In big move, Accenture will get rid of annual performance reviews and rankings An employee walks through Accenture's office space in Arlington, Va, on Aug. 28, 2013 ( Photograph by Jeffrey MacMillan ) As of September, one of the largest companies in the world will do all of its employees and managers an enormous favor: It will get rid of the annual performance review. Accenture CEO Pierre Nanterme told The Washington Post that the professional services firm, which employs hundreds of thousands of workers in cities around the globe, has been quietly preparing for this “massive revolution” in its internal operations. “Imagine, for a company of 330,000 people, changing the performance management process—it’s huge,” Nanterme said. The firm will disband rankings and the once-a-year evaluation process starting in fiscal year 2016, which for Accenture begins this September. [Read the full interview with Accenture's CEO where he breaks the news of the decision] Though many major companies still haven’t taken the leap, most are aware that their current systems are flawed.
Autonomy, Mastery, Purpose: The Science of What Motivates Us, Animated By Maria Popova The question of how to avoid meaningless labor and instead find fulfilling work brimming with a sense of purpose is an enduring but, for many, elusive cultural ideal. Daniel Pink tackles the conundrum in this wonderful animation by the RSA — who have previously sketch-noted such fascinating pieces of cultural psychology as the truth about dishonesty, the power of introverts, where good ideas come from, what’s wrong with the left-brain/right-brain dichotomy, the broken industrial model of education, and how choice limits social change — based on his book Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us (public library). Pink shares the counterintuitive results of two studies that reveal the inner workings of what influences our behavior — and the half-truth of why money can’t buy us satisfaction: Also of note is Pink’s TED talk on the subject:
The Annual Performance Review Is Out, Continuous Performance Management Is In The annual performance review is dead. Long live continuous performance management. Okay, so that’s a bit of an exaggeration. But there is no denying that one of the most enduring – and often disliked – performance-assessment tools is quickly falling out of favor with the world’s biggest employers. From Microsoft to General Electric to Accenture – top employers representing iconic brand products and services have abandoned the annual review. Why the trend away from annual reviews? Many of us in the human capital field can attest to the fact that it was difficult to find examples where performance reviews had actually improved the overall performance of an individual employee or an organization. The move away from annual reviews has become a legitimate trend that has been noted by some of the world’s biggest human capital companies. Adecco Belgium now offers its employees five coaching sessions each year, with a sixth annual evaluation meeting. •Help managers help you by asking questions.
10 Tips for UltraMarathon Training > RunningFreeOnline 1. Practice walking in training Yes, I know you are a runner but all but the elite ultrarunners employ a walk/run strategy during races and training. There are two main strategies and it depends on the terrain as to which is best; walking uphills, running downhills and flat sections works best for hilly terrain and running for a pre-determined time and then walking (eg run 15 minutes, walk five minutes) works best on the flat. 2. As with training for a marathon the long run is the most important training run for the ultrarunner. 3. Running downhill increases leg strength and helps build resistance to the painful feeling in the upper thighs that you experience towards the end of a long race. 4. Running an ultra requires a steady stream of calories to keep the body fuelled. 5. Trail running is by far the most popular form of ultrarunning. 6. Speed is not AS much of a concern in an ultra. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Power Naps: Napping Benefits, Length, and Tips Naps help Constance Kobylarz Wilde, 58, recharge, especially if she takes them right after lunch. Wilde, a marketing manager and health blogger in Mountain View, Calif., is constantly juggling her schedule as a working mom and family caregiver. She's up by 6 a.m. every day and tries to go to bed by 10:30 p.m. But unanticipated issues often push her bedtime later. "I can't do all-nighters anymore or just get six hours of sleep without it beginning to affect me," she says. So to combat fatigue and stay on top of things at work and at home, Wilde has made power naps a regular part of her routine, setting an alarm for a short snooze. Naps and Sleep Deprivation Daytime naps can be one way to treat sleep deprivation, says Sara C. The length of your nap and the type of sleep you get help determine the brain-boosting benefits. What happens if you nap for more than 20 minutes? Naps Versus Coffee Is taking a catnap better than reaching for a cup of joe? Continued Napping Tips Be consistent. Go dark.
7 Science-Based Health Benefits of Drinking Enough Water Our bodies are around 60% water, give or take. It is commonly recommended to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day (the 8×8 rule). Although there is little science behind this specific rule, staying hydrated is important. Here are 7 evidence-based health benefits of drinking plenty of water. 1. If we do not stay hydrated, physical performance can suffer. This is particularly important during intense exercise or high heat. Dehydration can have a noticeable effect if you lose as little as 2% of your body’s water content. This can lead to altered body temperature control, reduced motivation, increased fatigue and make exercise feel much more difficult, both physically and mentally (3). Optimal hydration has been shown to prevent this from happening, and may even reduce the oxidative stress that occurs during high intensity exercise. So, if you exercise intensely and tend to sweat, then staying hydrated can help you perform at your absolute best. article continues below advertisement 2. 3.
How Mindfulness Can Improve Productivity and Work Life Balance @ Graham Allcott // One Comment Getting Things Done and the Mindful Productivity Ninja This is characteristic 7 of the 9 characteristics of becoming a Productivity Ninja…. Our minds are our most important tool. Listening to the ‘lizard brain’ & our own resistance Our brains have evolved a lot since we were monkeys, but one thing has hardly changed: the lizard brain. Steven Pressfield’s book The War of Art is a revealing and personal account of his battles as a writer against what he calls ‘the resistance’. This sounds easy but it’s not – mainly because they’re often so quiet that you don’t even realise they need silencing at all. Emotions, Meditation & Productivity Many people will tell you that allowing time and space to listen to your emotions, listen to your heart and just be mindful is either a waste of time or somehow ‘hippy psychobabble’. A bad day can be as much about what’s going on in your head as what’s going on in the office. Listening to others
45 Simple Self-Care Practices for a Healthy Mind, Body & Soul “There are days I drop words of comfort on myself like falling leaves and remember that it is enough to be taken care of by myself.” ~Brian Andreas Do you ever forget to take care of yourself? I know. I should know. A few years ago, I had a corporate job in London, working a regular sixty-hour week. But I had no life. I rarely took care of myself, and I was always focused on goals, achievements, and meeting the excessive expectations I had of myself. So I made an unusual choice. I began to take care of myself better, scheduling in time alone, for exercise and for fun. I got to know myself better and know what I needed—not just to function, but to flourish. But guess what? At the end of last year, I spent Christmas alone in bed, completely exhausted. Why did this happen? Well, I had been running my busy website and consulting in seven countries in just two months. Self-Care Isn’t a One-Time Deal The best way to do this is to implement tiny self-care habits every day. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.