Employees are the backbone of any company and their performance will either make or break the business. With employees being human, their performance can be affected by many things – from their mood to their values to their relationships to their work environment.

How can you put factors in place to bring out the best in your team as a CHRO or HR Director?

This post will walk you through a few steps you can take as an HR Leader to help your team reach their potential.

4 Ways You Can Help Your Team Achieve Their Potential

1. Connect and Build Trust

As an HR leader, you are the gap between the higher-ups and the employees. The first step to helping your team reach their potential is building trust and connecting with them.

If the only time you talk or interact with your team is during work meetings when you just go over business goals, you’re doing it wrong.

Author and culture consultant, Josh Levine, says “When there are no opportunities to connect, build and strengthen a relationship, trust is going to start to wane”.

And when there’s no trust, working together will be hard. Communicating will be hard and work efficiency will drop.

You want to create and foster a positive work culture where members of your team are not afraid to air their opinions. You need to reduce friction and make sure you are as approachable as possible.

Try not to be another titled boss who terrifies them whenever their name is mentioned.

How can you do this? By showing vulnerability, being a team player and working with the team. Interact with them outside of work, for example, during lunch hours.

You can’t know everything, especially if you’re new in your HR role – that’s why you employed them in the first place.

You need their help, so ask questions where you don’t understand. Actively seek their input. Gently correct and criticize them when you need to. Don’t always do the talking; try to engage them too.

2. Continuous Performance Management

According to McKinsey, employees perform 4.2 times better than their peers when their performance is evaluated regularly. Now that you’ve connected with your team, you need to actively focus on improving their performance.

That’s what Continuous Performance Management (CPM) means – weekly check-ins, constructive feedback, asking them questions, praising them when they do well, and things like that.

“Having an organization where you attract top talent and have that individual grow is golden.” Sue Quackenbush, Chief People Officer, DynaTrace.

Traditional performance management is ineffective since it happens only a few times a year. Therefore, CPM is better at recognising and growing talent within your team.

46% of UK employees say they feel more engaged and focused when they have regular check-ins with their managers/employers (Consultancy).

As an HR leader, check in with the members of your team once in a while. Ask them about their current work and if they need any guidance. Praise them when they do a good job.

Try to be consistent with this as inconsistency will give opposite results.

Continuous Performance Management is a regular, ongoing cycle or process. It’s not something you do once in a while – that’s traditional performance management.

Imagine congratulating an employee on something that they did last week instead of the day or the day after they did it. It will make them feel like an afterthought and can make communicating with them awkward. Be regular with your check-ins.

Start by planning your CPM. What particular goals would you like to accomplish with your Performance Management?

Schedule time for checking in and reviewing performance. Also consider how and when to give feedback.

3. Get Work Done Faster with AI

AI in HR can sound absurd since HR is literally all about human relationships, connections, empathy and similar concepts.

However, AI is rapidly affecting every industry and sector and HR is no exception.

Chief People Officer at Taboola, Kristy Sundjaja says “Be open. Embrace it. It’s not just about business strategy but also technology transformations that we can bring to the company”.

Instead of being on the team of “AI has come to replace us”, use it to increase your team’s efficiency.

Teach them how to use AI agents to quickly handle repetitive tasks that don’t require human creativity, such as creating the first draft for reply emails or handling routine or mundane documentation.

For example, using background check software can streamline and enhance the accuracy of candidate profiling during recruitment. Instead of manually verifying credentials or cross-referencing data, AI-powered tools can quickly analyze resumes, verify qualifications, and even flag inconsistencies, allowing your team to focus on more strategic aspects of hiring.

However, since AI can be abused, for example, employees using it to create complete drafts and adding little effort, rules need to be set in place. Talk to your team about this.

4. Reduce Workplace Loneliness 

According to Gallup, 1 in 5 employees feel lonely at work and this report shows that loneliness can affect work efficiency.

As a CHRO or HR leader, what can you do to reduce this loneliness?

Jennie Kerr, Chief People Officer at Comtech says “Be Present. When you have something to say, say it. But also, invite someone in. Say ‘Hey, I think you’ve got great knowledge, why don’t you join in?”

Make them feel like they are part of the business. Like in tip #1 of this post, ask for their input. Talk to them but also with them. Try to have a 1:1 chat with them once in a while.

Another way to reduce workplace loneliness is to engage them in social activities. This could include holiday contests where prizes can be won, monthly or bi-weekly breakfasts, brunches, etc. This will at least encourage them to make friends amongst themselves.

Lastly, you can reduce workplace loneliness through the small things.

Like smiling and waving when you see them. Saying please and thank you when you’re instructing them.

Conclusion

The team’s success starts with you as an HR leader or CHRO. Building trust, fostering open communication, and creating an inclusive, supportive work culture are the foundations of helping your employees thrive. By adopting continuous performance management, embracing technology like AI to enhance efficiency, and addressing workplace loneliness, you can unlock their full potential and make them feel valued contributors to the company’s mission.

Remember, it’s not just about driving results but also creating an environment where employees feel respected, connected, and empowered to grow. By taking these actionable steps, you can inspire your team to perform their best while building a healthier, happier workplace. Empower your team, and watch your company flourish!

Jessica is a seasoned business strategist with a proven track record in facilitating growth and scalability for companies through effective branding, messaging, and market positioning. Her expertise encompasses comprehensive business and market analysis, as well as the development of streamlined processes, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and automation systems. Jessica actively shares her valuable insights on her platform, providing guidance and strategies for businesses looking to enhance their market presence and operational efficiency. She shares her insights on her blog Marketer Search.