It’s only natural that we might look to the most productive, efficient and highest-performing teams in our network, and ask ourselves, “What are they doing that we’re not? What’s their secret?” Well, thanks to extensive research on what drives high performance culture, it’s not a secret at all. These teams actually have a very similar roadmap for success.

With this in mind, we’re doing a deep dive on the factors driving high performance culture, the dos and don’ts that dictate whether your teams are doing a good job, or a fantastic one.

‍Driving High Performance Culture: 7 Dos and 2 Don'ts

‍DO prioritise trust on your teams

A recent study tells us that workplaces with a high reported level of trust boast 50% higher employee productivity (1). Simply put, people work best when they’re given the space to take risks and experiment. We’ve written elsewhere about the importance of building trust - our list of strategies provides a great starting point for leaders looking to make improvements in this area.

‍DO have a clear sense of direction

A clear sense of purpose is crucial for building a high performance culture, and for this, teams need a shared vision and clarity on strategy at all times. 

‍DO make sure your teams are aligned on goals

In order to be successful, people need a clear picture of what success looks like in their role, on their teams, and for the wider company. This, of course, is easier said than done. We built Frankli’s Goals feature to help leaders align their people on goals, track their progress, and see how their work fuels the company’s success.  

‍DO make time for praise and recognition

Feedback is another make-or-break area for high performance work culture. The data tells us that praise and recognition can be a more powerful motivator than financial incentives (2), so in order to drive success on our teams, we need to facilitate regular feedback, and make sure we’re celebrating wins both large and small.

‍DO take communication seriously

Research shows that clear communication between leaders, managers and employees has significant positive impacts on employee performance (3), so it’s important to make this a priority. Regular 1:1 meetings are invaluable in ensuring employees are progressing on their goals, and identifying solutions for challenges, so these should form a key piece of your communication strategy.

‍DON’T miss opportunities to highlight company values

Research by Gallup (4) suggests that, when people are aligned on values, they show higher levels of engagement and are more likely to refer friends to their organisation. The message for leaders here is clear; ensure your core values are clearly communicated, that they resonate with your people, and they’re present in everyday interactions.  

‍DON’T overload your people

When your company is growing fast, of course you’ll demand a lot from your team mates. But be wary of excessive workloads, which can lead to burnout and lower productivity (5). 

‍DO support career development for your people

The data on this is clear - companies with a career development framework have higher levels of talent retention and employee engagement (6). This is because people feel more invested in the organisation when their career goals align with opportunities provided by the company. Investing in coaching, mentoring and career pathway programs for your people, like the ones powered by Frankli, sets them up to be more productive, focussed and passionate about their work.

‍DO find the right performance management software

Let’s be honest - the concepts discussed in this article are really difficult to get right. That’s why millions of companies are turning to digital tools to help them refresh their performance management processes (7). So the question is not whether you should digitise performance management, it’s whether your competitors, and the companies looking to recruit your top people, will do it first.

‍Frankli gives leaders the tools to solve their most pressing workforce problems - high turnover rates, disengaged people, disconnected teams - through intuitive goal-setting, meeting and feedback channels. Find out more by speaking to a member of our team.

‍DO prioritise trust on your teams. People work best when they’re given the space to take risks and experiment.

‍DO have a clear sense of direction. Teams need a shared vision and clarity on strategy at all times. 

‍DO make sure your teams are aligned on goals. People need a clear picture of what success looks like in their role, on their teams, and for the wider company. Frankli’s Goals feature helps leaders do this in just a couple of clicks. 

‍DO make time for praise and recognition. In order to drive success on our teams, we need to facilitate regular feedback, and make sure we’re celebrating wins both large and small.

‍DO take communication seriously. Clear communication between leaders, managers and employees, including regular 1:1 meetings is a must. 

‍DON’T miss opportunities to highlight company values. To build a high performance culture, you need to ensure your core values are clearly communicated, that they resonate with your people, and they’re present in everyday interactions.  

‍DON’T overload your people. Be wary of excessive workloads, which can lead to burnout and lower productivity. 

‍DO support career development for your people. Investing in coaching, mentoring and career pathway programs for your people sets them up to be more productive.

‍DO find the right performance management software. The concepts discussed in this article are really difficult to get right. That’s why millions of companies are turning to digital tools like Frankli to help them refresh their performance management processes.

‍Frankli gives leaders the tools to solve their most pressing workforce problems - high turnover rates, disengaged people, disconnected teams - through intuitive goal-setting, meeting and feedback channels. Find out more by speaking to a member of our team.

1. Edelman, Trust Barometer 2020. 2. Marylene Gagne and E.L. Deci, Self-determination theory and work Motivation. 3. Ong Choon Hee, Delanie Ang Hui Qin, Kowang Owee Tan and Maizaitulaidawati Md Husin, Exploring the Impact of Communication on Employee Performance. 4. Gallup, Culture Wins by Attracting the Top 20% of Candidates. 5. Meltem Akca and Mübeyyen Tepe Küçükoğlu, Relationships Between Mental Workload, Burnout, and Job Performance. 6. Oracle, Five Essentials for High-Performance Career Development. 7. Zion Market Research, Global Performance Management Software Market Will Reach USD 5,633 Million By 2026.