{"id":21366,"date":"2024-06-06T15:24:08","date_gmt":"2024-06-06T12:24:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/?p=21366"},"modified":"2026-03-02T10:26:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T08:26:06","slug":"performance-management-process","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/","title":{"rendered":"The Performance Management Process Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-start=\"674\" data-end=\"911\">Performance management is how companies align employee goals with business priorities. It\u2019s all about identifying them, creating actionable plans, supporting the process, and rewarding achievements. When done right, <strong>your employees turn into top performers,<\/strong> and your business gets a boost in many areas.<\/p>\n<div class=\"comparison-box comparison-box--bullet\" style=\"background: #F3F5F7; border-color: #002C62;\"><h5>TL;DR<\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Performance management<\/strong> is an ongoing process that helps employees improve performance while supporting business goals.<\/li>\n<li>It focuses on <strong>clear goals, regular feedback, coaching, and development<\/strong>, not just annual reviews.<\/li>\n<li>The performance management process follows a continuous cycle: <strong>planning, monitoring, reviewing, and recognizing performance.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>When done well, it improves employee engagement, supports career development, and drives better business results.<\/li>\n<li>The most effective performance management systems rely <strong>on consistent expectations, trained managers, and the right tools.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2>What is performance management?<\/h2>\n<p>Performance management is a series of processes designed to guide an employee\u2019s performance in the workplace.<\/p>\n<p>During the performance management process, the <strong>employee and manager work together<\/strong> to set goals and plan how to meet them. The employee then executes the plan while the manager guides and evaluates them.<\/p>\n<p>An effective performance management process isn\u2019t simply an annual appraisal system. Rather it\u2019s an ongoing collaborative process designed to improve individual and organizational performance. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/capabilities\/people-and-organizational-performance\/our-insights\/harnessing-the-power-of-performance-management\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Research by McKinsey<\/a> says companies with good performance management systems do almost three times better than others in their industry.<\/p>\n<h3>What is the performance management process?<\/h3>\n<p>The performance management process follows four key steps: planning, monitoring, reviewing, and recognising. These steps form a continuous cycle known as the performance management cycle.<\/p>\n<p>Strategic and systematic, the performance management process incorporates both verbal and written components that occur throughout the year.<\/p>\n<p>While the performance management process is cyclical, in practice, it has four actionable \u2018solutions\/outcomes\u2019:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Coaching:<\/strong> is when the manager gives an employee guidance on how to perform better.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Rewarding:<\/strong> is a way of giving your employees recognition or some other tangible reward for a good performance improvement.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Corrective action:<\/strong> is all about improving poor performance, sometimes with consequences (for example, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-improvement-plan-template\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a performance improvement plan<\/a><\/strong>).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Termination:<\/strong> happens when there\u2019s been zero or very little improvement from an employee.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Performance management goals<\/h2>\n<p>The purpose of the performance management process is to help employees gain the skills they need to do their jobs well and reach their goals. Successfully doing so also contributes to achieving the respective business goals.<\/p>\n<p>One way to envision this is through sales. If your sales team hits its performance management goals and closes more deals per month, then the company earns more revenue.<\/p>\n<p>However, some information shows businesses and employees aren\u2019t fully using this process. According to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/2022-PESurvey-Report.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Betterworks survey<\/a>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>21% of workers have annual goals that are never revisited, and 16% don\u2019t establish any goals at all.<\/li>\n<li>One-third of workers don\u2019t meet with their manager or get feedback more than twice a year.<\/li>\n<li>One in ten employees claim they rarely or never receive feedback on work and progress toward goals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For the performance management process to be effective, <strong>you need to do more than help set expectations<\/strong>\u2014you need to execute.<\/p>\n<p>Performance management goals should help establish clear performance expectations for employees. They should also highlight what they can achieve by meeting these goals, such as compensation, rewards, or promotions.<\/p>\n<h2>Why is employee performance management important?<\/h2>\n<p>An effective performance management process offers numerous advantages to all. Here are some of the key reasons why investing time in managing employee performance pays off:<\/p>\n<h3>Boosts employee engagement and motivation<\/h3>\n<p>Managers can use ongoing feedback in 1:1s and performance reviews to motivate and engage employees.<\/p>\n<p>One way to do this is to help your employees understand how their work fits into the company\u2019s goals.