data visualization
• Strong problem-solving skills

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Benefits and Perks: Highlight any benefits or perks that come with the job. This can include things like health insurance, paid time off, or flexible work arrangements—things that might be attractive to your ideal candidates complementary to a competitive salary). 

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For example:

We offer a flexible work schedule that allows employees to work from home or choose their own hours. We also offer competitive salaries, health insurance, and a 401k matching program.

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Taking your job postings to the next level with ChatGPT

Now that we’ve covered the key components of a great job posting, let's talk about how to leverage ChatGPT’s genius. The key to getting the most out of ChatGPT is to master the art of the prompt. This means understanding how to ask ChatGPT the right questions and how to guide it in the right direction.

The art of prompt

You might be asking yourself: What’s a ChatGPT prompt? A prompt is like a genie in a bottle for ChatGPT. It's the magic words you use to get it to do what you want. 

A good prompt is clear, concise, and directs ChatGPT towards the information you need. It guides the AI language model to produce text that matches a particular purpose or tone. The quality of your prompt impacts the output generated by ChatGP —if your prompt is unclear, it might take a few tries before ChatGPT gets it right. 

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☝️Check out research tutorials, articles, and LinkedIn posts on how to prompt it properly and get better results. A cool kid to follow for that is Sam Szuchan.

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Also called prompt engineering—learning how to ask chatbots the right questions, and guide them the right way, is going to be one of the most important skills we all need in the future. We'll need to learn what they're good at, what they're bad at, and how we can ask them questions that bring out the information that helps us the most.

When it comes to job postings, this means honing your prompts to make sure ChatGPT understands what you're looking for. It's important to keep in mind that ChatGPT isn't a mind-reader (yet), so you'll need to be clear and concise in your prompts. 

A few pro tips to help you get started:

• Use simple, straightforward language. ChatGPT isn't a human, so it won't understand complex jargon or buzzwords. Stick to plain English and avoid unnecessary fluff.

• Be specific about what you're looking for. If you want a software developer who knows Python, for example, be sure to include those keywords in your prompt.

• Provide context for ChatGPT. If you're writing a job posting for a specific company, give ChatGPT some background information about the company and its culture, including website links. This will help it generate a posting that feels authentic to your brand tone.

With these tips in mind, you'll be well on your way to creating job postings that stand out from the crowd.

ChatGPT learns as you go

Machines—they’re just like us! Well, sorta.

ChatGPT uses machine learning algorithms that allow it to learn and improve as it interacts with you. This means the more you provide feedback on its responses, the better it will become at understanding and responding to your prompts in the future. Over time, ChatGPT will become more accurate and efficient, making it an increasingly powerful tool for generating bang-on content!

One strategy for getting the most out of ChatGPT is to role-play (the SFW kind). For example, you could pretend that ChatGPT is an HR manager and ask it questions as if you were in an interview. This will help you get better responses and more accurate job descriptions—and the conversational back-and-forth allows the AI model to pick up on what you like and don’t like out of its answers at the same time.

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TL:DR ChatGPT Do’s & Don’ts

Do's:

• Use simple and easy to understand language
• Be specific about what you're looking for
• Provide context about the company and its culture (links are great!)
• Research tutorials, articles, and LinkedIn posts on how to prompt ChatGPT properly
• Role-play with ChatGPT and pretend that it is an HR manager to get better responses
• Keep your prompts clear and concise

Don'ts:

• Use complex jargon or buzzwords that ChatGPT may not understand
• Rely too heavily on ChatGPT without adding your own expertise and perspective to the job posting
• Be too vague about what you're looking for in a candidate
• Assume that ChatGPT knows everything about your company and culture without providing any background information
• Overlook the importance of A/B testing and forgetting to measure the success of your job postings

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From bland to bold: injecting life into your job postings

ChatGPT is a mighty tool in your hiring arsenal, but just like a cookbook can't make a memorable dish on its own, it can't replace human creativity either. If you want to create something that stands out in a crowded marketplace, you need to put your own unique spin on it.

Injecting your company's culture and values into your job postings is one way to make them truly stand out. Just like a master chef adds secret ingredients to make their signature dish, you should add your unique blend of spices to your job posting recipe. Are you a fun-loving startup with a relaxed atmosphere? Make sure your job posting reflects that! Are you a more formal, buttoned-up company? Use language that reflects that culture.

Another way to add a secret ingredient is by using specific keywords or mantras that describe your company's unique approach to work. If your company values collaboration and teamwork, use language that emphasizes those qualities. If you're a tech company, don't forget to add some coding puns to make the posting fun and entertaining.

At the end of the day, you want your job posting to be like a handshake, a reflection of your company's personality and values — memorable, unique and confident! By infusing your job postings with your company's personality and values, you'll attract the right candidates who are a good fit for your culture. So grab your keyboard and start creating your masterpiece!

