| Performance management is a process managers use to set expectations, measure and review results, and reward performance, with the goal of ultimately improving organizational success (Singh, 2012). The gap in literature about performance management systems addressed in the present study was the lack of consistency in the performance management practices considered best to implement into a system. The inconsistency in performance management constructs has led to ineffective employee performance systems (Pulakos & O'Leary, 2011). This study explored the best practices within performance management through a qualitative, Delphi design. Data collected over three rounds of electronic surveys, through the opinion and experience of 27 experts in the field of performance management, determined consensus of 15 top best practices in the field of performance management. Practices were coded into seven different categories: goal setting, measurement and evaluation, feedback, performance appraisal, motivation, training, and attitude, culture, and leadership. A main finding of the study was that experts agreed what actionable practices must be included in the performance management process was more important than the specificity of how the practices were completed. The top three best practices identified by the expert panel were (1) expectations must be clearly identified and communicated to employees, (2) leaders must show engagement and support of the performance management framework in order for employees to be engaged, and (3) the right performance metrics need to be established for evaluation. The best practice listing should be seen as necessary, actionable practices that performance management systems incorporate to attain more consistent results. |