<\/p>\n<div class=\"comparison-box comparison-box--bullet\" style=\"background: #F3F5F7; border-color: #002C62;\"><h5>For example<\/h5>\nLet\u2019s imagine one of your writers is getting really high SEO scores on Google. Because of this, a lot of people are visiting your website. You can use this opportunity to give that employee feedback and tell them how they are helping the whole business. Thus instilling a sense of purpose within the writer that helps drive positive engagement.<br>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, offering constructive feedback is a great way to address areas for growth in a positive yet impactful way. Approach these discussions collaboratively\u2014it\u2019s not a monologue. Offer guidance, discuss growth potential and set relevant milestones. This provides clarity and further <strong>motivates employees to continuously improve<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The key here is to find a balance between positive and constuctive feedback. Don\u2019t only focus on where your employees fall short. It\u2019s also important to recognize effort and celebrate achievements to further motivate employee performance.<\/p>\n<h3>Supports career development<\/h3>\n<p>Career development is a framework to help guide an employee to reach their ideal job.<\/p>\n<p>You can infuse your performance management process with <strong>career development strategies<\/strong> or implement them side-by-side.<\/p>\n<p>An example of this is to use performance evaluations to help you identify employee strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations. Then, using that knowledge\/data, plan how to support their career development.<\/p>\n<p>Giving feedback on evaluations is another way to use both practices. During evaluations, managers can ask employees development questions. These questions help managers better comprehend employee needs and aspirations. Managers can then advise them on building the right skills to achieve them.<\/p>\n<p>A robust career development program can also help you attract and retain top talent. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/research\/learning-development-trends\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forty-one percentof employees<\/a><\/strong> say that training is a determining factor in whether they stay or leave their jobs.<\/p>\n<p>Making career development part of your performance management process can even help you \u200cretain top talent. Employees want opportunities for development, and 76% are ready to stick around with a company that gives them that.<\/p>\n<h3>Identifies training needs<\/h3>\n<p>Ongoing discussions during the performance management process are the best way for managers and employees to pinpoint development needs.<\/p>\n<p>Annual reviews, 360-degree feedback, and 1:1 meetings all help to identify skills or knowledge gaps. Once identified, the manager can tailor or modify learning and development programs.<\/p>\n<p>There are a number of ways to do that, one being through <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/solutions\/employee-training-software\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">employee training software<\/a><\/strong>. You can use <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/talentcraft\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">AI features<\/a><\/strong> to customize course content and create personalized learning paths to help your employees develop the careers they want.<\/p>\n<div class=\"cta-banner\"><div class=\"cta-banner__left\"><h5>Tailor training to address your team's needs.<\/h5><p>Achieve employee performance success with TalentLMS. The training platform that users consistently rank #1.<\/p><a class=\"btn btn-info\" href=\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/create\/aff:blog\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Get started free\">Get started free<\/a><\/div><div class=\"cta-banner__right\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1194\" height=\"948\" src=\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/platform-talentlms.webp\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"TalentLMS platform\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/platform-talentlms.webp 1194w, https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/platform-talentlms-300x238.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/platform-talentlms-1024x813.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/platform-talentlms-768x610.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1194px) 100vw, 1194px\"><\/div><\/div>\n<h3>Enables data-driven decisions<\/h3>\n<p>Many modern tools are available that you can use to gather data on your employees and their performance. A good LMS will have <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/features\/lms-reporting\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">reporting functionality<\/a><\/strong> linked to training and development built into the platform. Use this to source real-time data on individual employees\u2019 L&amp;D progress and commitment.<\/p>\n<p>Performance data makes it easier for managers to make fair, objective evaluations about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.talenthr.io\/platform\/employee-performance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>employee performance<\/strong><\/a> and make informed decisions about next steps.<\/p>\n<h3>Drives business results<\/h3>\n<p>An effective performance management system directly ties employee goals to business objectives. When a team and a business align, they form an almost symbiotic relationship where they both grow together because of each other.<\/p>\n<h2>What is a performance management cycle?<\/h2>\n<p>The performance management cycle is a framework that guides employee development and manager support.