Some of you might know that I officially stepped into the role of CEO at my company in January of this year [2023], and, well, there’s been a lot of work to do ever since [it’s been a little messy. Absolutely. There’s been a lot to clean up, too … but it’s been inspiring].
One of the more immediate “tasks” [for lack of a better word, because it’s felt anything like a task … and has instead been a most inspiring introduction/reintroduction to my company, and – certainly – the very best “initiation” to my new role] has been cleaning up our job descriptions, our yearly review system, our personal development plans for everyone, and [for the first time in TDP’s history] attaching company-wide KPIs to each role within our company.
I in no way at all want to glorify hustle, but I’ve been working days, nights and weekends getting all of this firmed up, and it’s coming together [read: nearly done] and I’m so proud … I could just about chuck a nudie run around my neighbours whilst blasting ‘Chariots of Fire’ from my iPhone’s Spotify [but I won’t do that], and I’ll instead share with you what I came in and immediately prioritised fixing … and why.
TL;DR? A business’ backbone is its team, and its for this reason that I needed to overhaul all o’ the above as I feel it’s crucial to our ongoing success.
You see, we fancy ourselves a bit like a big ol’ bustling ant colony here, and as anyone worth their Vegemite knows … a colony only runs smoothly when every ant knows what it’s doing. And that my friends, is why we’ve gone back to the drawing board, sharpened our pencils, and rewritten our job descriptions from scratch.
First? We got crystal clear on our job descriptions
The first step towards ensuring everyone in a company can perform their duties effectively is to define the roles clearly. Providing concise, accurate job descriptions does more than just lay out responsibilities; it helps foster an environment where everyone understands their place in the larger team, enabling efficient collaboration and reducing overlaps or gaps in the work.
Moreover, well-articulated job descriptions form a baseline for performance reviews can assist in setting clear expectations from the start. With our updated job descriptions at The Digital Picnic, we aim to provide every team member with a clearer understanding of their role, expectations, and their unique contribution to our shared goals.
In less corporate talk? Our JDs had all become seriously outdated, and I realised when I looked at them, “oh my goodness, no wonder this has to be a yearly update’y kinda thing”.
… we’ll be doing that from here on in.
Then? We added actionable company-wide KPIs to those job descriptions
… and we’ve never done this before, admittedly.
Actually, the only folk who’ve had KPIs in TDP’s history have been senior management, and, well, that’s ridiculous [lol].
Key Performance Indicators, or KPIs, are integral in tracking progress and maintaining focus on organisational goals. By implementing company-wide KPIs, we ensure that every team member understands their role in achieving our common objectives.
However, setting KPIs is not just about numbers or arbitrary targets. We’ve carefully designed our KPIs to be meaningful, achievable, and relevant to each role, inspiring a results-driven culture that fosters accountability and continuous improvement.
Then? We wanted to do the work on our yearly review system, and make it significantly more progressive, fair, equitable, and humanistic/encouraging
Employee evaluations, if done correctly, can prove to be one of the most powerful tools in an employer’s arsenal. Yearly reviews are not merely performance grading sessions … but opportunities to build open lines of communication, promote transparency, and strengthen relationships within the team.
Ours weren’t doing that. Actually, they were sh*t. #lol.
We have remodelled our yearly review processes now to be more constructive, fair, and personalised. They’re now designed to highlight each individual’s strengths, pinpoint areas of improvement, and most importantly, create a platform for open dialogue and mutual growth.
Finally? We weaved in tailored professional development plans to those aforementioned yearly reviews
As a company, we recognise that our success lies in the growth and development of our team. Personalised professional development plans are a step in this direction. They ensure that every individual in our organisation has the chance to expand their knowledge, improve their skills, and advance their career trajectories.
These plans are tailored to the individual’s aspirations and the skills required for their role’s growth. By investing in our team’s personal and professional growth, we’re building a motivated, knowledgeable workforce committed to delivering exceptional results.
Cherie’s final thoughts
These steps we’ve taken at The Digital Picnic are more than just procedural adjustments. They’re part of a larger vision that puts our team’s growth and satisfaction at the forefront, firmly believing that a thriving team translates into a thriving business.
We’re excited about these changes, and we’re even more excited about the way they’re empowering our team to deliver the cutting-edge digital marketing solutions that our clients have come to expect from us.
Remember, “a successful team is a group of many hands but of one mind.” We’re thrilled to be working towards this shared vision and look forward to the remarkable achievements we’ll accomplish together.
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