Appraisd Podcast: Navigating Performance Management | Your Compass to HR Success | S3 E4

This episode focuses on choosing simple, effective HR tech that solves real business problems. Nokomis Cole from Maximus UK, emphasizes supporting new managers with performance conversations and highlights the importance of system integration and user-friendly design.

Find out more about our guest:

Connect with Nokomis on LinkedIn

Visit Maximus website at www.maximusuk.co.uk.

Clunky, outdated processes turn people off. Appraisd’s performance management platform really gets conversations happening – at every stage of the employee lifecycle.

Why choose Appraisd for your performance management?

Appraisd is a performance management platform for organisations with 50 to 5,000+ employees in any sector, anywhere in the world. Appraisd is configured to fit your business and your process and frees up the HR team from chasing and cajoling reluct

Clunky, outdated processes turn people off. Appraisd’s performance management platform really gets conversations happening – at every stage of the employee lifecycle.

Why choose Appraisd for your performance management?

Appraisd is a performance management platform for organisations with 50 to 5,000+ employees in any sector, anywhere in the world. Appraisd is configured to fit your business and your process and frees up the HR team from chasing and cajoling reluct

Appraisd Podcast: Navigating Performance Management | Your Compass to HR Success | S3 E3

This episode explores the sometimes overlooked aspect of management development. Hosted by Roly Walter and with Guest speaker Francesca Asante, Training Delivery Officer at ACAS, we’ll discuss the importance of proper training for new and developing managers and the consequences when people aren’t managed effectively.

Listen to this episode where Francesca shares insights on best practices for selecting and preparing managers, the value of active listening, establishing clear expectations and addressing performance issues before they escalate.

Find out more about our guest and ACAS work:

Connect with Francesca on LinkedIn

Visit ACAS website at www.acas.org.uk or reach out for support and information through their Helpline: 0300 123 1100

Check out ACAS Conference 2025 on May 15th, 2025 - QEII Centre, London. For more information see their conference page here. 

During this conference, ACAS will be hosting a breakout session on this topic. Join them on May 15th at 12:20: 

Is empowering and upskilling line managers the panacea to productive workplaces?

Line managers are often cited as key to harmonious relations, yet also the root of conflict and unproductiveness in teams. This session looks at the evidence on what creates conflict; and how to build healthy workplace relationships and confidence in tackling conflict. It also shares evidence from 150 organisations who have tried something a little different.

Find out more here.

Clunky, outdated processes turn people off. Appraisd’s performance management platform really gets conversations happening – at every stage of the employee lifecycle.

Why choose Appraisd for your performance management?

Appraisd is a performance management platform for organisations with 50 to 5,000+ employees in any sector, anywhere in the world. Appraisd is configured to fit your business and your process and frees up the HR team from chasing and cajoling reluct

In this episode, Roly met up with Amira Kohler, Marc Earnshaw and Tom Blake. Together they discussed why managers don’t want to do performance reviews and debunk 5 excuses we commonly hear from them.

Oh, and if you haven’t seen it yet, we also have a guide to go with this episode. Check it out: Busting Performance Management Myths.

Reach out to our guests via LinkedIn:

Amira Kohler

HR Transformation, Performance and Change Management Specialist

Marc Earnshaw

Independent Consultant at PeopleDev

Tom Blake

Executive HR Leader at Blake Connolly Ltd.

Clunky, outdated processes turn people off. Appraisd’s performance management platform really gets conversations happening – at every stage of the employee lifecycle.

Why choose Appraisd for your performance management?

Appraisd is a performance management platform for organisations with 50 to 5,000+ employees in any sector, anywhere in the world. Appraisd is configured to fit your business and your process and frees up the HR team from chasing and cajoling reluct

In this episode, Laura Whitehead founder of Triskelion Leadership joins Roly Walter, founder of Appraisd, to talk about developing talent.

Developing talent starts early. Earlier thank you think, says Laura Whitehead. A ‘stitch in time’ - intervention early on in a person’s career will benefit them and the organisation in the long-term. Not only does it boost engagement and culture, it also reduces the risk of issues in the future such as employee relations performance Improvement Plans. First-time managers who have the opportunity to become good managers are more likely to make great leaders.

Discover more about appraised talent management offerings at: https://www.appraisd.com/talent-development

Clunky, outdated processes turn people off. Appraisd’s performance management platform really gets conversations happening – at every stage of the employee lifecycle.

Why choose Appraisd for your performance management?