<\/p>\n<p>Although the specific steps may differ, most companies follow a four-stage employee performance management cycle. These all typically follow a similar logical sequence of phases:<\/p>\n<h3>The four steps of the performance management process<\/h3>\n<p>Before we go into each step, it\u2019s important to note that the phases of the performance management process don\u2019t occur independently. They aren\u2019t sequential steps that occur in a vacuum.<\/p>\n<p>Rather, these stages naturally <strong>intersect and influence one another<\/strong>. For example, when things change, performance plans should also change. And feedback shouldn\u2019t just happen at certain times.<\/p>\n<p>These stages serve as a guide to help you create your own effective performance management process.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23852\" src=\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/PMC-1.png\" alt=\"The performance management cycle\" width=\"2200\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/PMC-1.png 2200w, https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/PMC-1-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/PMC-1-1024x559.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/PMC-1-768x419.png 768w, https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/PMC-1-1536x838.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/PMC-1-2048x1117.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2200px) 100vw, 2200px\">Now, let\u2019s explore each step in more depth.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 1. Planning and goal setting<\/h3>\n<p>Step one of a performance management program is planning and goal-setting. Managers help employees set realistic, yet challenging goals that align with the company\u2019s strategy.<\/p>\n<p>Planning also involves setting clear responsibilities, and expectations for the upcoming performance period.<\/p>\n<p>Managers and employees might also identify development areas to focus on. In the planning stage, the manager and employee work together to decide how the employee\u2019s performance will be measured and to plan how to get there.<\/p>\n<p>When setting goals, managers should provide context on company strategy and priorities. Then, they can define meaningful goals together. These should include <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/tips-set-realistic-training-objectives\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">realistic training objectives<\/a><\/strong> that are both personal and organizational objectives.<\/p>\n<p>The performance criteria should be structured as SMART goals:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Specific.<\/strong> Goals should have clearly defined desired outcomes.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Measurable.<\/strong> Include quantifiable targets and KPIs to track progress.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Achievable.<\/strong> Goals should stretch capabilities but still be realistic and attainable.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Relevant.<\/strong> Goals must align with organizational strategy and priorities.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Time-bound.<\/strong> Deadlines create accountability and prompt action.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"comparison-box comparison-box--bullet\" style=\"background: #F3F5F7; border-color: #002C62;\"><h5>For example<\/h5>\n<p>An example SMART goal would be \u201cImprove operational efficiency by 10% by the end of July 2025.\u201d This goal has a specific and measurable outcome tied back to company goals and can be achieved by a specific end date.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Once the goals or strategic objectives have been set, the employee and manager devise a career development plan for the specified time frame. They should include the skills, knowledge, job responsibilities, and behaviors an employee needs to develop to enhance performance and achieve the performance goals.<\/p>\n<div class=\"comparison-box comparison-box--bullet\" style=\"background: #F3F5F7; border-color: #002C62;\"><h5>For example<\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li>If an employee needs to create a detailed analysis of product performance for the previous year, they may require training with a tool.<\/li>\n<li>If a goal is to improve employee performance as regards time management gaps, the employee may need to commit to strategies for achieving this.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In addition to outlining strategies for future growth, the development plan must include SMART personal and organizational goals.<\/p>\n<p>At the end of the planning stage, the manager and employee should also have an agreement about the rewards for achieving the goals.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 2. Execution and monitoring<\/h3>\n<p>The second phase is often called \u201cmonitoring.\u201d During this phase, the employee works towards the goals set during planning. Their managers monitor their progress and give feedback, training or coaching. This helps <strong>align activities with goals<\/strong> and to solve any performance gaps or obstacles that arise.<\/p>\n<p>At its most basic, this is the time when employees do their jobs and managers track their work. However, the manager also has many responsibilities to handle during this phase.<\/p>\n<p>One managerial responsibility is to ensure that employees have the help and tools they need to execute the plan.<\/p>\n<p>Performance managment isn\u2019t a one-off activity. It\u2019s an ongoing process. Which is why another duty of the performance management process is to have regular check-ins with employees, ideally every two weeks or every month. It helps to anticipate potential issues before they become major problems.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 3. Reviewing and feedback<\/h3>\n<p>One of the more traditional performance management systems, performance reviews are where managers and employees should have insightful, productive conversations. Typically, these discussions revolve around individual and team performance, development, and career aspirations.