HR Tech Wrap Up

Getting ready to pack up and head back to the office after several great days here at the HRTechnology Conference and Expo.

As always, attendees were treated to some truly thought-provoking presentations including a lively panel discussion moderated by David Gergen about how data and analytics will shape the workplace. And, as always, I met some extremely dedicated HR professionals who were interested in discussing my favorite topic, the state of performance management.

Being that we’re here in Sin City, however, I also happened to see some pretty crazy behavior when the nightlife got underway, the kind of behavior that made me look the other way. Thankfully, none of these shenanigans took place at the event itself! But now I fully understand why they created the slogan, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.”

It struck me that I’m not usually in the business of looking the other way, and neither are the people I spoke with at the conference. We’re performance management and HR professionals. It’s our job to pay attention to behavior—to recognize and reward good behaviors in our employees … to offer counsel and feedback when we see the wrong behaviors … and to develop and instill the right behaviors throughout our workforces by modeling desired behavior ourselves.

Of course, I’m using the term “behavior” in a pretty large sense here and I’m mostly referring to performance-related behaviors, the kind that make individuals either effective or ineffective in their roles. Still, the whole behavior issue got me to thinking that this is one more reason performance reviews are more necessary and valuable than ever—provided they’re conducted well.

At one point during the conference, I was asked whether performance reviews are here to stay or whether they’re dying out. I said that performance reviews, in one form or another, will always be around for a whole host of good reasons. But I’ll add a caveat here. I certainly don’t want those traditional, once-a-year, paint-by-numbers reviews to stick around. As we’ve said in the past, they’re not much good to anybody.

The good news is … the performance review revolution has begun! I’ve seen firsthand how more and more employers are updating and improving their review process. (Read a few of our recent case studies to see for yourself.) When I think of the progress they’re making, I want to do backflips and jump for joy.

But that kind of behavior tends to draw attention—unless you’re in Vegas.

From the Floor at HR Tech …

 The hustle and bustle of the HR Technology Conference and Expo are in full swing in Las Vegas! And despite the famous slogan, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” I want to tell you about a subject that a surprising number of HR professionals here have raised with me.

That subject is … more frequent and streamlined performance reviews.

These conversations have been music to my ears! As you know if you read this blog with any regularity, we’ve been writing about the benefits of holding more frequent and informal reviews for quite some time. (If you’re interested, you can read “The Case for More Frequent Performance Reviews,” “The Art of Effective Performance Reviews,” and “Heed These 5 Performance Management Realities—Before It’s Too Late!” for more about the topic.)

The type of review we’ve been advocating increasingly is conversational in nature, less geared toward “criticism” or “critique,” and intended to either supplement or replace the traditional annual review (we prefer supplement). We’ve been recommending that managers hold meetings with their reports at least quarterly, if not even more frequently. And we’ve been stressing that managers should focus on asking just a few very simple and direct questions during these meetings—questions such as:

·      What have you accomplished since the last time we spoke, and what do you intend to accomplish in the next two or three months?
·         What are the main challenges you face in doing your job?
·         How can I help you overcome these challenges and clear roadblocks you’re facing?

With so many HR pros actually seeking me out at this conference to discuss revamping their performance review process, I’m more certain than ever that our cloud-based technology can be a catalyst for real change. It not only helps companies streamline their review process but it also gives their managers the tools they need to guide and track these discussions more effectively.

Given the urgency I’m sensing in these conversations, there’s no way that what’s happening in Vegas is going to stay here! In fact, I’m sure these conversations are going to continue long after we all get home.

Reviewsnap Will Launch First Performance Management Mobile Application at the HR Technology Conference

Reviewsnap, the leading cloud-based performance management software solution, is pleased to announce that it will unveil its new performance management mobile application at this year's HR Technology Conference on October 7th and 8th in Las Vegas. The development of the application came in response to widespread feedback from the company's global client base.

According to Reviewsnap President Dave Arringdale, "We recognize and appreciate that our users have a host of technologies at their fingertips and they want the ability to address their performance management processes while on the go. Our new mobile application will give them access to all of the key performance management tools available within our Web-based solution without having to log on to a laptop or PC."

The application will allow for access from any mobile device, including all iOS, Android, Windows, and Blackberry devices, with internet access. Clients will have the ability to create journal entry feedback on employees, complete performance reviews, participate in 360 degree surveys, manage goals/objectives, and electronically sign-off on reviews. "This application provides further evidence of our commitment to listening and responding to our clients' needs," Arringdale said.

HR Tech a Big Success

ReviewSNAP once again was an exhibitor at this year's HR Technology Conference and Exhibition in Las Vegas. We had the opportunity to talk with many of the attendees to learn more about their performance management needs and to share information about how ReviewSNAP can streamline and automate their performance management processes.

Those who stopped by commented on how impressive the system was and how well it appeared to fit their specific needs. Follow up is taking place with these folks to provide more complete live online demos. We very much appreciate the fact that so many stopped by to say hello and to learn more about us and to share information about their organizations.

With some fairly large enhancements and additions recently added or coming before the end of 2011, the system continues to solidify its position as a leading web-based performance management system. For example, we will be unveiling a new learning content enhancement in December of this year that will offer robust training and development features. Stay tuned for upcoming news about the specifics of this exciting development.

Once again, thanks to everyone who took the time to stop by to say hello. We look forward to working with you in the future.

Visit ReviewSNAP at HR Tech Conference

ReviewSNAP will be exhibiting at the HR Technology Conference from Monday October 3rd through Tuesday October 4th at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas at booth #1051. The company will be unveiling several new enhancements at the conference and will be previewing an upcoming enhancement focused on benefits-based performance management, ReviewSNAP's proprietary tool for taking performance reviews to a higher level of effectiveness.

ReviewSNAP is the only performance management system to bundle fully automated, web-based performance review, 360 degree feedback and compensation tracking modules into one robust and easy to implement solution. Clients range from small organizations to large multi-national firms. The system is designed to work well in organizations of all sizes and types and is affordable to even very small organizations.

The company's philosophy of listening closely to its subscriber organizations has helped it create an acclaimed system that very much meets the needs of its current and prospective client base. Ongoing enhancements are generally defined by soliciting feedback from current and prospective customers. ReviewSNAP is very unique in the HR software industry in that respect and the company feels strongly that a software provider must develop systems that work well for each of its user organizations regardless of their specific culture or needs.

At the HR Technology Conference, ReviewSNAP's industry leading ad-hoc reporting tool will be showcased along with the various features of this powerful and user-friendly system. The ad-hoc reporting tool is designed to allow users to query their respective data in a multitude of ways and to create and distribute reports and graphs that identify important trends about performance management within their organizations. Reports can be generated at each critical level within the organization.

There will be plenty to see and talk about so please stop by to visit us at the conference. And you can sign up for a chance to win a $250 American Express gift card. It you can't make the conference, give us a call at 1-800-516-5849 to schedule a "live" online demo of the system. We will never pressure you to buy anything. Why? Because we believe the system and our level of service speak for themselves. We look forward to visiting with you whether at the conference or by phone.

Thank You!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to say hi during the recent HR Technology Conference in Chicago and the HR Southwest Conference in Fort Worth. We enjoyed meeting you and look forward to working with you in the future. The response was outstanding and many of you have already scheduled your demo and/or have subscribed. Thank you!

If you didn't have a chance to visit us at these conferences, give us a call at 800-516-5849 to schedule your "live" online demo of the ReviewSNAP performance management system.