WorkStory Blog

By 2025, 1 in 10 managers will be Gen Z. This generational shift marks a significant transformation in workplace leadership. Gen Z is stepping into management earlier than many expected, bringing new perspectives, priorities, and challenges.

The truth is, performance reviews don’t fail because of employees—they fail because managers aren’t being held accountable for their role in the process. Here’s why manager accountability matters and how you can make it a priority in your organization.

As we head into the end-of-year review season, it’s a good time to evaluate how you’re conducting performance reviews. A well-executed review process can inspire and set a clear path for growth. But a few common pitfalls can turn reviews into an ineffective or even dreaded experience for employees.

As a leader, one of the most challenging things to spot is when your team members have mentally checked out but are still physically present. This phenomenon is called quiet quitting—where employees do the bare minimum without showing the engagement they once had.

Employees are often promoted based on their success in their current role, but that doesn’t always mean they’ll thrive in the next one, especially when leadership is involved.

Keeping your team motivated is a critical part of being a leader. But what if the things you’re doing—without even realizing it—are actually demotivating them?

Engaged employees aren’t just happier—they’re more productive, more innovative, and they stick around longer. The good news? You don’t need to overhaul your entire organization to improve engagement.

When we think about career success, we often focus on skills, knowledge, and expertise. But there’s another factor that can be even more important for your success: being easy to work with.

360 feedback is one of the most powerful tools for building a stronger, more engaged team. By gathering feedback from multiple sources and moving toward a Continuous 360 Feedback model, you’ll create an environment where employees grow, feel supported, and improve continuously.

At WorkStory, we’ve developed a simple approach to giving better feedback. Here are 5 tips that can make your feedback more effective and meaningful.

In our latest video, we dive into the importance of establishing a strong feedback culture within teams.

We learn a lot from our customers when it comes to performance reviews, feedback, culture, operations. Here's out first video - a list of ten tips on how you can improve your own performance review process.

This post explores how leveraging Microsoft Teams with WorkStory can transform your performance review process, making it more efficient, accurate, and conducive to ongoing improvement.

WorkStory is proud to announce it has once again been recognized as a Software Advice FrontRunner for 360 Degree Feedback Software!

The fundamental issue with the question of whether to share or not share performance evaluation results lies in the element of surprise.

Effective leadership is a journey of continuous learning and application of insights to benefit the entire organization. While formal education like classes and training sessions can play a role, there's a simpler, more impactful approach: implementing a system for regular feedback collection.

We are thrilled to announce the launch of the WorkStory Performance Review Builder! This powerful, yet incredibly user-friendly tool is designed to help anyone craft comprehensive performance reviews in minutes.

WorkStory kickstarted 2024 with huge success and accolades from the Gartner Digital Markets brand - Software Advice. Our product was recognized as a Front Runner in two categories - 360 Degree Feedback and Performance Management.

In the dynamic world of work, performance reviews are pivotal in guiding employee development and organizational growth. However, the traditional process can be time-consuming and often detracts from the real purpose: meaningful development conversations. That's why we're thrilled to unveil a groundbreaking solution that's set to change the game.

Nurturing a culture of continuous feedback is pivotal for fostering organizational growth and employee development. For executives contemplating this transformation, the task involves not just implementing a new system, but also effectively communicating its benefits to encourage buy-in from employees.

We're in an era where efficiency isn't just a buzzword – it's the backbone of successful team management. That's why we're excited to announce a significant update to WorkStory that will redefine how you navigate your workday: the new Inbox and Tasks features.

Performance reviews, a staple in organizational management, are notoriously time-intensive. This time commitment equates to more than five full work weeks, a substantial portion of the year that could otherwise be spent on productive tasks​​​​​​.

Many performance management tools in the market claim uniqueness, but in reality, they're repackaging the same old approach. This approach, while familiar, fails to address the fundamental issues inherent in once-a-year evaluations.

As 2024 rolls in, it’s time for managers to refresh their approach. This year offers an excellent chance to adopt new methodologies that can improve team dynamics and personal management skills.

As we continue deeper into the 2020s, the corporate landscape is welcoming Generation Z in larger numbers. What can your team do to help get the most out of this new wave of employees?

