Workforce performance measurement and metrics
Three kinds of measure, each with a blind spot.
| Measure | Examples | Shows | Misses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Output | Units produced, tickets closed, revenue per person, quality | What got done | Whether it can continue |
| Commitment | Engagement, intent to stay, trust in leaders | Whether people want to do the work | Whether they can |
| What people have available | Capacity: what people start the day with, time to recover, room to concentrate, holding up under pressure | Whether performance is sustainable | Whether people care about the work |
Outcomes to track alongside
Performance, retention, productivity, innovation, capability, commitment and burnout risk. These are what the business cares about. The three measures above are the factors that sit before them.
How to use them together
- Start with outputs the business already tracks.
- Add commitment and capacity at team level, once a year, with short checks between.
- Compare a team with its earlier result first.
- Look for teams where output is steady and capacity is low. That is where performance depends on spending something that is not coming back.
What to avoid
- A single combined score with no breakdown
- Rankings of individuals
- Metrics that need monitoring individual behavior
- Figures for return on investment with no source
How thrive at work measures capacity and engagement: thriveatwork.ai.