Appraisd is a performance management platform for organisations with 50 to 5,000+ employees in any sector, anywhere in the world. Appraisd is configured to fit your business and your process and frees up the HR team from chasing and cajoling reluct

In this episode, Roly Walter, founder of Appraisd, sat down with the Appraisd Customer Success team to look back on performance management in 2024. From global trends to client success stories, our team shares insights into how organisations are embracing new approaches to driving employee performance. From talent management to feedback,  and putting company values to work, the Appraisd Customer Success team delves into how these trends have impacted their HR strategy. 

Reach out to Appraisd Customer Success team: Contact Us | Appraisd

In this episode, Jessie Schofer of Stakkd and Roly Walter, founder of Appraisd, talk about best practices in HR tech procurement, including how to take a methodical approach to purchase your core HR infrastructure. They discuss the reasons HR sometimes ends up buying the wrong tech, and how to prepare for an HR tech demo so that you’re in control of the conversation. 

Reach out to Jessie via LinkedIn or check out Stakkd at: https://www.stakkd.tech/

This episode is all about “accidental managers” and to discuss the topic we invited Kate Waterfall Hill, Leadership Coach at Waterfall Hill Consulting Ltd. Kate is also the creator of “Linda, the bad manager”, her alter ego on social media, who inspires us all to brilliant leadership by showing us what not to do.

In this episode, Roly and Kate delve into what makes an “accidental manager” and  how organisations can support them in becoming effective managers by seeking out ways to  improve their leadership skills.

Key takeaways:

• Managers or individual contributors? Management can often be something to aspire to, but may not be the best route for all employees. How can organisations motivate and retain individual contributors who have no desire to become managers? And how can organisations change negative perceptions of middle management?
• Managing people, especially new managers: Organisations need to ensure new managers are given time, training and support to lead people and teams effectively. However, the onus is also on the individual to be proactive about their own leadership development.  to Balancing authenticity and self-consciousness: Being self-aware isn’t contradictory to being authentic. By understanding their triggers and natural reactions to others, managers can learn how to act intentionally to ensure they achieve the best possible outcomes when managing others.
• Impostor syndrome vs expectations: Understanding expectations from day one can aid individuals in feeling more confident when taking on new responsibilities, and can help them to feel more in control of their actions.

Conclusion:

Many new managers feel out of their depth, especially if no training or support has been provided. Although organisations can ensure new managers have adequate support, and time, to effectively manage people, managers themselves also have a proactive role to play in improving their management skills.

Remember to subscribe to our podcast to catch up on past episodes and stay updated on future insights on performance management.

Reach out to Kate via: www.waterfallhill.co.uk or by emailing: [email protected].

In this episode, Roly is joined by Richard Brereton, Appraisd Customer Success Lead, discussing the divisive theme of year-end reviews or annual appraisals. 

Although most organisations are now sold on a continuous approach to performance management, many organisations still see relevance in conducting an annual review. Looking back, reflecting, and making plans for the future. 

But how can HR run this process smoothly in a notoriously busy time of year? Can HR speed up and streamline its annual review process while ensuring efficacy?

Key Takeaways:

• If timeframes are tight, start as soon as possible: Give enough time for people to complete their reviews, leaving it last minute might result in an oversight from managers who will want to wrap them up quickly, instead of taking the time to do it properly
• Ensure you are communicating, and supporting managers to complete their year-en-reviews: Communicate review windows with your managers and employees, so they can organise their workload accordingly. Ensure that your process includes support for new managers through guidance, documentation, or even tips that help managers have effective discussions. 
• Get feedback from managers and employees on what is valuable: Ensure your performance management process is valuable for the organisation as well as for the employees. Collect opinions and feedback on the process from a wide spectrum of employees to get a clear picture of what is, and what isn’t, valuable. Tweak the process as needed for the next round of reviews.
• Setting a process online for the first time doesn’t need to be daunting: Getting your performance management process online doesn’t need to be an elaborate, time-consuming task. Instead, keep it simple and iterate as you go. Start with a simple review form to get people used to having conversations and documenting them online and look to expand on your process as you gather more information and feedback. ‍
• Communicate your overall business objectives and strategy to your employees: By doing so you can ensure that managers and employees can set team or individual objectives that link to the wider company goals. Ensure this is done promptly, so you don’t delay people setting their objectives.

