Making performance count at Bath & North East Somerset Council

The challenge

Managing performance across a workforce of 4,000 employees presents unique challenges, particularly within an organisation delivering hundreds of different public services. 

Before implementing Performance & Talent, performance management processes varied widely between departments. Managers and teams often relied on their own methods for recording objectives, reviews and development conversations, creating inconsistencies across the organisation. 

This fragmented approach made it difficult to establish a common framework for performance management and staff development. It also limited visibility of employee progress, engagement and alignment with organisational priorities. 

Tracey Fielding explains: 

"Before, we had various one-to-one style meetings. Some people had an Excel spreadsheet, some people used Word documents. This inconsistency led to inefficiencies and siloed operations, which didn't help with cohesive staff development and engagement." 

The council wanted to create a more consistent, development-focused approach that would make performance conversations more meaningful while supporting both employees and managers. 

What made the difference

The introduction of Performance & Talent enabled the council to bring performance management, feedback and development planning together within a single platform. 

Several capabilities proved particularly valuable: 

• A consistent framework for objectives, performance reviews and development discussions. 
• Integration with Microsoft Outlook and Teams for scheduling and communication. 
• An intuitive user experience that encouraged adoption across the workforce. 
• Continuous feedback functionality that supports ongoing development rather than isolated review discussions. 
• Better reporting and insight into performance and talent development activities. 

To support implementation, the council delivered workshops and engagement activities designed to help managers and employees understand the benefits of the new approach and adopt it confidently. 

For Tracey, the platform's ease of use played a significant role in its success: 

"Performance & Talent is user friendly and logical, which contributed to its widespread acceptance among staff, including those less comfortable with technology." 

What changed

The implementation has helped transform performance management from a largely administrative process into a more consistent and development-focused experience. 

Greater consistency

Employees and managers now work within a shared framework for performance reviews, objectives and development planning, creating a more consistent experience across the council. 

Improved engagament

Regular conversations and feedback have become easier to manage and track, helping to strengthen communication between managers and employees and encouraging ongoing development. 

Data-driven decision making 

Working closely with the council's business intelligence team, Performance & Talent has improved access to workforce insights, helping leaders make more informed decisions around talent development and succession planning. 

Enhanced talent management 

The council now has greater visibility of employee goals, aspirations and performance, supporting the identification and development of high-potential talent across the organisation.