Metrics that matter: evaluating the effectiveness of your job postings

As with any marketing or advertising effort, it's important to track your results and measure your success. Here are a few metrics to keep an eye on when it comes to job postings:

• Number of applicants: This is the most obvious metric to track. Are your job postings attracting a lot of applicants, or are you struggling to find the right candidates?

• Quality of applicants: It's not just about quantity—you also want to attract high-quality candidates who are a good fit for your company. Look at factors like education, experience, and skills to evaluate the quality of your applicants.

• Time to hire: How long does it take for you to fill a position after posting it? A longer time to hire could indicate that your job postings are not effective (or that your hiring process needs improvement—but that’s for another article.) 

• Cost per hire: Calculate the cost of each hire, including job board fees, recruiter fees, and other expenses. This can help you evaluate the cost-effectiveness of your job postings and identify areas where you can cut costs.

• Retention rate: Once you hire someone, how long do they stay with your company? A high retention rate indicates that you are hiring the right people and creating a positive work environment. And the cost of replacing an employee is around 9 months worth of their salary—so you want to avoid that happening as much as possible! 

By tracking these metrics, you can gain insight into the effectiveness of your job postings and make adjustments as needed. Use this data to refine your job posting strategy, improve your prompts and maximize your recruitment efforts over time!

Putting your best foot forward in recruitment with ChatGPT

In today's cutthroat job market, you can't just throw a job listing into the void and hope for the best. Well—you can if you want to, but it won’t yield much results.

To stand out, you need a message that speaks directly to your dream candidate and shows off your company's unique style and values. By following the tips in this article and keeping an eagle eye on your results, you'll craft job postings with the help of ChatGPT that snap up the best and brightest talent and build a powerhouse team for your organization.

A positive employee experience (EX) is the beating heart of business performance. Successful companies need dedicated, productive employees to ensure better business outcomes. And those employees need their leaders to value their efforts and nurture a constructive work environment.

If you're not sure where your company stands, take a moment to reflect. Do your employees feel valued, supported, and motivated to do their best work? Or are they just going through the motions, counting down the hours until they can clock out?

As an HR leader, you know the former is worth its weight in gold. But it can sometimes be difficult to make your case for EX resources when other leaders don't fully understand why employee experience matters.

That's where we come in as your trusted sidekick. We put together a list of the top eight reasons why companies should place more importance on employee experience and how to reach the EX pinnacle.

What is employee experience?

We're witnessing big shifts in the labor market and global economic landscape this year. With this, top talent in various fields realize they have more freedom than they thought regarding job choice. To attract and retain employees, managers and team leaders play a critical role in prioritizing employee experience.

So, what exactly is employee experience? Put simply, employee experience encompasses every interaction a person has with their organization at every stage of their employee lifecycle. From the initial hiring process to their exit interview, an employee's experience shapes their perception of your company and may reflect the current condition of your work environment.

Several factors make a great employee experience, including physical space, company culture, learning and development opportunities, relationships with their managers, and more. By investing in the employee journey, you can set your team up to succeed at critical moments.

Identify important moments during employee experiences that affect your people and business outcomes by learning to map the employee experience journey (psst: we included a template and example to help you out).

8 Reasons why employee experience is important

Creating a positive employee experience requires time and effort, but the payoff and employee engagement you'll get out of it are worth it. Statistics on employee experience show that an engaged workforce can lead to increased productivity, improved employee well-being, and superior customer experience. Unsurprisingly, your business benefits from having happy employees!

Read on to learn why employee experience is important for your company's growth and long-term success.

1. Attracts top talent

People are thinking more carefully than ever about how they choose employment. Above average salaries might attract some job seekers, but it'll no longer be the main reason top talent flock to your door. Instead, many individuals will look to employee satisfaction rates, company culture, and ambassadorship levels to determine whether a role at your company is right for them.

In short, a great employee experience gives you an edge in the job market by making your organization stand out in a sea of employers, and by retaining these new hires in the long run. More on that later!

2. Boosts productivity

Individual and team productivity are top of mind for leaders these days. Organizations need their employees to do great work and contribute towards broader goals. But productivity shouldn't be taken for granted. Leaders and organizations play a big role in helping employees be and stay productive.

Fostering a constructive employee experience is key. It motivates employees to do their best work, leading to improved individual performance. And it doesn't stop there. A solid employee experience also makes collaboration flourish, resulting in better communication and shared problem solving — both of which do wonders for improving team productivity.

3. Fosters great team relationships

Employee experiences founded in trust, communication, respect, and recognition are the most conducive to sparking positive relationships at work. When you start prioritizing these 4 pillars of employee relations within your employee experience, you'll unlock a slew of benefits for each team and the company as a whole.

Employees who trust each other and work well together are more likely to address challenges more effectively and bounce back from setbacks more quickly. They're also better at generating creative ideas collectively and finding innovative solutions together.

