To safeguard our work future, we need to know, and more importantly show, what we have accomplished. Rarely are we fooled about the value of our work. But how we feel may not accord with our boss’s feelings. That’s where measurement enters the workplace, to provide an unbiased appraisal. Or not?
Metrics have become so common – inside and outside our work lives – that they may seem uncontestable. Pro athletes are measured nearly “to death”. Phone reps are judged on the number of calls. And truss people must meet board feet objectives. That truss metrics have migrated from whiteboards updated daily, to digital displays updated continuously, seems to reinforce their infallibility. That they are deceptively easy to understand lends them further credibility.
What if we end up on the “wrong side” of a metric? Time to do our homework and find a better metric. In the plant, “man-minutes” may beat “board feet” per interval. Or in the design office, “numbers of truss designs” may be better than “sales dollars” per time period. But gather the facts first before contesting a “proven” system. Especially if you are very experienced in your job, you are likely receiving the most complex, least quantifiable work. And you may need to supplement metrics with subjective measures to support your value.
Don’t assume that you know how your boss feels. Too often, I have failed to ask, “How do I measure up?” Too often I have waited until an annual review when I should have asked often. And too often have I assumed that just working hard proved my worth, short of any measureable evidence.