How OneAdvanced helped N Brown to transform their performance management and feedback culture

Since 2019, N Brown has partnered with OneAdvanced to move away from rigid, legacy processes toward a culture of continuous development. We recently sat down with their Senior Talent Development Lead, John Caulfield, to discuss how our Performance & Talent system has shifted the needle from a one-way, manager-driven approach to genuine employee empowerment.

Moving away from square pegs in round holes

Before 2018, N Brown’s approach to performance felt, in John’s words, like a "square peg in a round hole”. The business was attempting to use an onboarding tool to manage performance. The result was low employee engagement due to a lack of adequate functionality.

The transition to P&T began with a pilot of 200 users before rolling out the software across the entire organisation. The goal was simple yet ambitious: move from a top-down mandate to a two-way conversation where employees own their growth.

"Historically, it was the line manager who drove performance”, John explained. "As we moved onto Performance & Talent, it was the beginning for employees to be able to put in objectives themselves... the message became: you drive your own targets and personal development with support from your manager”.

The "Spotify Wrapped" of work: Data-driven engagement

One of the most striking outcomes of our partnership is the sheer volume of engagement. John recently performed a "Work Wrapped" (inspired by the popular Spotify feature) to look at the 2025 calendar year. The numbers speak for themselves:

• 2,855 feedback moments captured across the business.
• 3,933 conversations planned through the system.
• 1,500+ resulting actions or comments generated.

These aren't just numbers; they represent a fundamental shift in how N Brown’s employees interact. By using the system as a facilitator, the team has created an interconnected web of feedback that spans departments and hierarchies.

Strategic alignment and cultural integrity

A critical challenge for any large retailer is ensuring that every individual understands how their daily tasks contribute to the "big picture”. N Brown solved this by mandating that every objective created in the system must align with one of their four main organisational goals.

On top of this, feedback isn't just about what was achieved, but how it was achieved. By aligning feedback to specific organisational behaviours, they have also ensured that high performance doesn't come at the cost of culture.

"You might get results, but if you're leaving a trail of rubble in your wake, that's going to be a negative impact long-term," said John. "We’ve tried to weave the cultural side of things into it."

Tangible business impact: 99.7% completion

The most undeniable proof of success lies in the completion rates. Under the old system, year-end completion hovered between 60% and 70%. In the most recent cycle, the results were staggering.

Out of 1,500 users, all but four had a year-end rating and a performance conversation.

This near-100% engagement rate allows HR Business Partners to move away from chasing and toward strategic support. Instead of manual reporting that used to take hours, John can now pull comprehensive engagement data in under 10 minutes, allowing the HR function to spend their energy where it matters: supporting people.

Why the partnership works

The success John has outlined can be linked to three key aspects:

1. Simplicity: A system that is really easy to use ensures high adoption without the need for complex training.
2. Agility: Shifting the focus from a one-off event to year-round feedback moments.
3. Insight: Providing leadership with the real-time reporting needed to drive high-performance.

As N Brown continues to lead the way in inclusive fashion, their commitment to an inclusive, employee-led performance culture has become a great competitive advantage for their HR function.

Ready to transform your performance culture? Discover how Performance & Talent can help your people reach their full potential through continuous feedback and strategic alignment.