Great employee experiences create 5-star teams that are resilient and adaptable, and drive everyone around them forward.

4. Improves employee well-being

HR leaders everywhere recognize that most employees' mental health influences if and how they show up to work. However, well-being in the workplace is increasingly difficult to manage because of how entangled work currently is in our personal lives. Most of us still work in the same environment where we eat, sleep, relax, and spend time with our loved ones. Because of this, organizations need to be extra intentional about how they address wellness in their employee experience.

Companies that prioritize flexibility, psychological safety, work-life balance, and employee autonomy, for example, are more likely to have a workforce full of employees who feel their best and give their best at work. That's because these key employee experience factors give employees the support they need to flourish creatively and feel more engaged in their work.

😓 Has someone on your team fallen victim to burnout? Help get them back on track and protect the rest of the team's well-being with a psychologist's tips on how to manage burnout.

5. Improves customer satisfaction

Have you ever been served by a waiter who was clearly having a bad day? We can bet their demeanor or subpar customer service clouded your experience. Even when it's controlled, it's hard for people to avoid letting their mood impact their behaviors. It's simply human nature.

The same way an unhappy waiter can kill the vibe of an otherwise good dinner, disengaged and unhappy employees can negatively impact a paying customer's satisfaction. And when the customer is dissatisfied, the business suffers.

On the flip side, engaged employees who have favorable experiences at work are more likely to produce better quality work, foster better client relationships, and positively represent your brand. Like a domino effect, you can ensure a better customer experience by collaborating with your team at every step in the employee journey.

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6. Strengthens employer brand

Businesses these days have to consider the possibility of employees speaking negatively about them online. We know this is stressful, but on the bright side, the reverse is also true. Accounts detailing positive experiences at your organization can establish a good reputation for your brand and encourage others to join you. This applies to word-of-mouth, too! Happy, engaged employees are more likely to speak highly of their workplaces and strengthen their employer brands.

Look at these two online reviews for instance:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Great team culture and lots of room for growth

I've been working at Zebra company for 3 years now, and I'm still loving my experience! I have a great relationship with my managers, and they're always looking to improve collaboration and communication at work. Since joining, I've also had the chance to take on a new role, do stretch assignments, and sign up for relevant trainings.

⭐️⭐️ Long hours and lack of direction from leaders

I used to love working at Tiger company, but lately the management team is super unorganized and it feels like no one is aligned. There's always a false sense of urgency, which makes employees work longer hours than necessary. I don't feel valued and my work-life balance is terrible.

Now, which of these two describes a better employee experience, and which do you think is more likely to boost your employer brand? Case closed.

7. Increases employee retention

When you create a fantastic employee experience, you send the message that you're invested in every employee's journey. You're telling your team that you want them at your side, and not just for the time being. If you're figuring out how to improve employee retention, you can start by tackling two great places in the employee experience: feedback and career advancement options.

More honest feedback from your team will give you the insights you need to make adjustments moving forward, so you can create a virtuous cycle of employee experience and retention improvement. Likewise, giving your employees the opportunity to learn new skills and consider internal mobility shows that you're invested in their future. As a result, they'll feel more invested in the company and their position. And they'll be more likely to see a future with your organization in it.

Gather valuable feedback to tackle retention at its core with these 20 employee retention survey questions.

8. Decreases absenteeism and presenteeism

In most cases, a positive employee experience also leads to less absenteeism and presenteeism at work. In other words, employees are less likely to take time off for reasons other than vacation, and those who are present are less likely to be mentally checked out. That's because employees who feel fulfilled at work and genuinely enjoy their workplace have a stronger sense of commitment and motivation towards their work.

When employees are absent from work, they can miss important tasks, meetings, or deadlines, which can cause delays and avoidable added stress for their colleagues. Similarly, when employees are present, but mentally elsewhere — usually due to stress, poor mental health, or lack of motivation — the team's global productivity and employee engagement levels can take a hit.

In the end, everyone wins when you create a supportive and engaging work environment.

What is a positive employee experience?

A positive employee experience is one that people feel a strong sense of connection to and satisfaction with. Looking at it in more detail, the employee experience is shaped by 11 key pillars, each of which should be given care and attention.

Identifying where you stand with each pillar is the first step towards building a positive employee experience. However, as workplace expectations change, it's important to regularly reassess what your employees need.

Fine-tuning your approach will take some practice, but in the meantime, here are some factors to consider:

• Tools and office space: Do your employees have everything they need to do their jobs well? This includes technology, support from managers and team members, and adequate resources. Likewise, having both private and collaboration spaces provides employees with appropriate work areas for team projects and individual tasks.
• Company culture: Whether in their personal lives or at work, everyone wants to feel included, respected, and valued. This is why it's necessary to build an organizational culture that's human-focused and able to adapt to individual needs. Establishing a positive workplace culture is also where tools like team-building activities come in.
• Communication: Frequent, open communication organically develops trust between team members and managers. Even better, it ensures that everyone is on the same page and inspires more productive and effective collaboration.

