The end of the year is approaching, and many companies are holding their annual performance reviews. Behind closed doors, they discuss what went well and what went wrong, and how their salaries will develop. Afterwards, they see frustrated managers and disappointed specialists. In many personal conversations over the past few years, I repeatedly hear disappointment and frustration. I think it's a shame that these reviews aren't being used for what they're intended to do: determine where employees currently stand, where they want to go, and set the course for their continued development. This article is intended to be a helpful resource for anyone who would like to further develop themselves or their employees.
Step 1: Clarify motivation
Why does someone work at a company? What brought them there in the first place, and what do they like about it, or at least what they liked about it? It's important to find out what motivates them to work for a company. Are the products innovative, or do they like the work atmosphere? Does the company have a good reputation, does it pay well, or do they like working for a small startup? These days, it's easier for engineers to find a job than ever before. The economy is booming, and skilled workers are in demand everywhere. This makes it all the more important to be clear about your goals and motivation. To keep this from remaining so abstract, I'd like to introduce an example.
Example:
Markus works as a software developer at a medical technology company. He studied electrical engineering and is passionate about developing products that help people. He volunteers part-time for the Red Cross. His passion is software development. Here, he can create value and program software for products that save lives. His company develops products that he can identify with and is proud of.
Step 2: Clarify goals
Professional life is a constant journey, and personal development is very important for both the employee and the company. Anyone who wants to develop further needs goals. It's important to write them down and regularly remind yourself of them. If you're not clear about your goal, you won't achieve it.
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| Dipl.-Ing. Goran Madzar, Partner, Senior Systems Engineer E-mail: madzar@medtech-ingenieur.de Phone: +49 9131 691 240 |
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Do you need support with the development of your medical device? We're happy to help! MEDtech Ingenieur GmbH offers hardware development, software development, systems engineering, mechanical development, and consulting services from a single source. Contact us. |
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Example:
Markus has mostly worked on support projects so far and now wants to be involved in the software architecture as well. He wants to develop into a software architect who can eventually lead a small team.
Step 3: Identify and assess necessary skills
Once it's clear where an employee wants to go, it's time to consider which building blocks are necessary along the way. Where does the employee need to improve, and where have they already reached their goal? The steps to achieving their goals are different for each employee and must be determined individually.
Example:
| Skills Markus | Evaluation | ||||
| very good | good | satisfactory | sufficient | inadequate | |
| Processes | x | ||||
| Requirements management | x | ||||
| Software Architecture | x | ||||
| Structured work | x | ||||
| Develop code, understand foreign code | x | ||||
| Conduct code reviews | x | ||||
| Software testing | x | ||||
| Planning, effort estimation and reporting | x | ||||
| Software modeling | x | ||||
| Leadership skills & communication | x | ||||
| Documentation of development results | x | ||||
| Skills Programming languages | x | ||||
| Handling tools | x | ||||
Step 4: Define measures
Once you know the motivation and goals, and have identified the necessary skills, it's time to identify the areas that will help the employee progress. Setting realistic goals is key. Trying too much at once can lead to nothing happening.
Example:
Markus has agreed with his team leader that he will explore the topic of modeling. He will attend a seminar and work through two books on the subject in his free time. His team leader will include the aspects of planning, effort estimation, and reporting on the agenda. The employee will take on project planning activities and discuss them regularly with the team leader. The expectation is that Markus will quickly become familiar with the topic and assume more responsibility.
Step 5: Make a decision
Once the direction of the journey is clear, the employee and manager should agree on the goal and the measures to be taken. A meeting protocol is a suitable tool for this.
Example:
Markus finds the next step in his development exciting and the right fit. He's looking forward to the new challenges and personal development.
And what about the coal?
Money is often overrated when it comes to job satisfaction. Nevertheless, personal commitment and performance should be rewarded. I am convinced that someone who achieves a lot should be compensated accordingly. I myself am self-employed as an engineer, and in our engineering firm, any salary is possible for every employee. If an employee manages to earn money through their performance, then they should also receive a corresponding share of it. If an employee can only earn 1-2 percent more in the next year, then the advancement doesn't seem particularly special. That can certainly be acceptable. If advancement isn't necessary or the employee isn't willing to take it, then inflation compensation is fair.
If you'd like to further develop yourself or a member of your team, just try these steps. I'm happy to help if you have any questions.
Best regards
Goran Madzar