High, Middle and Low

Performers: Engaging Employees

from Top to Bottom

Presented by: Danielle Crough, PhD, SHRM-SCP,

SPHR

Senior Consultant, SilverStone Group

Welcome

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Employee Engagement

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Engagement Matters!

Global research report states that operating

margins of companies with high employee

engagement are three times higher than those

of companies with low engagement

Companies with engaged employees report

a 240% improvement in business results

Studies show that having a highly engaged

workforce can be a significant competitive asset

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Engagement Matters!

Research show a correlation between

engagement and the following:

Service

Sales

Quality

Safety

Retention and absenteeism

Revenue, profit and shareholder returns

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Are your Employees Engaged?

87% of employees are not actively engaged,

in that they are not:

– Satisfied with their jobs

– Actively committed to providing value to

their companies

How do you know?

– Engagement surveys

– Employee performance

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Engagement Surveys

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Five Factors of

Employee Engagement

1. Organization – Organizational support and

trust in senior leadership

2. Team – Team effectiveness and trust

with co-workers

3. Supervisor – Direct supervisor effectiveness

4. Role – Individual job satisfaction

5. Pay and Benefits – Fair compensation and

competitive benefits

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Employee Engagement Profile

Hostile Disengaged Contributing Engaged

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Managing and Engaging High,

Middle and Low Performers

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High Performers

Typically in short supply but high in demand

Identify high performers:

– Perform well in almost everything they take on

– Learn fast

– Transfer learning from one area to another

– Get things done under tight deadlines and resources

– Ability to take on stretch assignments

– Often help team members

– Interested in personal development

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Managing High Performers

Clarify expectations

Keep work diverse and interesting

Assign tasks and projects that will stretch their

skills and take on leadership roles

Provide opportunities for special

assignments/participation in committees/

task forces

Embrace honest failure and allow risk taking

Provide regular feedback and balance

constructive criticism with praise and recognition

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Engaging High Performers

Organization Arrange exposure to significant and relevant leaders and customers

Help ensure information and resources are provided to do the job

Assign senior level mentor

Team Encourage increased exposure to others in the organization

(co-workers, teams, cross-functional teams)

Assign to lead key task forces, strategic projects, employee groups

Supervisor Individualize level of supervision based on level of skill and

specific task

Communicate clear goals and accountabilities

Delegate and empower for accountability and ownership

Periodically check to see if they are happy, what makes them

unhappy, obstacles, what would increase their level of satisfaction

Role Provide interesting and challenging stretch assignments

Arrange special invitations to meetings and off-site meetings

Utilize strengths and provide development opportunities

Know professional and development goals and help them to obtain

Pay and Benefits Compensate at the top of their range

Look for ways to provide intangible rewards and recognition

Provide long-term incentives to help ensure continued performance

and retention

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Middle Performers

Majority of employees

Identify middle performers:

– Meet the expectations of the role

– Understand and know the current job well

– Assume new jobs and roles comfortably and

perform well in time

– Probably promotable (one level vertically or able

to move laterally) with development

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Managing Middle Performers

Clarify expectations

Keep in current assignment and role as long

as is reasonable and they are motivated

Look for additional assignments or opportunities

in the future

Help set realistic goals

Specific development should be guided

by the individual needs of the person

Provide regular feedback; balance constructive

criticism with praise and recognition

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Engaging Middle Performers

Organization Provide access to potential bosses and HR professional to evaluate

them for other opportunities

Provide visibility to local senior management; help establish

relationships within and outside their function

Help ensure information and resources are provided to do the job

Provide access to informal mentors one to two levels up or those

in potential lateral positions

Team Occasionally assign to special projects that report to different

managers

Assign to relevant task forces, study groups, etc.

Support normal attendance at important meetings

Supervisor Individualize level of supervision based on level of skill and

specific task

Communicate clear goals and accountabilities

Periodically check to determine their level of engagement and

motivation, what would increase their satisfaction and engagement

Role Utilize strengths and provide relevant development opportunities

Know professional and development goals and help them to obtain

Pay and Benefits Compensate at the middle of their range

Look for ways to provide intangible rewards and recognition

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Low Performers

As many as one in six employees are

underperforming

Managers can help improve employee

performance up to 25%

Identify low performers:

Poor Performance Misconduct

Failure to meet position

standards

Low product quality

Low volume of

productivity

Absenteeism

Disruptive or

argumentative behavior

Customer service

complaints

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Managing Low Performers

Provide tailored support

Maintain consistent and accurate documentation

– Helps employees improve future performance

– Protects manager and company from allegations

and unfairness

– Initiate a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP)

– Terminate if necessary

Help ensure rapid feedback!Manager’s Responsibilities Employee’s Responsibilities

Communicate expectations

Identify facts about situation

Develop plan to correct

Document coaching

in writing

Actively participate

in coaching

Assist in development plan

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Engaging Low Performers

Organization Determine if you really need to keep this person

Determine what value this person provides and whether

performance is correctable; if no, move out of organization

Help ensure information and resources are provided to do the job

Team Identify team dynamics

Determine the person’s role within the team

Remove person from critical tasks or activities where they could

be dragging others down

Supervisor Individualize level of supervision based on level of skill and

specific task

Communicate clear goals and accountabilities

Determine reasons for low performance and motivation

Set a specific time frame for action

Role Determine what specific skills and functional knowledge are

valued by the organization

Identify positions that may be better suited for them (wrong seat

on the bus)

Focus development on increasing performance

Pay and Benefits Compensate at the low end of their range

Don’t reward poor performance

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Radical Candor

Improve your Impromptu Feedback

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Ruinous

Empathy

Radical

Candor

Manipulative

Insincerity

Obnoxious

Aggression

Challenge directly

Care personally

Questions

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Social Media Links

linkedin.com/in

/daniellecrough

@SilverStoneGrp

@SSGIHCC

@danicrough

facebook.com/

SilverStoneGroup

linkedin.com/company

/silverstone-group

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Contact Information

Danielle Crough, PhD, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Senior Consultant – Human Capital

Phone | 402.964.5546

E-mail | dcrough@ssgi.com

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Thank you!