Ultimately, the objective of improving employee experience is to engage people and provide them with the psychological safety they need to voice thoughts and feelings. Taking an iterative approach to employee experience rooted in feedback and communication is the best way to keep employees happy and the business thriving for good.

How to improve the employee experience

Struggling to improve employee experience at your organization? Don't worry. Below, we've compiled a list of simple ways you can get the ball rolling.

Create stellar onboarding

One of the easiest ways to improve employee experience from the jump is to create a stellar onboarding process.

A person's onboarding is their official introduction to their new work environment and colleagues. It sets the tone for the rest of their tenure at a company, so it's important to make those first moments count.

Remember that the onboarding process should smoothly integrate new hires into your midst. This means helping them bond with the team, personalizing their onboarding activities, and introducing them to your company's values.

Ensure role clarity

A common concern for employees is not having a clear understanding of their roles. It drives confusion, decreases accountability, and demotivates employees. That's why clearly identifying each team member's role and responsibilities is key to improving your employee experience.

Once each employee understands their role, you can then set goals they can work to achieve. It's helpful to have one-on-one meetings whenever possible to clarify roles and responsibilities.

Use employee feedback loops

By creating a regular feedback loop, you can better understand how employees feel about their work environment, job responsibilities, relationships with peers and managers, and company culture. In other words, you can uncover their needs and they can understand your expectations.

Feedback loops help spot areas of improvement on all ends, giving employees, managers, and HR leaders tools to enhance the over experience at work.

Make employee well-being a priority

It's a simple fact that happy people perform better and have higher employee satisfaction. On the other hand, elevated anxiety, burnout, and stress in the workplace can be a recipe for disengagement.

To improve the employee experience, you'll need to get a clear sense of your team's well-being. The best way to do so is to conduct an employee wellness survey.

These employee surveys open up a line of communication between you and your team members and give you the insights you need to make necessary changes. Depending on the answers you receive, these changes could be implementing more flexible scheduling, moving to a hybrid work model, or expanding employee benefits.

Make time for team building and strengthening connections

For communication to be effective, it's necessary to establish a sense of trust between your employees and management.

Team-building exercises show your employees that you value their perspective and presence. At the same time, coworkers can form meaningful bonds, which lead to improved collaboration, communication, employee engagement, and overall productivity. When people feel a strong connection to their workplace, the employee experience naturally increases.

Trust is one of the most essential ingredients to a team's success. Make your team trust rock-solid with these 5 strategies to build trust and collaboration.

Start creating an outstanding employee experience

Investing time and effort in the employee experience is no longer optional for businesses that want to succeed in the modern world. As we outlined above, creating a well-rounded and carefully crafted employee experience can help companies attract top talent, increase employee performance, and keep clients happy, among many other benefits.

As an HR leader, you play a critical role in shaping the employee experience at your organization. The best practices we shared are a great starter pack to initiate your employee experience strategy. And if you need a tool to help you along the way, Officevibe's intuitive employee experience platform can measure your team's employee engagement and show you how to take action to improve it.

You got this! All you need to do is start. Your team and business will thank you for it.

The Great Resignation we recently experienced put employee retention on the radar for many companies. With 3 to 4.5 million employees voluntarily leaving their jobs every month, it is a sobering reminder that people will seek out other professional opportunities if they are not satisfied with their current positions.

High employee turnover and employee retention issues can be devastating for organizations. Gallup estimates that it costs businesses one-half to two times the employee’s annual salary to replace them due to hiring costs, training fees, and lost productivity.

Most of the reasons employees quit are things that employers can address head on. Competitive salary, job security, development opportunities, and frequent feedback are all things that managers can have a hand in to improve the overall employee experience.

Addressing these challenges also keeps employees engaged and motivated, which can dramatically improve team morale and productivity. Unsurprisingly, Gallup has reported that engaged employees are 18% more productive than their disengaged counterparts. Further, companies with a highly engaged workforce are 23% more profitable. Let's explore the importance of employee retention along with some of the main employee retention challenges companies are currently experiencing (bonus: we'll walk you through how to address them!).

Why is employee retention important?

For starters, employee retention refers to a company’s ability and effort to keep its people year-over-year and prevent them from looking for opportunities elsewhere. Employee retention is crucial to any organization's success. When members of a team start leaving an organization voluntarily, it can take a toll on productivity, increase unhealthy stress on remaining employees, and add hefty expenses. On the other hand, when employee retention rates are high, you also experience:

• Higher employee productivity: Long-term employees are more efficient in their organization. They know the company processes and have the experience necessary to do their job effectively and accurately.
• A more developed workforce: Employees who have been at a company for longer periods of time become subject matter experts and contribute to the collective wealth of knowledge. Experienced employees can attend to more creative and complex endeavors rather than spending time getting acquainted with company values and organizational goals.
• A healthier company culture: High retention rates are typically a great indicator of a thriving company culture. When employees are happy with their roles and teams, they are more likely to stick around for the long haul and contribute to an overall more positive employee experience.

