Measuring Employee Performance

Successful employers always make investments to retain their workers and improve their effectiveness. By constantly and consistently measuring performance, employers can ensure that their investment is providing results.

Workers also benefit from performance measurement and appreciate fair productivity assessments. This can only happen when performance is measured consistently across an organization. In doing so, individuals can see how their work compares to that of other workers and industry benchmarks.

For a quick overview of creating and managing quality performance measurements see: Performance Management: Happier Workplace and Higher Profits.

Career Advancement

Many workers want to advance in their chosen careers and professions. Employers should therefore work to help them achieve these goals and move forward on their chosen career path. Performance measurement is one of the best ways to accomplish this and can benefit both the worker and the organization.

When performance measurements occur regularly, the information collected can be used to identify trends in a worker's performance ratings. This data can then be used to:

• help individuals identify their strengths and areas of opportunity for improvement
• identify potential opportunities for individuals to advance or move around within the company
• suggest ways the employee can fill any gaps in their skill set

Workers should feel good about their contributions to the company and any gaps or performance issues should be viewed as opportunities for improvement that will benefit both the worker and the organization.

For in-depth information about quality performance measurements see: Managing Employee Performance.

Measuring Employment  Performance

Workers will often use an employment agency when looking for jobs. The employment services provided by such agencies will evaluate and measure a worker's skill set and abilities to help them find employment. The type of feedback provided to workers in this case differs from an on-the-job performance review because it is intended to help an individual:

• make good career decisions
• assign time wisely to building marketable skills
• conduct a successful job search

Numerous measurement tools can be used by employment services to see how much a client has developed with their help. One set of tools is called Employability Dimensions and is provided by the Human Resources and Skills Devleopment Canada (HRSDC), the funder of many employment services. Employability Dimensions includes a nine-step client assessment process and provides guidance to counsellors on developing an action plan with their clients.