What is: Positive Performance Management

Managing for high performance

One of your most important roles as a manager is to manage the performance of employees in your team. It’s your job to make sure they know what’s expected of them, to give them timely and constructive feedback and to create a safe environment that brings out their best.

What’s positive performance management?

The Public Sector Act 2022 states that public sector employees should be managed according to ‘positive performance management principles’ (Section 25A).

Positive performance management principles

These principles require you to:

pro-actively manage the personal and professional development of public sector employees with a view to continuously building expertise within the public sector
ensure regular and constructive communication between public sector managers and employees in relation to their work performance and personal conduct (explained further in Section 40 of the Public Sector Act)
recognise the strengths, requirements and circumstances of individual employees and value their contributions
recognise performance that meets or exceeds expectations
provide opportunities and support to employees for improving performance
continuously improve performance through the provision of training and development
identify at the earliest possible stage performance that does not meet expectations
integrate the above matters into management practices and policies.

Managing work performance and personal conduct

As a public sector manager, you’re legally required to take reasonable steps to make sure each employee you manage is aware of the work performance and personal conduct expected of them (Section 40 of the Public Sector Act 2022). This includes making them aware of Metro North Health Values in Action and what constitutes corrupt conduct under the Crime and Corruption Act 2001.

You’re also required to:

pro-actively manage the work performance and personal conduct of public sector employees
take prompt and appropriate action to address unacceptable work performance or personal conduct issues.

Why is this important?

By proactively and positively managing the performance of your team, you can:

put a stop to unacceptable conduct
resolve disputes
preserve working relationships
avoid any unnecessary and prolonged disputes.

Having regular and constructive two-way discussions with employees about their performance and workplace behaviour will help create a positive workplace culture and will help the team to improve patient outcomes and achieve collective goals.

What do I need to do?

Make sure all employees have a clear and comprehensive performance development plan and regularly review it together. Schedule one on one meetings and give positive feedback when employees meet or exceed the expectations outlined in their plan. If they’re underperforming in any areas, let them know what they need to do to meet the expected standard. Make sure you document these discussions and any training opportunities you offer.

Beyond your one on one meetings, positive performance management should be ongoing, and include a range of communication and development opportunities, such as:

job shadowing
informal communication, including chats and emails
formal communications which may or may not result in disciplinary action, including formal meetings and written correspondence
shout outs in meetings or communications
recommending training and development opportunities.

What happens if I don’t manage poor performance?

Your staff are underperforming or performing poorly at work when they:

don’t perform their duties to the standard expected
don’t comply with workplace policies, rules and procedures
behave in an unacceptable manner
behave in disruptive ways that negatively impact others.

These behaviours go against our Values in Action. They can erode the team culture and affect patient outcomes. By proactively addressing poor performance and reinforcing expected standards, you’ll build a cohesive, productive and supportive work environment which will deliver the best possible outcomes for patients.

How can I contribute to positive performance management?

As well as managing others, you also have a role to play in managing your own performance. You can do this by:

understanding your role description, performance and behavioural expectations, and clarifying these if needed
actively participating in the Performance Development Plan process
asking for and accepting constructive feedback in a professional manner
working towards improving your performance and behaviour when required
looking for personal or professional development opportunities, such as formal training, listening to Podcasts, TED talks, reading educational material and volunteering for additional duties
looking for opportunities to add value outside your traditional role (provided you can still achieve your own role objectives)
being open to formal and informal feedback from various sources.

If you’re looking for a change, think about trying a different role. Even if you have to change locations, job classification or work hours, you could learn new skills in a fresh role and environment.