Need another reason to aim for high employee retention at your company? We'll give you 10. Read more on the benefits of employee retention.

The cost of employee turnover

Earlier in this blog, we briefly touched on some of the tangible costs of employee turnover. These costs include:

• Benefit costs
• Hiring costs
• Offboarding costs
• Onboarding new hires
• Training new employees

Though the hard costs above are more obvious and immediately felt, the soft costs of employees quitting can have heavy ramifications for a company. These more subtle but equally important costs can include:

• Lower employee morale
• Added stress
• Weakened employer brand
• Decreased quality of work
• Lost knowledge

In today's tough economic climate, even the most successful of organizations can't afford to see their people leave for other job opportunities. By actively working toward improving the employee experience, employers can watch their retention rates soar.

When you know where your employee turnover rate stands, you can focus on improving things for your team. Read on to calculate employee turnover at your organization.

6 Challenges of employee retention (and how to address them)

As the landscape of the modern workplace continues to shift, HR leaders and managers are facing several challenges in retaining employees. If management can tackle these challenges swiftly and efficiently, they will be poised to improve employee retention rates and watch engagement and productivity rise with them.

Let's examine some of the most common employee retention challenges and how leaders can address them using people-first strategies.

1. Hiring the wrong candidate

Intuitive HR leaders know that hiring the right person for a position is a holistic endeavor. Not only does the candidate need to have the appropriate technical skills, but they should ideally be aligned with the company's mission, vision, and values. This is where many go wrong in the recruiting process; a candidate seems perfect on paper, but management may quickly realize that the disconnect between the company and the candidate is too strong.

Find the best fit (culturally and technically)

A canditate should always meet the minimum technical requirements for a position, but recruiters shouldn't disregard applicants with fewer years of experience just based off that criteria alone. Hard skills can be learned with time and mentorship, but finding a candidate that makes your team feel complete is easier said than done. Recruiters should always consider cultural fit when looking for the best person for any position.

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2. Overlooking employee recognition

It's human nature to seek acknowdgment and recognition for our efforts, especially if we give it our all. If an employee feels like their work is going unnoticed, they may begin to disengage not only with their role, but with the organization at large, and look to take their talent elsewhere.

Make recognition a part of your company culture

Research shows that recognition can goes a long way in boosting employee motivation, improving performance, and reducing attrition. An organization can retain top talent by expressing gratitude for employee contributions and recognizing great work regardless of outcome.

✨ Check out these top tips for increasing recognition in the workplace to retain employees.

3. Setting unclear or unrealistic expectations

Team alignment can have a pretty big impact on an organization's performance and productivity. A disconnect between management and employee expectations can cause conflict and even create a rift in team dynamics. Without clear communication on collective objectives and company values, employees may find it challenging to stay engaged with their work.

Emphasize team alignment

Employees that are clear on what is expected of them are more likely to stay motivated and engaged with their work. Leaders should provide clear expectations, both for long-term and short-term goals, while providing regular feedback on the team and employees' performance. Remember, teams are at their best when they know what they're working toward and why, and can rally around shared goals.

4. Overlooking professional growth opportunities

Employees want to know that there is room for growth at their organization. A top performer may soon grow listless in their role if not given the chance to spread their wings and take on new challenges. Without professional development opportunities on the horizon, a company make experience lower employee retention rates.

Nurture employee career development

For young professionals today, opportunities for professional growth is non-negotiable. If organizations want to retain their valuable and talented employees, they must nurture their teams internally with career planning sessions, skills mapping, mentorship, and training and development programs. A great way HR leaders can help their teams grow is by having honest career development talks to explore future opportunities.

💪Empower people-first teams to map their skills, develop their talents, and accelerate their growth to create more fulfilling and productive workplaces with Talentscope.

5. Neglecting employee well-being

A sure-fire way to keep talented employees disengaged is by putting the bottom line before their well-being. According to Officevibe data, 47% of employees regularly feel overwhelmed at work. A business that pushes its people over the edge for the sake of profitability will watch their top performers walk away for better opportunities where they can enjoy a more sustainable work-life balance.

Prioritize health and wellness in the workplace

As the saying goes, health is wealth. Companies that support a sustainable work-life balance will be able to foster a much happier and more positive employee. By offering employees a more flexible workplace, they will be more engaged with their work and more likely to stick around for longer. Prioritizing well-being, offering generous benefits, and supporting mental and physical health will do wonders for retaining employees.