<\/p>\n<p>Formal performance reviews happen at specific intervals, usually once or twice per year. This includes self-evaluations, manager reviews, and feedback.<\/p>\n<p>Progress is tracked based on agreed goals. If needed, new development plans are made, or existing ones are changed.<\/p>\n<p>Some <strong>best practices for insightful performance<\/strong> <strong>reviews<\/strong> include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Setting the tone to be a two-way dialogue, not a top-down review.<\/li>\n<li>Discussing opportunities and training that can help the employee develop and grow in their role.<\/li>\n<li>Providing balanced feedback on strengths and areas needing improvement.<\/li>\n<li>Drafting an action plan for development areas.<\/li>\n<li>Following up regularly after the review to check progress on development goals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Step 4. Recognition and rewards<\/h3>\n<p>If an employee consistently meets and exceeds their goals, they should be rewarded. Based on regular reviews and performance tracking, top performers may receive rewards such as pay increases, bonuses, or promotions.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, employees are more likely to engaged when they receive recognition for their efforts. Therefore, for companies to effectively implement a performance management process as a strategic approach, the final step must include <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/library\/recognition-and-reward\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">meaningful recognition<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Rewards work well when tightly aligned with actual performance and contributions. When there\u2019s a clear correlation between performance and rewards over time, it spurs continuous achievement.<\/p>\n<p>There are two types of rewards to consider:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Monetary rewards like bonuses and raises show employees that their efforts are valued in tangible ways.<\/li>\n<li>Non-monetary rewards like extra vacation time, special assignments, public recognition, and development opportunities also help \u200cmotivate employees.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Offering rewards publicly can sometimes add more meaning to achievements. Public recognition also helps reinforce <strong>what success looks like<\/strong>, while praise from leaders in visible ways emphasizes pride in a job well done.<\/p>\n<p>At the other end of the scale, those who underperform may undergo constructive action such as being placed on performance improvement plans, while those who are consistently underperforming may face termination.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RoX9XL-V-Y4?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;fs=1&amp;hl=en-US&amp;autohide=2&amp;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>TalentLibrary \u2013 Skills that matter, courses that deliver<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">With TalentLibrary, you set the foundation for a strong, aligned workforce\u2014soft skills, compliance, and workplace essentials, from day one (<em>and beyond<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"btn btn-info\" href=\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/library\/aff:blog\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Discover TalentLibrary\">Discover TalentLibrary<\/a>\n<\/p><h2>Performance management process best practices<\/h2>\n<p>Performance management isn\u2019t a one-size-fits-all solution. It\u2019s going to take some trial and error to get it right.<\/p>\n<p>In 2020, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gartner.com\/smarterwithgartner\/3-steps-performance-management-delivers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">87% of HR leaders<\/a> planned to change their performance review process. This suggests that <strong>almost everyone felt they could improve<\/strong> their current methods.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some tips to help you maximize the effectiveness of your performance management strategy from the beginning:<\/p>\n<h3>Be consistent<\/h3>\n<p>Managers should establish clear standards for performance and evaluation from the start and stick to them.<\/p>\n<p>When performance expectations are inconsistent or frequently changing, employees can become frustrated and unmotivated. They need <strong>stable goals<\/strong> to work towards.<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, the criteria used to evaluate performance should uniformly apply across teams. You\u2019ll want to avoid bias from creeping in and spoiling their performance.<\/p>\n<h3>Don\u2019t make goals your only performance rating<\/h3>\n<p>Goals indicate what someone accomplished, but not how they accomplished it. Beyond goal achievement, there are many other factors that contribute to strong performance.<\/p>\n<p>For a fair and meaningful review, it\u2019s best to look at <strong>skills, behaviors, and competencies<\/strong> they showed throughout the period.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to goals, incorporate ratings on:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Key skills and competencies<\/li>\n<li>Ownership of company values<\/li>\n<li>Personal brand<\/li>\n<li>Quality of work<\/li>\n<li>Impact on team or company<\/li>\n<li>Growth and development<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Train managers on delivering feedback<\/h3>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/library\/giving-effective-feedback\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Giving constructive feedback<\/a><\/strong> is not something we are taught at school or college. It\u2019s a skill that requires training and practice.<\/p>\n<p>Training managers on how to give feedback is going to help the whole process go a lot smoother.