In the world of small to medium-sized businesses, annual performance reviews are often met with skepticism and dread, both by employees and managers. Here's how you can maximize the benefits of your annual performance evaluation process.

Ever feel like you're in the dark about how to move up at work? You're not alone. A lot of us, including our managers, think there needs to be more openness about how promotions happen. So, what can we do to make things clearer for everyone involved?

In a recent announcement that caught the attention of the corporate world, Jack Dorsey, the CEO of Block (formerly Square), unveiled a transformative approach to performance management within his company. This change, departing from traditional annual performance reviews, signifies a broader shift in how companies are rethinking employee evaluation and development.

In today's business landscape, the significance of authenticity cannot be overstated. Especially since so much of our communication is taking place indirectly or through software channels, it's important to be clear and to get your real feelings across.

Performance reviews are a critical part of managing and developing employees. However, many organizations still rely on spreadsheet-based reviews, which are manual, disconnected, and full of flaws.

Employee performance reviews are a cornerstone of professional development and organizational growth. However, when handled as an annual or biannual event, they can lead to unexpected and often negative outcomes.

The time for annual performance reviews is rolling around once more. As a manager, thoughtfully conducted reviews allow you to provide meaningful feedback, set aligned goals, identify growth opportunities, and guide your team’s development over the past year.

Burnout has become an epidemic in today’s 24/7 business world. Employees feel constant pressure to do more and be always available. As a leader at a small or midsize business (SMB), you have a duty to combat burnout and create sustainable workloads for your team.

In today's dynamic business environment, leaders are constantly seeking ways to enhance team productivity and morale. However, there's one subtle yet pervasive issue that can undermine these efforts: favoritism. While it might seem harmless or even natural to favor certain employees, the consequences can be far-reaching.

The dreaded annual performance review has been a staple of workplaces for decades. Where did this practice originate? And why is it ripe for disruption by continuous feedback models? Let's explore the past, present and future of performance management.

Employee engagement measurement has never been more essential. As organizations embrace hybrid policies and evolve workplace models, they need to closely monitor how these seismic shifts impact the workforce. That's where regularly measuring employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) comes in.

With limited resources, startups need to hire employees who can hit the ground running. This makes skills-based hiring an appealing modern approach. Rather than focusing on degrees and previous job titles, skills-based hiring prioritizes candidates' actual abilities.

Employers are eager to bring teams back to the office full-time. However, many employees have grown accustomed to remote work and are resisting a full return. This push and pull is causing tension between employers and staff.

In today’s fast-paced work environment, fostering a space where team members feel safe, respected, and valued is crucial. In this post, we'll delve into the importance of psychological safety in the workplace and its significant impact on performance reviews.

Running a nonprofit is no small feat. We've created this guide to help nonprofit leaders pick the right tools to make managing performance easier and more effective.

Vacation and time off are essential components of employee well-being and productivity but it seems that US workers are not taking as much time as they should. Let's explore the reasons behind this trend and the pivotal role leaders play in setting a precedent.

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping industries, workflows, and job roles. It's crucial for HR professionals to understand and harness the potential of AI moving forward.

There's a significant shift taking place. A recent study by Gallagher has brought to light an intriguing trend: employers are now prioritizing employee retention over revenue and sales growth.

Have you ever seen someone who's really good at their job get promoted, but then they struggle in their new position? That's the Peter Principle.

We are excited to introduce our extensive library of performance review templates, carefully crafted to suit various industries and roles.

Giving constructive feedback is an essential part of leadership and team dynamics. However, it can often be a daunting task, with many managers and peers fearing the potential conflict it might cause.

It's time to revolutionize the way we conduct these meetings, transforming them from mere status updates to strategic growth sessions.

For many, the word "feedback" can be met with a sense of dread or anxiety. Understanding the real reason people give feedback can help you to translate that information into action without side-swiping your sense of self.

Performance reviews, when done right, can be a powerful tool for employee development and organizational growth. However, they often fall short due to common pitfalls that hinder their effectiveness.

In this article, we will walk you through the step-by-step process of conducting a 360 review, highlighting its benefits and offering practical tips to ensure its success.