Employee wellness surveys can provide keen insights into what matters most to your people. Use these templates and surveys to get the conversation started.

6. Providing minimal or no feedback

With only 25% of employees feeling like the feedback they receive is frequent enough to help them understand how to improve, it's no wonder many workers feel unsteady in their roles and seek out other employers. When an employee has no clear idea of how they are progressing or how they can adapt, they may become frustrated and disengaged with their roles.

Make feedback second nature

The best way to get to the heart of what your people need is to ask them directly. Managers and HR teams can gather honest employee feedback by using anonymous feedback tools that allow people to express their concerns openly. But if you ask for feedback, it's imperative that you act on it and respond to it. Keep retention rates on your team high by creating strategies backed by employee feedback.

How employee engagement solutions help with retention

Employee retention is about meeting employee needs in a longterm and sustainable way. This means having clear lines of communication between the organization and its people to reach collective company goals. If employees feel valued and find their work engaging, they are more likely to stick around for the longhaul.

Employee engagement tools like Officevibe offer organizations a plethora of resources dedicated to improving the employee experience by boosting retention, engagement and productivity. By leaning into what matters most to your people, you can actively work toward fostering a healthy and positive work environment.

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Introducing Workleap Skills and the skills-based economy

Remember what running a business looked like just a few years ago? Pre-pandemic days feel like another world, almost like a figment of our imagination. 

These days, small business owners and HR leaders are witnessing a massive transformation of the workplace and the workforce, setting the stage for the greatest shift in the organization of work since Henry Ford’s design of the assembly line. And the next decade will continue to shift the way we work and where work happens. 

As organizations become more dispersed and diverse, it is imperative for all of us to rethink our ways of working and, most importantly, how we evaluate our talent and push our teams forward. 

The rise of the skills-based economy 

The evolution of the workforce and the jobs of the future all point in the same direction: toward skills. In the coming years, skills will become the lifeblood of high-performing teams and the currency of a new economy. 

This next economy will be powered by talent mobility and the ability for companies to organize work in real-time to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow – a shift that I believe will advantage small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that display greater agility and adaptability.  

In this new era of work, talent mobility will be a function of organizations’ ability to assess their employees’ skills and match them with current work assignments, while developing and accelerating new skills for future needs. 

As Alex Kaplan, global leader of Blockchain and AI for Industry Credentials at IBM said: “If skills are going to be equivalent to currency, it’s necessary to create an infrastructure with “trust, provenance and transparency”.  

He’s right. Organizations need one source of truth where all their employees’ skills can be assessed and developed transparently, without bias.  

That’s why my team and I have created Skills: to build the foundational software that will power the generational shift toward a skills-based economy (more details below). 

Our end goal: give companies the necessary information about their people’s skills so that they can instantly assess the changing need for jobs, make consequential strategic decisions (from hiring, upskilling/reskilling to workforce planning and beyond), and thrive in an increasingly volatile market. 

A solid HR strategy can be one of the most defensible competitive advantages. 

And a skills-based approach will be your secret weapon at the decision table. 

4 driving forces that will accelerate the shift to a skills-based approach 

New ways of working and expectations 

The pandemic-fueled adoption of remote work went from short-term experiment to new normal in a matter of months.  

As evidenced by a 2022 Pew Research study, after two years into the pandemic, roughly 6 in 10 U.S. workers who say their jobs can mainly be done from home (59%) are working from home all or most of the time.  

The perception about remote and hybrid work has completely shifted, and it’s now the golden standard for most knowledge-based companies in the post-pandemic era.  

As a result, it’s reshaping the entire employee experience and poses a huge challenge for HR leaders. And we’ve yet to measure the full magnitude of second-order consequences that will come in the aftermath of such drastic change. But all the data points in the same direction: people are actively seeking more engaging and fulfilling workplaces. 61% of US employees are considering handing in their resignations in 2023, according to a LinkedIn survey. What analysts call the “great resignation” or “great reshuffle” is still in full effect in 2023.  

What’s more? Some employees feel lonelier than before. In his thought-provoking piece titled “Work from Office”, NYU Professor Scott Galloway highlighted this new challenge: “Without a workplace, your employees have fewer points of contact. Sixty percent of remote workers say WFH makes them feel less connected to their colleagues.”  

Remote and hybrid work is here to stay. And the benefits are undeniable (greater productivity, flexibility and work-life balance to name a few). But we need to find new ways to foster collaboration and growth to avoid the common pitfalls of not working from the office. A lack of career progression, a drop in employee engagement and motivation, siloed work, a lack of connection, and reduced visibility on skills and accomplishments are together the new villains that HR superheroes must fight on a day-to-day basis. So, we need to develop software that gives superpowers to our HR leaders (guess what, we are working on that!).  

Greater talent mobility and skills-based career pathing and mentorship are two ways to create stronger bonds in the workplace to make remote work feel more connected and fulfilling. 

