Individual PM
The traditional level at which performance management is used in organisations is the individual level, looking at the performance of individuals in an organisational context. At individual level, performance management is represented by an integrated and planned system for continuously improving the performance of all employees. It involves defining work goals and standards, reviewing performance against these standards, actively managing all levels of performance, and maximising learning and development. Individual performance management is perhaps the level with the longest evolution in history, as it mirrors the level of organisational maturity.
Some of the tools used to guide the achievement of individual goals and management of employee performance are:
Evolution
As in early times organisations were loosely defined, the performance management focus was on the individuals performing tasks as part of a group.
In time, more complex approaches emerged, mainly driven by the military, public administration and industrial companies. They all needed a system of monitoring the performance of numerous individuals to ensure a streamlined progression in the organisational hierarchy.
The main drivers in the evolution of individual performance management were industrial psychologists, human resources managers, organisational development and organisational behaviour consultants.