Developing employees’ skills and abilities, not only improves their work performance, but will simultaneously increase their job satisfaction. Developing is the third stage of the Performance Management Cycle. Stage 3 focuses on building an employee’s skill set and/or amending their current behaviors and processes to increase efficiency. More than likely, employees will not inherently know or understand all aspects of their job duties and requirements. Therefore, organizations must provide training and feedback mechanisms to develop their employees into the most productive and efficient labor force possible.

Not only should employees have the capacity to perform their duties, but must be willing to commitment achieve their performance goals. Additionally, the management team must all commit to aiding in employee development. Executing a proper performance cycle occurs in a series of stages that, together, provide a collective evaluation and management protocol for obtaining the highest performance possible from an employee. Stages 1 (Planning) and 2 (Monitoring) are the first fold in implementing performance enhancing initiatives. Stage 3 (Developing) allows for a nurturing process to occur that will educate employees and enhance their abilities by providing explicit guidance and development. Diversifying an employee’s skill set, organizing training seminars, and increasing job-related responsibilities are avenues by which management can contribute towards developing an employee’s overall performance ability.

Employees should feel confident and assured not only of their performance expectations, but that achieving those goals will be a shared effort between themselves and their management team. Performance improvement should be viewed as a joint venture between employees and their administrative teams. Employees are not able to achieve set performance benchmarks without management’s guidance and managers will not obtain their performance goals without the commitment and dedication of their staff. Developing employees, not only improves their functionality and knowledge base, but, secondarily, encourages job loyalty and employee resolve in attaining pre-determined performance goals. Whether managing a large or small healthcare facility, employee development must be prioritized and implemented to successfully complete a performance management cycle.