Rapid technological change 

Tech disruption and AI are on everyone’s lips these days, and rightfully so. We are just starting to see the tip of the AI iceberg but the disruption will be real (ChatGPT is not just an overnight sensation; it’s a reminder of the exponential nature of progress in the age of AI).

From writing emails to blog posts to coding in python, AI will change the face of many jobs or acting as a copilot for many others. The need to reskill and upskill will become table stakes in the next decades, as career trajectories will adapt to the acceleration of AI adoption and disruption across various industries and jobs. 

Beyond that, having a solid AI strategy that focuses on augmenting employees and accelerating their unique skills will be a key competitive advantage as we enter the next iteration of the hybrid workplace (i.e., AI-augmented humans). 

Technology is both an opportunity and a threat. The rapid pace of change forces small businesses to constantly adapt to keep up the pace. Embracing change is no longer an option, it’s a business imperative. And we are on a mission to give Fortune 500 capabilities to the Fortune 500,000, so that you can use technology as your trump card, and thrive in the face of change, not just react to it. 

A heightened focus on profitability 

After a historic bull run, the tailwinds have shifted. The economy is now facing major headwinds, and businesses must be more frugal. Overhiring, especially in tech, will soon be a thing of the past. So, the pressure on organizations to do more with less will be a key strategic driver.  

Mapping skills to fully grasp an organization’s capabilities and double down on internal resources (vs. outsourcing or hiring new ones) will be critical to running a tight ship and maximize team performance in the coming years. 

An economic slowdown could actually turn out to be good for the progression of certain employees who will be called to take on more responsibilities in order to meet the challenges of the times. Upskilling is a win-win for both business and personal growth, as more companies try to get the most out of their workforce to show profitability. 

But profitability shouldn’t come at the expense of progress. True leaders emerge in uncertain times, and having a clear view of your talents to understand who can step up their game and play a bigger role will be paramount to your success as an organization. 

Talent wars 

Top talent is rare. And labor shortages will be an enduring challenge for HR leaders in the next decade. 

As you know, business success today revolves largely around people, not just capital. More than ever, the employee experience is a driver of business performance. In fact, according to Harvard Business Review, “a decade of research proves that happiness raises nearly every business and educational outcome: raising sales by 37%, productivity by 31%, and accuracy on tasks by 19%, as well as a myriad of health and quality of life improvements.”.  

Taking care of business starts with taking care of your people. It’s simply non-negotiable in this day and age. Even more so if you are a small business. Talent is the number one competitive advantage that can turn small seeds into mighty trees. With the right team, you can achieve even your wildest dreams. I have experienced this firsthand as the cofounder of Workleap (home of Officevibe, ShareGate, Onboarding, LMS, and now Skills). We built it into a $100M annual revenue business with only 250 employees. Our talents made it possible.

Hiring, onboarding, and offboarding (whether because the employee was laid off or poached by another company) are huge costs that businesses can’t afford in a tougher economy. So attracting the right people and helping them develop mission-critical skills while ensuring their happiness at work is the perfect trifecta for business success today.

The 4 pain points that HR leaders can solve with SkillsTech:

• Tedious and inaccurate skill mapping: Skill mapping at the organizational level can typically take months of manual work. It also tends to be outdated the minute it is completed due to constant changes in the makeup of your workforce. With the rise of AI and skill mapping tools like Workleap Skills, HR leaders and managers can now map their entire organization’s skills in a matter of minutes. And update them on the fly as the business evolves in real time. Not only skillstech can save you a ton of time but it also reduces biases while ensuring great accuracy across the board and over time.
• Reactive workforce planning: Traditional workforce planning is typically a yearly process that involves forecasting based on unknowns. Skill mapping eliminates guesswork by giving you a data-driven view of your workforce in real time so that you can get a 360-degree understanding of your needs and gaps. That way, you can take a more proactive and evolutive approach to workforce planning vs. being reactive or, worse, sticking to an outdated plan that doesn’t meet your workforce needs. 
• Lack of employee engagement and retention: We talked about it abundantly in this article but this should be every organization’s north star. An engaged workforce is a productive workforce. Taking care of your people is taking care of your bottom line. At the end of the day, every investment in your talents is an investment in your business and future. Skill mapping can help you create tailored progression plans for your employees by identifying their strengths and weaknesses and have a data-driven conversation with them around career growth and their next milestones. It creates tangible steppingstones and objectives to help them get to the next level and keep them engaged at all times. In the end, it’s all about making the most of your workforce and empowering them to do their best work. 
• Lack of internal mobility and visibility: As your organization scales, it’s increasingly hard for your talents to identify and seize new opportunities – especially in a remote-first setting. It’s the employer’s responsibility to put in place tools and strategies to unlock greater mobility and visibility so that your team and business can reach their full potential. Whether it’s using skills to recommend roles, match employees with relevant mentors or encourage employees to work on applied learning projects, skill mapping is the cornerstone to developing an active internal talent marketplace that keeps your team engaged and fulfilled.  