<\/p>\n<p>Formal training can introduce managers to proven frameworks for delivering feedback. The situation-behavior-impact (SBI) model is one simple but powerful approach. With SBI, the manager describes the situation, outlines the employee\u2019s behavior or action in that context, and explains the impact of that behavior.<\/p>\n<p>Developing strong feedback abilities ultimately leads to more motivated, higher-performing teams.<\/p>\n<h3>Use technology<\/h3>\n<p>Many HR systems come with performance management tools and programs. Plus, most of them offer <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/integrations\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">integrations with your company LMS<\/a><\/strong> to make it easier to track and monitor training progress.<\/p>\n<p>Using performance management software enables consistency, transparency, and efficiency in performance management. Automated systems can:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>standardize the performance management process<\/li>\n<li>show goals and metrics<\/li>\n<li>generate useful performance analytics<\/li>\n<li>centralize the performance appraisal<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>However, technology should complement human interaction, not replace it entirely.<\/p>\n<h2>Success in the performance management process<\/h2>\n<p>Continuous performance management based on feedback is the key to <strong>getting the most out of your performance management process<\/strong>. After each review cycle, check in with employees and managers to identify what\u2019s working well and what isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n<p>Look for patterns in the feedback to pinpoint areas for improvement. For example, if multiple employees say they want more guidance around goal-setting, update your materials and training to provide clearer instructions. Or if managers report lacking time for frequent check-ins, adjust schedules to build in dedicated time.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t let the performance management process stay static. Refine it periodically to optimize for your changing organizational needs.<\/p>\n<p>With engaged, developed employees all rowing in the same direction, organizations can smash goals and accelerate success.<\/p>\n<h2>Common performance management mistakes to avoid<\/h2>\n<p>Even well-designed performance management processes fail when execution breaks down. Some of the most common mistakes include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Treating performance management as an annual event instead of an ongoing process.<\/li>\n<li>Setting goals once and never revisiting them as priorities change.<\/li>\n<li>Avoiding difficult feedback conversations until problems escalate.<\/li>\n<li>Measuring performance based only on outcomes, not behaviors or skills.<\/li>\n<li>Failing to train managers on how to give clear, constructive feedback.<\/li>\n<li>Avoiding these mistakes helps create a performance management process that is consistent, fair, and focused on continuous improvement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>FAQs<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><div class=\"faq-wrapper\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><details class=\"faq-item\" open=\"true\"><summary><strong>1. How is performance management different from a performance review?<\/strong><\/summary><div class=\"faq-answer\"><p>Performance management is an ongoing process focused on goal setting, feedback, and development. A performance review is a formal evaluation that happens once or twice a year and is only one part of performance management.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/details><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><details class=\"faq-item\" open=\"true\"><summary><strong>2. How often should performance check-ins and feedback happen?<\/strong><\/summary><div class=\"faq-answer\"><p>Performance check-ins should happen every two to four weeks. Formal performance reviews usually happen once or twice a year, but regular check-ins are what keep performance on track.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/details><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><details class=\"faq-item\" open=\"true\"><summary><strong>3. What happens when an employee consistently underperforms?<\/strong><\/summary><div class=\"faq-answer\"><p>Consistent underperformance is first addressed through feedback, coaching, and support. If performance does not improve, corrective actions such as a performance improvement plan may follow, with termination as a last resort.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/details><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><details class=\"faq-item\" open=\"true\"><summary><strong>4. How do you keep performance management fair and unbiased?<\/strong><\/summary><div class=\"faq-answer\"><p>Performance management stays fair when goals are clear, measurable, and applied consistently across teams. Regular feedback, documentation, and performance data help reduce bias and subjectivity.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/details><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><details class=\"faq-item\" open=\"true\"><summary><strong>5. Do small or growing companies need a formal performance management process?<\/strong><\/summary><div class=\"faq-answer\"><p>Yes. Even small or growing companies benefit from a simple performance management process. Clear goals and regular feedback help teams stay aligned and prevent issues as the company grows.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/details><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"1. How is performance management different from a performance review?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Performance management is an ongoing process focused on goal setting, feedback, and development. A performance review is a formal evaluation that happens once or twice a year and is only one part of performance management.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"2. How often should performance check-ins and feedback happen?