Tourism Whistler's performance management program is viewed by the human resources community as a model for others to follow.
The goal of the performance management program at Tourism Whistler is to align individual employee performance with organizational objectives while growing their people.
The first part to designing a performance management program is to define the steps in the process. At Tourism Whistler, the steps cover all interactions relating to the performance of employees including:
- Setting expectations and targets
- Providing coaching and feedback
- Assessing and evaluating
- Developing and improving
- Identifying gaps and correcting
- Rewarding and recognizing contributions
The current program was designed with lots of employee input using a variety of focus groups. This is always a good option in order to gain employee buy-in for the program. The process starts with performance planning at the start of the year or when a new employee starts a job. Tourism Whistler is careful to ensure that the performance goals set for employees align with the goals they have set for themselves as an organization for the year. Job descriptions are reviewed and expectations are defined in a measurable format to ensure the employee is aware of what needs to be accomplished during the year. In addition, plans are developed to enhance employee performance by closing performance gaps and/or enhancing current skills. The gaps identified are then linked to annual training and development programs.
The system creates a forum for two-way discussion, communicates and rewards what is important, and, most importantly, motivates and creates excitement for both leaders and employees. The key is to create an open dialogue around performance, progress towards objectives and individual improvement plans. Both formal and informal review meetings occur during the year where changes to the plan can be made if required. At the end of the year, Tourism Whistler focuses on how employees performed relative to expectations. They not only look at what was done, they also review how it was done to ensure alignment with their values.