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86% retention increase 

Companies that excel at skill-based internal mobility retain employees for an average of 5.4 years, nearly twice as long as companies that struggle with it, where the average retention span is 2.9 years. — Source: LinkedIn 2022 

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We all have a “star employee who got away” story. It happened to me more than once, and it hurts every time. Lack of visibility into a team’s projects and skills can lead to highly capable employees leaving for the wrong reasons.​​ That’s why we created Skills: to enable employees to be their best selves and create more fulfilling careers and workplaces. 

The shift to a skills-based internal talent marketplace (ITM) 

Skills are the new atoms and economic units of organizations. As work increasingly becomes organized around skills not jobs, we can start shifting our mindset to achieving outcomes, not just filling positions. We believe this is the first step to making work more meaningful.

Skills are also the great equalizer that will enable organizations to diminish their overreliance on hierarchy and, instead, to build networks of trust that unlock greater mobility and collaboration across departments. Silos are the enemy of skills-based organizations, and they must be broken down.  

In other words, organizations will become more of a *network of skills* and less of a hierarchy. The future will be made up of people who move around more fluidly within the business so that their skills can be put to use in real-time on the best projects, products and strategies that will deliver the highest impact for the company.

In this new way of working and managing the workforce, skills become the heartbeats of the modern-day employee experience – putting greater emphasis on competencies, knowledge, certifications, interests, ambition, feedback, attitude and aptitude, and most importantly on relationships.

It’s also a shift in organizational mindset, eliminating cultures that:

- Focus on permission over forgiveness.
- Value expertise and perfection over personal growth and learning.  
- Are overly oriented toward micromanagement and strict top-down control of employee behaviors vs. employee empowerment and ownership

The trend toward an employee-tailored workplace is just getting started. And skills will level the playing field, while helping to create a culture that treats employees like the unique individuals they are, not like numbers in a spreadsheet or HRIS.

In the end, it’s all about building an actionable and seamless talent marketplace platform that favours talent mobility, “just-in-time” workforce planning, and unbiased career progression – no matter your gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation. And Workleap Skills is designed to do just that by removing the guesswork and giving equal opportunities to all.

Introducing Workleap Skills: Skill mapping and talent development made easy

In the previous paragraphs, I focused on the “why” behind our product but not on the “what” and “how”. What is Skills after all? Let’s take a look… 

Workleap Skills was built to empower people-first teams to map their skills, develop their talents, and accelerate their growth to create more fulfilling and productive workplaces. 

Our platform is built around 4 core pillars: 

1. AI-enhanced skill mapping:  Workleap Skills is like a magic wand for skill mapping.  With a simple interface and a dash of AI, you will get a clear and instant view of your team’s capabilities and blind spots. More concretely, we crunch more than 55 million job postings and data points to identify the skills that make up the crucial roles in your organization. Our easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface enables your employees and colleagues to make their own self-assessment to create a 360 view of their current skills and gaps.  
2. Talent development & retention: Skills helps you identify the next stepping stones in your employees’ careers and formulate clear career progression paths so that every employee can reach their full potential. ​For example, if a leadership role requires expert-level communication skills and a senior developer is only at the intermediate level in this area, this can be an area of focus to work on in the next few quarters to be able to get to the next level of their career. 
3. Internal mobility (ITM) & mentorship: Workleap gives you a crystal-clear view of your team’s skills and capabilities. It also doubles as an internal talent marketplace that pairs your talents with the right mentors and projects so that they can propel their career and your organization forward.  
4. Workforce planning:​ Workleap Skills gives you real-time data on your workforce’s current skills and gaps so that you can plan your next hires accordingly. It makes workforce planning more data-driven and proactive as opposed to set in stone based on an imperfect yearly assessment. 

Plus, our easy-to-use platform seamlessly integrates with your existing workflows so that you can focus on what really matters: your people. With more than 35 HRIS and ATS integrations, we make skill mapping, workforce planning & career development as hurdle-free and effortless as can be. 

The HR tech landscape is filled with vapourware and expensive black box enterprise solutions that, in the end, fail to deliver tangible business value and takes months to deploy.  

With Workleap Skills, we wanted to flip the script by creating a free-to-start, plug-and-play, and instantly available skill mapping solution for SMBs. With a freemium model and democratized price point, Skills enables you to map your skills in a matter of minutes, not months. It is an order of magnitude faster, easier to use and cheaper than manual labor or expensive enterprise solutions.​ 

With Workleap Skills, you can make skills the currency of your workplace and unlock your team’s full potential as soon as today.

To learn more, get a test drive with one of our product specialists, who will be happy to help and answer your questions.