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Performance check-ins should happen every two to four weeks. Formal performance reviews usually happen once or twice a year, but regular check-ins are what keep performance on track.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"3. What happens when an employee consistently underperforms?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Consistent underperformance is first addressed through feedback, coaching, and support. If performance does not improve, corrective actions such as a performance improvement plan may follow, with termination as a last resort.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"4. How do you keep performance management fair and unbiased?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Performance management stays fair when goals are clear, measurable, and applied consistently across teams. Regular feedback, documentation, and performance data help reduce bias and subjectivity.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"5. Do small or growing companies need a formal performance management process?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes. Even small or growing companies benefit from a simple performance management process. Clear goals and regular feedback help teams stay aligned and prevent issues as the company grows.\"}}]}<\/script><\/span><\/p><\/div><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Performance management is how companies align employee goals with business priorities. It\u2019s all about identifying them, creating actionable plans, supporting the process, and rewarding achievements. When done right, your employees turn into top performers, and your business gets a boost in many areas. What is performance management? Performance management is a series of processes designed [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":81,"featured_media":24939,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[252],"tags":[9923],"class_list":["post-21366","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interviews-opinions","tag-performance-management"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.9 (Yoast SEO v26.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Performance Management Process Explained - TalentLMS Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Align employee goals with business priorities and improve results. Use our practical guide to build an effective performance management process.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Performance Management Process Explained\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Align employee goals with business priorities and improve results. Use our practical guide to build an effective performance management process.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"TalentLMS Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/talentlms\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-06-06T12:24:08+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-02T08:26:06+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Performance-Management-Process_15May2024b_big.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"628\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Marialena Kanaki\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@talentlms\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@talentlms\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Marialena Kanaki\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"14 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Marialena Kanaki\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/752b6a0c2b3b05c51002b02bb69b7af7\"},\"headline\":\"The Performance Management Process Explained\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-06-06T12:24:08+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-02T08:26:06+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/\"},\"wordCount\":3086,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Performance-Management-Process_15May2024b_big.png\",\"keywords\":[\"Performance Management\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Interviews \/ Opinions\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/\",\"name\":\"The Performance Management Process Explained - TalentLMS Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Performance-Management-Process_15May2024b_big.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-06-06T12:24:08+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-02T08:26:06+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/752b6a0c2b3b05c51002b02bb69b7af7\"},\"description\":\"Align employee goals with business priorities and improve results. Use our practical guide to build an effective performance management process.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Performance-Management-Process_15May2024b_big.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Performance-Management-Process_15May2024b_big.png\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":628,\"caption\":\"What Is Performance Management? Definition, Steps & Tips\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Performance Management Process Explained\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"TalentLMS Blog\",\"description\":\"Top eLearning blog by TalentLMS with articles about Instructional Design and Development, Online Courses, Gamification, Tin Can API, SCORM, mLearning\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/752b6a0c2b3b05c51002b02bb69b7af7\",\"name\":\"Marialena Kanaki\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0e0a9fd12be5bb094563b30e3b4bb9174e6d486874543d956b4f4239dd3f14e1?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0e0a9fd12be5bb094563b30e3b4bb9174e6d486874543d956b4f4239dd3f14e1?