A business is nothing more than an idea without people in place to take action and make the business happen. And how well a business runs is a direct reflection of its employees.

Over time, a practice known as "Performance Management" has been put in place in most businesses to ensure that employees not only do the jobs they were hired to do, but do them well and are proud of the work they get done.

The five key areas of Performance Management are planning, monitoring, developing, rating and rewarding employees.

1. Planning Your Business Workload

Planning is just what it sounds like: planning out not only what tasks need to get done, but the ways in which getting them done should happen. Involving employees in this process is critical because by involving them, they feel more a part of the process and less like monkeys who are trained to jump on command.

In other words, involving employees in the planning process improves morale. It also helps to make sure that there aren't any gaps in communication to keep the plans from coming to fruition. After the planning stage, all employees should have a clear idea of what is expected from them.

2. Monitoring Business And Individual Performance

Monitoring is also self explanatory. Monitoring involves the monitoring of employees by their managers to make sure their tasks are getting done efficiently and takes into consideration how well the employees are able to function.

Monitoring ensures that unrealistic expectations aren't set by management or the employees and keeps track of not only what is being accomplished but what has yet to be worked on.

3. Individual And Team Performance Development

Developing refers to keeping employees evolving to meet the ever increasing standards of a post millennial workplace. It could involve teaching new skills, implementing new procedures to make the work processes more accessible.

It sometimes means assigning new responsibilities to employees who appear to have outgrown their old ones. Development ensures growth of employees and the business.

4. Rating Individual Performance

Rating is the way by which employee performances are evaluated. It is imperative that employees are given a "report card" on a regular basis. Rating can address areas in which the employee needs to grow as well as the areas in which they excel.

It provides a clear map to where the employee stands at that date and time and is important to make sure the employee keeps up a good rate of Development within the business.

5. Rewarding Great Performance

Rewarding Employees is perhaps the most important part of Performance Management. A happy employee is a productive employee and rewarding an employee whose work is exceptional is a key factor in making sure that their level of work doesn't deteriorate.

Everybody likes to make sure that they are appreciated. Studies have shown that employees who are rewarded for a job well done are far more motivated to keep performing at a high level than those who are berated or "punished" for being less than satisfactory.

Performance Management is a method by which a business Owner can ensure that his or her business is constantly growing and achieving at the level they desire.

It's an easy system to put in place and is the most effective system in making sure that business goals are achieved.

About the Author

(c) 2007 Coaching Businesses To Success. Martin Haworth is a Business and Management Coach. For a free e-course contact cbts01@aweber.com. More? There are hundreds of hints, tips and ideas at his website, http://www.Coaching-Businesses-To-Success.com