Transforming Performance Management for Hybrid Working

A professional services firm with 280 employees across Europe partnered with True Point Global to redesign their performance management approach following transition to permanent hybrid working. Their traditional system was built around annual reviews, in-person observations and office-based collaboration and had become misaligned with their new operating model.

The Challenge

Managers reported difficulty assessing performance when team members worked remotely multiple days weekly. Employees felt disconnected from performance expectations and lacked regular feedback. The annual review cycle created long gaps between performance conversations. Leadership recognised their performance system needed fundamental redesign rather than minor adjustments.

Our Approach

True Point Global facilitated a collaborative redesign process involving managers, employees and HR leadership. We researched performance management practices suited to hybrid environments and conducted focus groups to understand their specific context.

We successfully co-designed a continuous performance conversation model replacing annual reviews with quarterly development discussions, monthly check-ins focused on priorities and obstacles, real-time feedback encouraged through structured prompts and objective-setting aligned with project deliverables rather than generic targets.

We developed manager capability through training in remote team leadership, constructive feedback delivery, and coaching conversations. Digital tools supported consistent documentation whilst remaining lightweight enough to encourage actual usage rather than being perceived as administrative burden.

Implementation and Results

Implementation occurred over seven months, with pilot teams testing approaches before organisation-wide rollout. True Point Global consultants provided coaching to managers, facilitated training sessions and gathered feedback informing system refinements.

Results demonstrated:

  • Manager confidence in assessing remote performance increased from 5.1 to 8.3 out of 10, measured through surveys.
  • Employee satisfaction with feedback frequency improved by 43 percentage points, addressing a key retention risk.
  • Performance rating distribution normalised, with clearer differentiation between performance levels enabling more targeted development interventions.
  • Voluntary turnover decreased by 28% in the twelve months following implementation, with exit interview themes shifting away from development concerns.
  • Billable utilisation improved by 6% as clearer priorities and regular check-ins enhanced focus on revenue-generating activities.

 

The performance system became embedded in their culture with managers and employees valuing the structured development conversations.