When looking at performance, it can be easy to get caught up in the numbers. Did an employee meet quotas for number of calls? Did they meet the monthly requirement for units produced? Or are they falling behind when looking at the given units of performance measurement? While fast work can save a company time and money, it’s not the defining measure of an employee’s value to their company. There are so many other things to consider when conducting employee performance reviews that have just as much value as quickly completing jobs. Instead of focusing solely on measures and quotas, consider also looking at a few other measures of employee success.
In the case of a fast-performing employee, managers should know whether or not the work employees are doing is actually productive. Are they completing jobs with attention to detail? Or does another employee have to go back and fix their mistakes? If this is the case, the way the employee is conducting their work is creating inefficiency and, though they are completing a number of projects quickly, the projects do not actually reach completion until someone else has had a look, costing time and money. If this is not the case and the employee seemingly has an efficient work style and impeccable attention to detail, congratulate them on their exemplary work and try to find a way to replicate the process with other employees for maximum efficiency and productivity.
Completing work quickly is great, but are they skipping out on many of the optional activities at the office? Many employees who work at a breakneck pace often skip happy hours with coworkers, company potlucks, or even non-mandatory meetings in favor of doing their job. This can result in low levels of engagement as there is little investment in their relationships with their coworkers from more than a functional standpoint. This can lead to failed collaboration efforts and low team morale. If this continues to become a problem, meet with the employee to help them to understand how their work is important to the organization and other team members are depending on them to be collaborative and engaged in order to complete projects larger than individual tasks.
Burnout rates among high-functioning employees are extremely high. As a manager, it’s important to watch for lack of enthusiasm, decline in health and isolation, as well as irritability and frustration. There are several important steps to take when seeing employees burnout. Communication is key to help clarify expectations, as well as emphasize the positive work employees are doing. This is the time to affirm that they are a valuable asset to the team and to help them manage their expectations for themselves. Encourage policies that mitigate stress, such as telecommuting, flextime and casual dress, as well as employee behaviors that prioritize wellbeing, such as wellness activities and vacation days.
It’s important to note that not all fast-working employees can simply work at a faster pace than other people, but rather than put them on a pedestal and expect other employees to live up to the standard, look for other opportunities to help the efficient employee grow. By recognizing some of the common mistakes fast-paced employees make, managers have the power to help them to develop into effective, productive members of the company.
The BirdDogHR Performance Management Software allows team members to direct their own career development with mutually agreed-upon goals and competencies, giving managers a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of their teams. For more information contact us or schedule a demo today.