A well-planned onboarding process is crucial to the success of any business, but it holds a particular weight for small and medium businesses (SMBs). This article will delve into some essential questions that managers at SMBs should ask their new hires to ensure a smooth, successful integration.

In today's remote work landscape, meetings play a crucial role in fostering collaboration and effective communication within SMB teams. However, if not managed properly, they can easily become time-consuming and unproductive.

In the professional world, being a good coworker isn't just about getting your work done. It's about contributing to a positive work environment, fostering strong relationships, and helping your team succeed.

In today's workforce, SMBs often employ individuals from multiple generations. Bridging the generation gap and effectively managing performance is crucial for fostering a cohesive and productive work environment.

Toxic work environments can negatively impact morale, productivity, and importantly, retention. Let's explore the signs of a toxic work environment to make it easier for leaders to identify if one exists and share strategies they can use to mitigate it.

Quiet promotions, where employee advancements are made without clear recognition or communication, can have significant consequences for both individuals and organizations. Here are some strategies for leaders to mitigate these challenges and foster a more transparent and supportive workplace culture.

Our 100+ Essential Performance Review Questions Kit is a powerful tool that not only provides you with an extensive list of meaningful performance review questions, but it also offers a range of features to help you make the most out of your performance reviews.

Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to recognize and manage emotions in oneself and others. Leaders who possess high emotional intelligence can have a profound impact on team dynamics, employee engagement, and overall organizational performance.

‍Providing feedback is crucial for fostering growth and development within teams. One consideration when giving feedback is whether to make it anonymous or non-anonymous. In this post, we'll explore the pros and cons of each approach and discuss how leaders can encourage effective feedback within their teams.

Real-time feedback is becoming a crucial tool for today's fast moving teams, specifically those in Small and Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs). This dynamic approach to performance management fosters a culture of continuous learning and improvement, leading to immediate adjustments and enhancements in performance.

360 reviews are especially relevant to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). These reviews offer a holistic view of an employee's performance, providing insights that can be missed in a traditional, top-down review.

Performance reviews are a critical part of business strategy, aimed at aligning individual goals with organizational objectives. But at their core, they're deeply rooted in psychology. Understanding this psychological basis can empower leaders to conduct more effective, impactful performance reviews.

Employee performance reviews are essential to the growth and development of both your team and your business. However, traditional, paper-based reviews often pose challenges. They can be time-consuming, prone to errors, lack real-time feedback, and bring up storage issues.

In this digital age, performance review processes are evolving with the integration of automation and AI technology. By embracing these advancements, businesses can streamline their performance review processes, improve objectivity, and drive meaningful outcomes.

Performance improvement plans (PIPs) are designed to address underperformance and provide employees with the necessary support to improve. These plans set clear performance goals and expectations and outline the steps needed for employees to enhance their skills and achieve their potential.

In the age of social media, leveraging employee advocacy has become a powerful tool for boosting a company's brand. However, striking the right balance between influencing employees and allowing for organic sharing can be a challenge for business leaders.

When an employee leaves a company, conducting an exit interview is a valuable opportunity to gather feedback and insights. Effective off-boarding ensures a positive departure experience for the employee and provides valuable information for the company to improve retention rates and create a better work environment.

Employee performance reviews can be challenging for many people. Let's explore the common reasons why these reviews are often disliked and how we can make them better.

Infrequent discussions between employees and managers can lead to a misalignment of expectations, stifled growth, and missed opportunities for improvement. Let's delve into the ramifications of infrequent performance conversations and explore how embracing continuous performance reviews can bridge the gap, fostering a more aligned and thriving workplace.

In the world of performance management, the old ways are giving way to a new paradigm – continuous performance reviews. Traditional annual or biannual reviews are no longer enough to support the growth and development of employees.

Keeping your team motivated and engaged is essential for business success. However, when budgets are tight or there is a perceived economic downturn, it can be challenging to maintain high morale. Fortunately, there are many creative ways that HR managers can positively impact team morale without breaking the bank.

As more companies shift to remote work, it's becoming increasingly difficult for remote teams to establish a sense of togetherness and connectedness. We've collected some methods that HR managers can use to construct a robust culture for remote teams that lasts and the steps they can take to communicate that culture to new team members.

