A new report challenges that high performance is a natural characteristic. The research, which drew on data collected from more than 560,000 employees in over 1,500 companies, suggests that engagement, feedback and leadership are more important than individual abilities.
Culture Amp’s findings indicate that high-performance develops with time. Only 2 percent of employees maintain high performance ratings across multiple review cycles. One-fourth of all employees take more than 18 month to reach a rating. This indicates that high performance is not a constant but rather a series of peaks.
The report, Science of Sustainable High Performance found that employees who work under high-performing supervisors are 4.5x more likely than those with low-performing supervisors to perform poorly.
Engagement and feedback are linked to high performance
Research shows that there is a strong link between employee engagement and results. In companies that score high on engagement, 14 percent of employees are rated as top performers. This compares to only 10 percent at companies with low engagement. High performers are also 12 percentage points more motivated to go above and beyond their job responsibilities.
A feedback culture is also important. High-performing employees are more satisfied with the feedback they receive from their managers. 83 percent express positive views, compared to only 71 percent of lower-performing co-workers. High-performing employees also give feedback 36 percentage points higher than their underperformers, showing that regular feedback and strong communication are key to creating a high performance environment.
Justin Angsuwat (CPO, Culture Amp) said that achieving high performance with the right conditions is possible.
He said that organisations should not assume that designing performance is a personal trait, but rather be deliberate about it. We found that only 2% of employees maintain high performance across multiple evaluation cycles. This shows that even the most talented employees are subject to fluctuations. “Our research highlights feedback, goal setting and leadership behaviors as conditions that promote high performance.”
Setting goals and aligning roles
The report identifies a number of factors that impact sustainable high performance. Employees who feel that their role fits them well during onboarding have a 48 percent higher chance of becoming high performers. Those who are uncertain or disagree with their role will perform worse.
A clear goal-setting process is essential to achieving better performance. By 21 and 26 percentage point margins, high-performing employees are more inclined to align their personal goals with company objectives. This suggests that goal-setting structures can improve the overall performance of employees.
Angsuwat stated that businesses should create conditions in which all employees are able to work at their highest level, instead of trying to identify employees who can be relied upon as “superstars”.
He added that “HR and business leaders must design systems to accommodate natural fluctuations in the performance, as only 2 percent of workers maintain high performance over multiple cycles.” The data suggests three areas of focus: aligning employee goals with company priorities, ensuring that employees understand their roles and expectations right from the beginning and creating a culture of feedback.
By addressing these factors organisations can create an environment in which high performance is a result of the workplace culture and not individual ability.
