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Goodbye Performance Reviews – Hello 90 Day Career Investment Guide

  • Dec 16, 2022
  • 4 min read

Updated: Aug 12, 2024

Written by: Simon T. Bailey, Executive Contributor

Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.

Hello O’ Brilliant One, today I am going to get on my soapbox and invite you to shift your thinking about how men and women are evaluated for their performance in business. In light of the great resignation or great reset, employers can no longer hold onto pre-pandemic ways for measuring performance.

Team with hands together holding plant.

Performance development plans have long been in use in organizations. They serve as important tools for managers to evaluate the performance of their subordinates or employees in general and provide an efficient way of encouraging staff to keep aiming higher in terms of their productivity and output.


However, as companies face new environmental and competitive challenges in retaining talent, conventional performance development plans are a thing of the past. Did you know that Accenture announced in Washington Post (http://ow.ly/TCPeq) that they are getting rid of performance reviews and rankings. They are not alone in believing that it’s time for a change. According to Deloitte, “Only 8% of companies in our survey report their performance management process drives high levels of value, while 58% say it is not an effective use of time”.


Better ways to implement a performance measurement system that best caters to the needs and challenges of their employees are the need of the day, and that’s where the 90 day career investment guide comes in. I have been sharing this with audiences for the last four years and just realized that I need to pass it onto you.


What is the 90 day career investment guide?

The 90 day career investment guide, also known as the 90 day performance management plan, is a tool that can be used by managers to engage, motivate, and empower employees over a 90 day period. It involves setting performance targets as well as fostering a set of best practices and organizational culture devoted to enriching the productivity of employees.


What are the benefits?


Benefits to employees

For employees, the 90 day period is a sufficient amount of time for them to improve their work practices, embrace demands, and rise to challenges. The same cannot be said of mid-year performance reviews, where everyone is scratching their head to remember the overall contribution to the organization.

Secondly, the 90 day career investment guide provides employees an important checkpoint for them to evaluate their own strengths and opportunities and be reminded early on the areas upon which they need to work the most. This allows them to make the necessary improvements for them to qualify for the periodic merit increase.


Furthermore, employees are afforded the room to clear any uncertainties that might linger on their minds and also enquire about any expectations and commitments that might be required from them by their managers.


In the 90 day performance review, employees are given a forum for discussion with their managers in a frank and open setting.


Benefits to managers

For managers, the plan provides them the clarity and proper direction on how to cultivate the best in their employees and how to gauge their productivity to meet organizational goals. It is also likely that organizations may implement performance review plans and yet the outcomes of the plan fail to link strategically to the organizational goals and objectives.


Most importantly, the 90 day review effectively develops an optimal manager-employee relationship based upon mutual trust and in a professional manner. The employee knows that upon meeting the goals of the review, he or she will be rewarded by their manager or employer and the employer expects the employee to work hard and deliver as per the agreement laid out in the review.


Simply put, the 90 day career investment guide serves an important mechanism for managers to cultivate the best out of their employees and direct them to meet the wider organizational goals and objectives.

Will you join me on this soapbox and partner with your human resources department and organizational development team to consider the 90 Day Career Investment Guide? I believe this could have a positive impact on the future growth of your business.


I think performance reviews are awesome. I still have mine from twenty-five years ago when I worked at Walt Disney World Resort. However, it has a few coffee stains on it and has turned yellow in some parts. It’s time to evolve.


Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info!


Simon T. Bailey, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine

SUCCESS magazine calls Simon T. Bailey one of the top 25 people who will help you reach your business and life goals. He joins a list that includes Oprah Winfrey, Brene Brown, and Tony Robbins. Washington Speakers Bureau recognized him as one of the 12 business speakers who emboldened audiences to think big and lead with purpose. Simon was the first Black American sales director for the Disney Institute based at Walt Disney World Resort. Since leaving Disney, he has served more than 2,100 organizations in 50 countries. His three LinkedIn Learning courses have been viewed by 250,000 individuals in 100 countries. He’s also written 10 books and has one of the 100 most-read motivational and successful blogs.

 
 

This article is published in collaboration with Brainz Magazine’s network of global experts, carefully selected to share real, valuable insights.

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