The employee is then more enclosed in a box

Reduce budgets, streamline procurement, automate functions. To increase their productivity, companies are on all fronts, including the quantitative assessment of the performance of their employees. But human resources, all the indicators are not relevant and employees often have difficulty to be reduced to a simple equation. "Measuring excess is harmful when it isolated people and dissuades them to work as a team, in the long term," said Alain Vellard, responsible for a centre of R & D France Telecom (600 employees). And this, regardless of the size of the company. "Of course, be a measurement tool, but the worst is when employees feel fliqués, lose any spirit of initiative, and do what they need to do, said Christophe Blanchot, Manager of the company Yziact (8 employees, 250,000 euros of turnover), which develops and provides network security solutions." When the box is too narrow, person is encouraged to take risks, and therefore person takes a client requesting a quote if this is not exactly in its responsibilities. Or the commercial because he fights on a big deal, or technician, because it is commercial. There is the loser loser. "In this case, the employees are exactly what is expected of them, but not more and not better.

Perverse effects

The sector most affected by the excesses of the cult of performance remains supply chains. The rate of transformation (difference between the number of visitors and the number of clients) is the most important indicator. In certain signs, especially Gap or H & M, the turnover in the day is announced every morning to "motivate" vendors. A pressure that some may find sound and effective, but which also has its perverse effects: grow the client to purchase even without real need, rush the consulting phase to soon finalize a sale, and especially to transform his employees in good little soldiers to herd behaviour without any creativity.

In human resources, the high point of this evaluation of the performance, it is the annual maintenance between the employee and his superior. The "perf review" (performance review), such that it has been adopted in many companies, describes the goals of the coming year and noted the employee for the year based on various criteria: the volume of sales to the commercial, the number of patents filed for a team of R & D, indices of satisfaction obtained in client surveys, sometimes combined with the benefit of the companyat the local or global level. It is on this basis that the training will be granted, and, especially, the bonus calculated.

A real frustration

A mechanical well-oiled on paper, but not always effective in reality, as a representative CFE - CGC SWW (national Union of Telecom) national Trade Union Council. "First, only 60 or 65 of the"perf review"are signed and sent to HRD. In other cases, the employee ignores his note and not the discovers that at the time of payment of the bonus. Then, it is totally subjective: the superior will be more or less demanding following its own relationship with the employee either following the requirements of its own. Finally, the system is ideal for two categories of persons. The RMO, on the one hand, who know perfectly get their heads of modest objectives below what they could achieve. Those who deal in the air, on the other hand, which sign to make pleasure to their leaders, but then, explain in detail, that the objectives set could not, in fact, not be achieved, but that others, not provided for, on the other hand, they have been. "Conclusion: the system serve, indirectly, a good half of those who signed the"perf review"and apply to actually fulfill their objectives. A real puzzle for the HRD, and a real frustration for lots of employees.

The satisfaction of the client

Some companies even went further: beyond the rating they have introduced a quota system that determines the number of people to try non-performing. The method is signed Jack Welch, General Electric ex-PDG. In the United States, she has emulate and also quite rise to disappointments. In France even, IBM made back in 2002 before the outrage caused by this system of "forced ranking". A very effective way to create rivalries and divisions between its employees, but step necessarily to make them more productive and creative.

At the time, companies began reviewing their indicators of performance and to better take into account the context in which they evolve: a market in full expansion, it will be easy to achieve sales volumes; However, as soon as the application saturated, same low turnover growth is already a performance. Finally, the very structure of the teams account: according to their experience, their seniority and their potential for development, the objectives will be different. For some, the ultimate test of the performance measurement will be the satisfaction of the client. It has the advantage of free initiatives of employees. The American company Progressive Insurance (car) well understood, that, as early as 1990, hurried its experts on the place of the accident, with the greater freedom to then estimate the appropriate compensation. After a car accident suffered by insured family, the parents being both deceased, the expert thus decided to send immediately, the two children to their grandparents in aircraft. "In this case, explains Emmanuel Kampouris, ex-PDG American Standard (between 1989 and 1999), Group global leader in the manufacture of sanitary equipment, the target set by the employer was clear: give satisfaction to the customer within nine hours of the accident." The employee is then more enclosed in a box. "The balance sheet, explains the ex-PDG, now consultant in Organization (KSM Associates), it is the sinister premiums ratio rises in Progressive 96, against 102 on average in the sector (they are then the income of the insurer that restore financial balance). For him, a vision with 360 can be proven, through an approach truly focused on the business trades.

"Subjective assessment.

As explains Francis Rousseau, President and CEO of the firm organization Eurogroup, "evaluation of employees should not be exclusively related to numbers." Subjective assessment, if it sticks to the culture of the company, was almost as valuable as the objective measurement of performance. If someone does not say hello while everyone else does, it is important to consider. "The suitability culture is essential."

Important, therefore, to define the right tools, keeping in mind the purpose: "the pattern is a little doctor: what is important is the temperature of the patient and not the thermometer", exclaimed Jean-Luc Placet, President and CEO of the firm management IHRD. And if, in particular, it had to begin by managers who choose the remedy "They are judged on results or course scholarship, their remuneration is attached", said Francis Rousseau. How, then, wait for a leader the wisdom to think otherwise "When the leaders note, they have the power.". However, it is not power they need, but authority: this requires that they accept their responsibility.

"The head must commit".

To the extent of the performance, in fact, it is only in the transaction: "you have given me, so I give unto you." However, that employees give the full extent of their own, better in the relational. "I'm looking to put in the position to have desire to achieve their goals, says Alain Vellard." On the ground, the head must be clear, transparent, engaging, and set an example to generate a climate of confidence. The figures, the quantity, it is the icing on the cake. "Freeze the relational by evaluation, believe in addition in the sustainability of this assessment is put in danger. Welcome then to the fluid world of Paradox, where a manager must be able both to press lemon of the employees, and to dream...