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Performance Management to Engage Employees at the Department of Health (DH)
"Facilitation of the programme and interpersonal skills created the framework to enable staff to properly focus on their business objectives and personal goals to accelerate their achievement and growth." - DH Executive
The Situation
DH is one of the largest Central Government departments. They had implemented various performance management processes in the past, but felt there was a need to ensure that performance was focussed on the right activities which really contributed to the Department’s priorities and business improvement agenda. It was also in response to key issues surrounding leadership, performance management and development raised through staff surveys and listening events.
At the time the Cabinet Office had also introduced the Professional Skills for Government framework. This required investment in staff development in order to deliver the Departments’ priorities.
There was a need to work towards a culture of continuous improvement by encouraging staff to take a greater ownership of their own performance and development. So it was decided to upgrade the process to not only cover performance but behaviours as well.
Our Approach
DH partnered with Career Vision (Global) Ltd., to help create and deliver a programme of Awareness Sessions to support the roll-out of a new performance management process. It sought to improve the performance and behaviours of all levels of staff.
Part of the process was to encourage staff in the practice of obtaining feedback in order that they may be recognised for the good work they do and to understand what areas of their performance need to be improved. There was also a need for staff to play a part in deciding their performance and development objectives with their managers, to take more control of their career and develop skills they needed now and in the future. Identification of motivational factors for individuals were encouraged as were exploring ways of improving well-being at work.
The programme provided practical tools and techniques to help staff take ownership for their objectives and increase their knowledge of how those objectives fit into the overall business plan of DH; improve the effectiveness of communications between employee and manager; improve the understanding of people’s motivations; and to improve the support required for teams to work together more effectively. We provided further support by designing and facilitating skills modules to provide on-going support.
The Outcomes
2000+ employees had been targeted to attend the Awareness Sessions. At the end of the implementation period 98.4% of staff had been trained in London, Leeds and DH Regional Offices. In addition, facilitation of these Awareness Sessions were completed for DH Arms Length bodies MHAC (20+ personnel) and MHRA (80+ personnel). Subsequent staff surveys have seen an improvement in performance management standards. The process also laid the foundation to support the implementation of an Oracle based Business Management System in 2008. We were also involved in the training for this system.