Cornerstone Strategy LLC supports Japanese companies operating in the United States with the design, review, and improvement of performance management systems and practices.
Performance management is not simply an annual evaluation process or one component of an HR system. It is a management framework that connects organizational goals with individual goals, clarifies expected outcomes and behaviors, and improves employee growth and organizational results through ongoing dialogue between managers and employees.
We take an integrated view of performance evaluations, goal setting, feedback, one-on-one meetings, linkage with compensation, and low-performance management, and support the development of performance management practices that managers can use effectively in the workplace.
Do You Face Challenges Like These?
- You have a performance evaluation system, but it is not being fully used in the workplace.
- Goals are unclear, and organizational goals are not sufficiently linked to individual goals.
- Evaluation standards and the quality of feedback vary significantly by manager.
- Performance review meetings have become formalities and do not support employee growth.
- One-on-one meetings and ongoing feedback are not sufficiently practiced.
- The connection between evaluation results and compensation, promotions, or development actions is unclear.
- Low-performance issues are addressed too late or left to individual managers.
- You are not sure how to implement the Japanese headquarters’ evaluation system or HR policies at the U.S. subsidiary.
These challenges cannot be solved simply by updating evaluation forms or HR policies. It is important to clarify what the organization values, what behaviors are expected of managers, and how managers should engage in dialogue with employees and support their growth as part of day-to-day management.
What Is Performance Management?
Performance management is the process of connecting organizational goals with individual goals, clarifying expected outcomes and behaviors, and improving individual and organizational performance through ongoing dialogue, feedback, evaluation, development, and linkage with compensation.
Traditional evaluation systems often focus on annual reviews and compensation decisions. Effective performance management, however, is designed as an integrated process that includes goal setting at the beginning of the cycle, one-on-one meetings and feedback during the cycle, performance evaluation at the end of the cycle, and follow-up actions related to development, placement, and compensation.
For Japanese companies operating in the United States, it is important to respect the evaluation philosophy and HR policies of the Japanese headquarters while adapting the operation of the system to U.S. employment practices, feedback culture, compensation market realities, and the expectations of managers and employees.
Cornerstone Strategy LLC supports the development of performance management practices that work in the workplace, including not only system design, but also manager enablement, feedback quality, employee dialogue, and low-performance management.
Key Areas of Support
| Area | Support Provided |
|---|---|
| Review of Current System and Practices | We organize the current state of performance evaluations, goal setting, performance review meetings, feedback, compensation linkage, and low-performance management. |
| Goal-Setting Process Design | We design goal-setting processes that connect organizational goals with individual goals based on roles and expected outcomes. |
| Evaluation Criteria and Process Design | We organize the criteria and process for evaluating outcomes, behaviors, competencies, leadership, and other relevant dimensions. |
| Feedback and One-on-One Meeting Support | We design practices that help managers provide ongoing feedback and conduct one-on-one meetings to support employee growth. |
| Linkage with Compensation, Promotion, and Development | We organize how evaluation results should be connected to compensation, promotion, placement, and development actions. |
| Low-Performance Management | We organize processes for addressing employees who are not meeting expectations, including documentation, improvement support, and issues that may require professional review. |
| Manager Enablement Support | We design communication materials and training to help managers conduct evaluations, feedback, goal setting, and performance conversations appropriately. |
| Alignment Between Japanese Headquarters and U.S. Subsidiary | We organize gaps between the evaluation policies of the Japanese headquarters and U.S. practices and employee expectations, and consider practical operating approaches. |
Expected Outputs
| Output | Description |
|---|---|
| Current System and Practice Assessment | We organize issues related to the current evaluation system, goal setting, feedback, performance review meetings, and compensation linkage. |
| Performance Management Philosophy and Guidelines | We clarify the purpose of the system, the outcomes and behaviors to be emphasized, expected manager roles, and operating principles. |
| Goal-Setting and Evaluation Process Design | We organize the cycle from beginning-of-cycle goal setting to mid-cycle check-ins, end-of-cycle evaluation, roles, timing, and operating procedures. |
| Evaluation Criteria and Competency Materials | We organize evaluation dimensions such as outcomes, behaviors, skills, and leadership expectations. |
| One-on-One and Feedback Guide | We organize approaches, sample questions, and key considerations for managers to conduct ongoing dialogue and feedback. |
| Compensation, Promotion, and Development Linkage Materials | We organize how evaluation results should connect to compensation, promotion, placement, and development actions. |
| Low-Performance Management Guide | We organize steps for addressing employees who are not meeting expectations, including documentation, improvement support, and issues that may require professional review. |
| Manager Communication and Training Materials | We create materials and training content to help managers understand the purpose of the system and operate it appropriately. |
Common Reasons Clients Contact Us
- Our performance evaluation system has become a formality and is not being used effectively in the workplace.
- We want to clarify goal-setting methods and evaluation criteria.
- The quality of evaluations and feedback varies significantly by manager.
- We want to establish one-on-one meetings and ongoing feedback practices.
- We want to clarify the connection between evaluation results and compensation, promotions, or development actions.
- We want to understand how to implement the Japanese headquarters’ evaluation system at the U.S. subsidiary.
- We want to address low-performance issues through an appropriate process rather than leaving them to individual managers.
- We want to redesign performance management so it supports employee growth and organizational results.
We will carefully listen to your current performance management system, workplace practices, manager and employee challenges, and relationship with the Japanese headquarters, and help identify the support needed for your organization.