Company: Iron Mountain
Industry: Information Storage
Solution: Performance Management
Making performance management work
After a decade of acquisition driven growth, the Iron Mountain Europe (IME) executive team know that future growth must be driven by improved performance of their people. 3C worked with the HR team to implement a practical, effective performance management process across Europe.
Implementation
Focus on the manager
Knowing that success depends on putting managers at the heart of performance management, 3C encouraged the IME team to start by empathising with the managers and acknowledging how they might view performance management based on previous experience. A plan was created to give managers the time and freedom to discuss the challenges and explore practical ways in which performance management would directly help them achieve their results.
Acknowledge how managers might feel
150 managers from across Europe were invited to a Performance Management launch, and no doubt many hearts were sinking. So, there were plenty of laughs when 3C’s Forum Theatre team started with a monologue from a ‘manager’ about what a waste of time Performance Management was and how he really dreaded ‘that time of year again’.
Explore the process and challenges
There followed a mix of practical briefings, shared insight sessions, quick coaching refreshers and more Forum Theatre. This enabled the managers to explore their concerns about the practicalities, address how they felt about PM and gain confidence in how to make PM work for them personally.
As the belief grew that making performance management work would help them deliver their numbers, the actor/manager created more monologues in direct response to the changing mood in the room. By the end, the managers were geared up for change and ‘really wanted to get started’.
Provide high quality training and support
The focus on the manager as central to success continued with all 400 European managers being offered a range of training workshops and webinars
from 3C to give them the skills and confidence to handle HOW to have the critical conversations with their staff. Webinars were recorded and placed on the company intranet for reference, along with one page ‘how to’ sheets covering the core elements of setting objectives, coaching, addressing poor performance and creating development plans. All workshops, webinars and documents were offered in 5 European languages.
Measure and track progress
To clarify progress, 3C created a practical measurement tool to track how well managers are managing their people as the programme rolled out. This measure will sit alongside operational performance measures as a key number known to drive business results.
What Next?
Whatever stage of development you are at with Performance Management, 3C can help.
- If you are growing and considering the need to develop a structured approach to Performance Management, then we can ensure you get it right first time.
- If you are disappointed in the results to date and concerned about a lack of engagement with Performance Management, then we can work with you to adapt and improve your existing approach.
- If you are positive about your approach to Performance Management but want to take it to the next level, then we can help you move up a gear and build for the future.
RESULTS
‘3C have enabled Iron Mountain to transform Performance Management from being a form filling exercise into a value added activity that is seen to fundamentally drive engagement, commitment and overall business performance. They have brought a fresh, creative approach, tailored to our specific requirements that has generated measurable results in a short period of time.’
Rachel Greenway, Leadership Development Manager
‘I've been in HR for 40 years and used actors before. This was the best event of its kind that I've attended - a view shared by the other delegates on my table.’
Delegate at launch event
‘I want to encourage Iron Mountain to spend money on something that is meaningful, and this course is meaningful.’
Manager
‘I have said to my boss that it would be a great benefit for everyone in the organisation, especially senior management, to go through this experience. Everyone needs to set objectives and this needs to be consistent throughout the organisation. The only way this will work is if everybody does it.’
Manager