Conclusion:

To ensure “smooth sailing” of your year-end-reviews communication is key. Communicating promptly gives time for people to organise their workload; Offering support such as guidance and prompts can aid new managers in having effective conversations with their employees; And informing managers and employees of business objectives ahead of time will alow them to plan their next year’s objectives in line with the organisation’s goals.

Remember to subscribe to our podcast to catch up on past episodes and stay updated on future insights into performance management.

In this episode of the Appraisd podcast, "Navigating Performance Management," we had the pleasure of speaking with Rachel Townend, Chief of Staff at Illuminate Financial. Rachel shared her insights on the importance of recognition in the workplace and how Illuminate Financial has successfully implemented a culture of celebration and acknowledgment through their Excellence Awards.

Rachel detailed the origins and evolution of the awards, which began in 2015 with a simple poster in their London office. The awards include categories such as Excellence, Einstein, Guardian of PD, and the humorous Numpty Award, each reflecting the company's values and fostering a fun, uplifting environment. These awards are not just about individual achievements but celebrate the collective success of the team.

We also discussed the challenges and adaptations necessary to maintain this culture as the company grew and transitioned to a hybrid work model. Rachel highlighted the role of technology, specifically the Appraisd platform, in facilitating the nomination and recognition process, ensuring that all team members, regardless of their location, are acknowledged for their contributions.

Additionally, Rachel introduced the Unsung Hero for the Year award, which aims to recognise those who may not always be in the spotlight but make significant contributions to the company. This award, along with the quarterly Excellence Awards, helps to ensure that all team members feel valued and appreciated.

Throughout the conversation, Rachel emphasised the importance of authenticity in recognition programmes and the need to align them with the company's core values. She shared practical advice for other organisations looking to implement similar initiatives, stressing the importance of making recognition a genuine and integral part of the company culture.

Overall, this episode provided valuable insights into how Illuminate Financial has created a robust and engaging recognition programme that not only celebrates success but also fosters a positive and collaborative work environment. If you have any questions or would like to learn more, Rachel is open to connecting on LinkedIn.

Navigating Performance Management: Your Compass to HR Success is hosted by Roly Walter, CEO and Founder of Appraisd. We’re all about nailing the essentials of performance management and in each episode, Roly and his guest discuss one of the foundations of performance management.

Season 2 of this delves deeper into performance management addressing areas such as: Talent management and succession planning; recognition and visibility.

Summary:

In this insightful episode of Navigating Performance Management, we had the pleasure of speaking with Marc Earnshaw, Independent consultant at PeopleDev. Marc has worked in Talent, Learning, and Organisational Development over the last 20 years and has impacted thousands of people at global organisations. 

Key Takeaways:

• Does talent management relate to performance management? Especially in larger organisations, talent management and performance management can go hand in hand to ensure employee retention, as well as offer senior leadership insight into the team’s readiness for their next move.
• The impact on both the business and the individual of holding talent management information: According to Marc, on a business level, this helps organisations to better understand their people. Especially in larger organisations, where this type of information isn’t top of mind for all staff, organisations can gain insight into talent pools and where to use them to help grow the business. Also, on an individual level, not only organisations can reflect opportunities to individuals' aspirations, but individuals themselves can see those opportunities and self-identify ways to develop themselves.
• Succession planning strategies and individual development plans: Marc highlighted that organisations can support individuals to develop their skills and step up to new opportunities within the business. Organisations can also identify the types of programs to develop their people based on future opportunities for their staff.
• Using the term “talent” in an organisation: Labelling talent within an organisation can lead to issues in team morale. Marc suggested that correctly defining what talent means for an organisation can aid with transparency and clarity, as well as ensure that team leads are focusing their efforts and funding towards enhancing performance, instead of hindering it.
• 9-box grid: Love it or hate it? There can be a love/hate relationship with frameworks such as 9-box grids. According to Marc, although categorizing people can be a difficult task for managers, particularly newer managers, frameworks such as these can support organisations in having productive conversations. 
• Skills-based approach: A revolution or evolution of what was previously known as competencies? Marc suggested that organisations should be cautious about the length and complexity of their skills, and measures of competencies list. Ensuring these are easily understood, succinct and simple will support organisations and individuals in achieving their highest potential.

Conclusion:

Our conversation with Marc Earnshaw shed light on the world of talent management and succession planning, lifting some of its issues as well as identifying ways organisations can use it to further people’s individual needs and aspirations.

Remember to subscribe to our podcast to catch up on past episodes and stay updated on future insights into performance management.