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Marialena Kanaki\"},\"description\":\"Marialena mixes her political science and marketing know-how with a real love for languages. She\u2019s fluent in English, Greek, French, and Spanish. Her skill with languages isn\u2019t just practical\u2014it's her way of connecting with people from all walks of life, whether she's writing a story, chatting in a caf\u00e9, or debating a point passionately. She thrives on meeting new people and diving deep into the whys of their stories, always eager to connect and create a community with her words and smiles. She\u2019s all about bringing people together and uncovering what genuinely excites them.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/marialenakanaki\/\"],\"gender\":\"Female\",\"knowsAbout\":[\"Content creation and Editing\"],\"knowsLanguage\":[\"Greek\",\"English\"],\"jobTitle\":\"Content Marketing Manager\",\"worksFor\":\"Epignosis LTD\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/author\/mkanaki\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Performance Management Process Explained - TalentLMS Blog","description":"Align employee goals with business priorities and improve results. Use our practical guide to build an effective performance management process.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Performance Management Process Explained","og_description":"Align employee goals with business priorities and improve results. Use our practical guide to build an effective performance management process.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/","og_site_name":"TalentLMS Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/talentlms","article_published_time":"2024-06-06T12:24:08+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-03-02T08:26:06+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":628,"url":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Performance-Management-Process_15May2024b_big.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Marialena Kanaki","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@talentlms","twitter_site":"@talentlms","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Marialena Kanaki","Est. reading time":"14 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/"},"author":{"name":"Marialena Kanaki","@id":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/752b6a0c2b3b05c51002b02bb69b7af7"},"headline":"The Performance Management Process Explained","datePublished":"2024-06-06T12:24:08+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-02T08:26:06+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/"},"wordCount":3086,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Performance-Management-Process_15May2024b_big.png","keywords":["Performance Management"],"articleSection":["Interviews \/ Opinions"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/","url":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/","name":"The Performance Management Process Explained - TalentLMS Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Performance-Management-Process_15May2024b_big.png","datePublished":"2024-06-06T12:24:08+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-02T08:26:06+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/752b6a0c2b3b05c51002b02bb69b7af7"},"description":"Align employee goals with business priorities and improve results. Use our practical guide to build an effective performance management process.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Performance-Management-Process_15May2024b_big.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Performance-Management-Process_15May2024b_big.png","width":1200,"height":628,"caption":"What Is Performance Management? Definition, Steps & Tips"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/performance-management-process\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Performance Management Process Explained"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/","name":"TalentLMS Blog","description":"Top eLearning blog by TalentLMS with articles about Instructional Design and Development, Online Courses, Gamification, Tin Can API, SCORM, mLearning","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/752b6a0c2b3b05c51002b02bb69b7af7","name":"Marialena Kanaki","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0e0a9fd12be5bb094563b30e3b4bb9174e6d486874543d956b4f4239dd3f14e1?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0e0a9fd12be5bb094563b30e3b4bb9174e6d486874543d956b4f4239dd3f14e1?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Marialena Kanaki"},"description":"Marialena mixes her political science and marketing know-how with a real love for languages. She\u2019s fluent in English, Greek, French, and Spanish. Her skill with languages isn\u2019t just practical\u2014it's her way of connecting with people from all walks of life, whether she's writing a story, chatting in a caf\u00e9, or debating a point passionately. She thrives on meeting new people and diving deep into the whys of their stories, always eager to connect and create a community with her words and smiles. She\u2019s all about bringing people together and uncovering what genuinely excites them.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/marialenakanaki\/"],"gender":"Female","knowsAbout":["Content creation and Editing"],"knowsLanguage":["Greek","English"],"jobTitle":"Content Marketing Manager","worksFor":"Epignosis LTD","url":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/author\/mkanaki\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Performance-Management-Process_15May2024b_big.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21366","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/81"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21366"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21366\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25486,"href":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21366\/revisions\/25486"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24939"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21366"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21366"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21366"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}