Here is a brief excerpt from an article by Sharlyn Lauby for Halogen Software’s TalentSpace blog. To read the complete article, check out others, learn more about the firm, and sign up for email alerts, please click here.

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It’s no surprise that the business world is changing. And we have to change along with it. Case in point: performance management. An increasing number of organizations are moving toward eliminating the annual performance review.

But before completely doing away with a significant component of the overall performance management process, maybe it’s time to consider making the process more adaptive. Eliminating and replacing processes can be time consuming and expensive, even before considering the impact such a big change has on the workplace.

By comparison, adaptation, which is defined as the process of changing to fit some other purpose or situation, could be a more resource-effective solution. In fact, maybe it’s time for all human resources policies to have an adaptive quality to them because the business world is going to continue to evolve. For now, let’s focus on performance management. Here are five steps to consider when creating an adaptive process:

[Here are two of] five steps to consider when creating an adaptive performance management process: @HRBartender

1. Establish the purpose of performance management in your organization.
Don’t make the assumption that everyone in the organization knows the reason the current performance management process exists. There might be multiple reasons. Establish a list of the reasons the organization has a performance management process, even the ones that appear obvious like compliance or employee engagement.

Organizations can’t create an adaptive process if they don’t understand the pieces of the process that can and cannot be adapted.

2. Discuss the goals for performance management.

Once the current process has been defined, discuss what the future goals of the performance management process should be. We don’t always like to admit it, but it’s possible that goals are forgotten over time. Allow every goal a chance to be debated and agreed upon.

This step in the process gives the organization a chance to get everyone on the same page. Buy-in is key to creating an adaptive process.

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Here is a direct link to the complete article.

Sharlyn Lauby is the HR Bartender, whose blog is a friendly place to discuss workplace issues. HR Bartender has been recognized as one of the Top 5 Blogs Read by HR professionals by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). When she’s not tending bar, Sharlyn is president of ITM Group, Inc., which specializes in training solutions to help clients retain and engage talent. For the Halogen TalentSpace blog, Sharlyn writes about HR trends and best practices that impact employee engagement and performance. She is the author of Essential Meeting Blueprints for Managers and Manager Onboarding: 5 Steps for Setting New Leaders Up for Success which are available on Amazon. Her personal goal in life is to find the best cheeseburger on the planet.