ITV: Talking Performance

  • Learning and skills training
  • In-person product

Talking performance

Improving performance conversations across the network.

NKD worked with ITV to develop a unique take on their performance management process. An approach that emphasised the human element of the process would inspire greater teamwork and would motivate people to do their best every day.

Most importantly, it would make ITV an exceptional place to work. This new method was adopted by over 700 managers and saw a 9% increase in the quality ratings of performance conversations.

The Challenge

Being able to have effective and authentic conversations about performance is crucial for a business. When performance management systems are built around process rather than around people, the quality of conversations suffers.

Discovery helped us understand what the barriers to great performance management were, and what factors contributed to great performance conversations at ITV. These findings helped us to define a different approach to performance designed for humans, not robots.

The Solution

The new ITV methodology we created was less about process and more about people. This approach was brought to life in a half-day ‘Talking Performance’ module for ITV’s leaders.

New templates for different types of weekly ‘check-ins’ and guidance for formal and informal performance conversations made up the toolkit to support leaders putting this into practice.

The Creative Theme

ITV understood the importance of embedding the ‘new way’ and disrupting the old approach to performance management. So, we designed attention-grabbing communications to launch the changes and get people talking.

The concept was called ‘not for robots’ and called out old, robotic performance management systems and signalled the future at ITV which was a culture built on authentic, human and ‘in the moment’ performance conversations.

But, it was the new tools which really made Talking Performance sustainable and future-proof. The tools and methodology have not only changed the perception of performance management in the business, but initiatives like the 15-minute weekly check-in have become commonplace, with the phrase itself entering the organisation’s lexicon.

The Results

9% increase in employee engagement in 6 months