Performance reviews are an essential aspect of employee development and growth, but oftentimes they can feel like a one-sided conversation. Involving employees in the development of the performance review process can lead to more effective and impactful reviews.

Traditional performance review processes can be time-consuming, difficult to coordinate, and often result in low employee engagement. We'll explore how teams can leverage Webex to make employee performance reviews easier and more effective.

WorkStory, a platform for employee feedback and performance management, has launched a cutting-edge AI-powered performance management tool called WorkStory AI Assist. This new feature uses the latest OpenAI technology to provide real-time insights into employees' performance and development needs.

Managers are faced with new challenges in conducting performance reviews for their remote employees. The traditional approach of a face-to-face meeting is no longer applicable, and managers must adapt to the new normal.

Bonuses can be a great motivator for employees, but many companies struggle with determining the appropriate amount to pay out, when to give them, and how to tie them to performance.

As companies evolve, promoting employees to higher roles becomes crucial to maintaining their growth and success. But how do managers determine which employees are ready for a promotion?

As a manager, you play a vital role in ensuring the well-being of your team members. One of the most significant challenges that you might encounter is employee burnout.

It's important to understand that the younger generation of employees, specifically Gen Zers, have a different set of expectations when it comes to their workplace and their managers.

As creative agencies and marketing firms mature, leadership typically develops a need for managing performance reviews. But with so many options available, how can you choose the best one for your team?

A new approach to leadership has emerged – one that prioritizes serving others before oneself. It's called servant leadership, and it's a game-changer.

Forced ranking systems, also known as forced distribution, have been used by many organizations as a way to evaluate employee performance. However, this system has a negative impact on employees and can be detrimental to their motivation, morale, and productivity.

Effective offboarding ensures that the departing employee leaves on good terms, and it provides valuable feedback to the company about how to improve retention rates and create a better work environment.

You may believe that your employees are happy and engaged with their work, but do you really know for sure? Get started by just asking them.

Performance reviews are an important part of any job, providing employees with feedback on their work. However, sometimes you might receive a performance review that you feel is unfair or inaccurate.

At the heart of every great company is a unique culture that sets it apart from the rest. One key aspect of company culture is traditions that create a shared experience and build a sense of community.

Every growing business knows that losing team members is inevitable. But instead of viewing it as a negative, companies should embrace healthy turnover as an opportunity to build a stronger team.

An effective way to help your employees grow is by creating a career progression framework that defines the various levels of each position and the pathways by which they can move up within the organization.

In this post, we'll provide a sample unlimited PTO policy text that you can use in your own employee handbook or policies, as well as discuss the pros and cons of this policy and tips for implementing it effectively.

As a small business owner or HR manager, you may think that creating an employee handbook is just another task on your to-do list. However, a well-crafted employee handbook can benefit your business in many ways.

Asking for a raise can be a daunting task, but it's an essential step in your career growth. It can also be a challenging conversation to have, especially if you've never done it before.

Radical candor is the practice of being direct and honest while still showing compassion and care for others. In this post, we'll explore what radical candor is, its benefits, the pros and cons of implementing it, and how to introduce it to new hires.

Many employees feel overlooked or undervalued by their managers, leading to demoralization and a lack of engagement. But there are steps employees can take to ensure their achievements are recognized and rewarded.

As a manager, you want to have a high-performing team that consistently delivers great results. But what happens when one of your employees is not meeting expectations?

Layoffs are commonplace in the news cycle and as a result employees are concerned. In this post, we'll explore how leaders can build trust with their employees and foster authentic relationships in the workplace.

Constructive feedback is a crucial aspect of communication. However, giving feedback can be a challenging task for managers and employees alike. Let's explore what constructive feedback is, what it looks like, and how managers can educate team members on providing constructive feedback effectively.

As a small business leader, you know that having a clear direction and sense of purpose is critical to the success of your team. One way to achieve this is by crafting a compelling mission statement that defines your company's purpose and values.

As a business owner, you know that Glassdoor reviews can make or break your recruitment efforts. So, how can you manage your Glassdoor reviews to ensure that your company's reputation remains untarnished?

When employees leave, companies must invest significant time and resources into finding and training replacements, all while dealing with the loss of institutional knowledge and relationships. In this post, we'll explore strategies for reducing turnover.