BTSR guidebook ~ Training & skills self-evaluation
Discovery Networks - How Discovery utilises Performance Management to best effect
| Date: | May 2007 |
|---|---|
| Contact: | Judy Goldberg |
| Telephone: | 020 8811 3528 |
Discovery’s Performance Management Programme creates a partnership between the employee and his or her Manager and everyone supports the partnership with the common goal of managing performance.
Performance management is the process of integrating goal setting with performance evaluation, employee development and rewards.
The key elements of our performance management include:
- Goal Setting: what an employee sets out to accomplish: performance and development goals
- Coaching and Feedback: how employees are doing along the way
- Performance Evaluation: looking back over the past year and ahead to the next year
- Development Planning: growth traits and plans for learning
- Financial Rewards: financial incentives
Each year, Leaders set the direction with high-level goals, which they “cascade” to Management Teams. Employees work with their Managers to set both individual performance goals and development goals that align with the department plan. Discussions begun during performance evaluations about strengths and development areas are continued during Goal Setting. Goals, by definition, have milestones for completion, as well as clear measures for success, and are referred to and refined as needed throughout the year.
Development is a broad term for individual, team and organisational learning and growth: skills, knowledge, expertise, and broadening experiences all fall under this umbrella. At Discovery we also have Growth Traits that provide a framework for development. During the Goal Setting process, every employee selects a Growth Trait to focus on for the year and writes at least one development goal for that trait, which may focus on strengths and/or areas to improve. Employee’s development in these areas leads to company growth.
Managers, as Coaches, are responsible to coach and provide feedback to employees on an ongoing basis about performance against their goals. We encourage everyone to develop the ability to coach and provide feedback to others in the context of accomplishing mutual goals. We also encourage Managers and employees to ask for feedback from others. This means seeking input from customers, peers, direct reports and any key stakeholders in their work. This is how we move the business forward and see individual growth and development. Guides and workshops to develop these skills are available online and live throughout the year.
Discovery’s annual performance evaluation process has three main components, which strengthen the performance management partnership between employees and Managers.
- Self-evaluation: Employees evaluate their own performance against each goal. They also comment on their accomplishments, strengths, and potential areas for personal development.
- Discussion: The employee’s self-evaluation is a catalyst for creating dialogue between the employee and his or her Manager. Managers review self-assessments, which can stimulate topics such as positive feedback, suggested improvements, clarifications, coaching opportunities or plans for future development.
- Manager assessment: Managers enter a written Assessment in the Discovery Global Performance System for each employee; they distribute merit and incentive awards among their employees using corporate guidelines. Once these plans are finalised from an organisational standpoint, Managers communicate results to each employee and provide the written Manager Assessment and Individual Compensation Plan.
