After 25 years working in human resources, Lisa First-Willis has seen lots of processes advance with technology. But performance management has remained stuck in the past.
“The annual review process has always been broken,” she says. “It adds little to no value for the manager and the employee, especially for frontline hourly workforces. Employees want to grow with a company that supports their goals, both personally and professionally. Further, employees want to be valued members of a team that make an impact and foster a culture of collaboration, trust and respect.”
That’s why she co-founded Truvelop, which uses an app-based solution to make feedback more collaborative, timely and actionable.
“Performance management should not be a one-and-done exercise. It should really be something that evolves over time, where you’re consistently providing performance feedback and development opportunities,” First-Willis says. To facilitate this, managers and employees use Truvelop’s app to instantly deliver real-time coaching or praise over text, email and in-app notifications.
With Truvelop’s proprietary evaluation process, managers can capture and measure performance throughout the year. AI-enabled coaching functionality and Management Cue Cards help managers engage and motivate employees based on their current performance.
“The manager can point out things they have observed, like reminding an employee to follow safety procedures, or recognizing an instance of great customer service,” says First-Willis. These interactions serve as a running record of performance over time. Ongoing reviews acknowledge wins and areas for improvement in a timely manner, so the manager can work with the employee to develop skills. This approach makes performance evaluations more meaningful and keeps employees engaged.
According to First-Willis, translating feedback into a performance development plan is where even the best processes break down. HR teams often do not have the bandwidth to support employee development, and managers may not have the skills to effectively provide coaching. To solve this problem, Truvelop offers resources, toolkits and guides for both managers and employees to foster individual growth.
Learning tools such as tips, talk tracks and video are available in the resource library, and have been cultivated with input from Truvelop’s user community. Many of Truvelop’s customers have employees who are non-native English speakers, so all learning resources are available in multiple languages.
“Workforce demographics have changed and this segment of the workforce is left out when it comes to professional development and upskilling opportunities, because of language barriers,” First-Willis says. “Now, it’s accessible to everyone.”
Truvelop’s growth trajectory received a significant boost with strategic funding and support from TEDCO (Maryland Technology Development Corporation). TEDCO’s Seed Funds invest in companies that show promise of becoming venture fundable businesses or are companies that, through a seed investment, will be sustainable through customer revenue, follow-on funding or other forms of corporate venture. Truvelop’s latest round of funding came from the State Small Business Credit Initiative.
First-Willis explained, “We are very fortunate to have TEDCO’s support from the very beginning and this follow-on investment allowed the team to focus on refining the product and leveraging the latest advancements in AI to expand its reach.” She outlined plans for scaling the platform while maintaining focus on high-turnover industries where the opportunity to make a difference is the greatest.
“When you look at the big players in HR tech, they’re selling predominantly to white-collar professional companies. We actually enjoy getting our hands dirty and working with people who are in the field and working on the frontlines,” First-Willis says. “Our focus remains on making work better for everyone, especially those frontline employees who often go unrecognized or lack purpose. Every employee deserves to work in an environment where they feel valued, are recognized for their efforts, have access to learning and development opportunities and always know where they stand.” I95 Content Marketing
Source: I95 Business