HR Corner Are high performers your best kept secret? by Michelle Hui, manager Executive Recruitment practice KPMG in China and Hong Kong SAR Most businesses have a number of people who pull more than their weight. Their value is implicitly recognised by peers and by leaders, though the fact they are "high performers" doesn't necessarily mean they are also high profile or high earners. Such a person might be your star salesmen or, just as easily, running a problem-free back office. They have the common qualities of drive, energy, integrity and creativity. They also have a big impact on revenues. And yet, most organisations do not differentiate to any significant degree between their very best performers and the average ones, or realise quite how large an impact attracting and retaining such staff can have on future success. Here are some of the key steps to consider when deciding how to deal with high performers: Identification One way to start is by asking senior executives a few simple questions. For example, if you had to start from scratch, would you rehire all the same employees? If not, why not? If you could keep only 10 per cent of the existing workforce, who would you choose and why? Make them part of the 'A' team Are you giving responsibility to the same inner circle every time? Instead of doing that, look for opportunities to get your high performers more involved. Put them in charge of a product development initiative, test them on a mergers and acquisitions programme, or offer them a regional role. Set tight deadlines and high targets, but allow space and emphasise accountability. Give them a voice Ask for opinions and ideas on how to improve operations and overall business performance. Even consider inviting them to attend shareholder and investor meetings so they can develop a broader perspective, and put them in touch with each other. Don't forget to tap into the ideas of new recruits, junior employees and those geographically distant from head office. Sharpen performance Use carefully planned "real" projects to train and coach them. Create opportunities for polishing presentation skills and gaining self-confidence, perhaps by getting them involved in roadshows or public relations programmes. Create a programme to identify your high performers and drive their achievements Build a culture which values performance Communicate openly and frequently about the company's goals and make sure all staff are aware of your corporate values. Create a sense of belonging and inspire employees to understand the bigger role of the organisation. Tirelessly recruit the best people Identify recruits with the traits of high performers and remember that such people almost always stand out from the crowd. This will also be the first step towards succession planning. When recruiting, be sure to ask applicants about their achievements at their previous place of work. Reward generously Explain the importance of individual contributions to the performance of the whole organisation. Then link performance to total compensation. Differentiate between the best and the not so good, and try to allow for uncapped earning potential as a source of further motivation. Case study The visionary leader of a US-listed Hong Kong-based garment manufacturer is planning ahead and is conducting an exercise to identify the high performers who may eventually take over. These latter three are the sales directors for two very profitable product lines and a manager in charge of manufacturing. The two directors have consistently driven sales revenue higher, supporting the company's transformation from small to large-scale manufacturer. Crucial selection criteria have been set in line with the structure of the business. Since manufacturing can be outsourced, while sales must be in-house, the high performers in sales are nominated as successors. To ensure things will go well, the leader decided to map out with the HR director a programme for high performers designed to put them in charge of a new product line and increase their exposure. This made it possible for HR to assess their performance objectively, while the rest of the organisation came to know them better. The company understands that high performers will be looking for a sense of purpose and a belief in the broader benefits of what they are doing. Therefore, they should set before them an inspiring vision of what can be achieved. You can start developing a high performance culture immediately. Start by identifying your best people, value their feedback and opinions, and give them challenging assignments. Next, look at your compensation policy and make sure performance is related to pay. These initial steps can be taken easily and go a long way proving that you regard people as your greatest asset. Eight steps to creating a programme for high performers 1. Ensure clarity of communications about corporate goals 2. Identify key strategies and tactics and let them work on priority projects 3. Establish a dedicated high performer programme 4. Create and execute a parallel evaluation process 5. Develop a special recruitment and training programme 6. Link compensation more directly with performance 7. Set up new internal measure of excellence 8. Coach, move or terminate low performers, especially those at management level Disclaimer: The information contained herein is of a general nature and not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Appropriate professional advice should be sought to examine any particular situation. Taken from Career Times 17 June 2005, p. 16 Your comments are welcome at [email protected]