Polaroid

Polaroid is evolving performance management across an organisation that brings together different working environments, locations and requirements. This requires a common framework that also takes the needs of individual areas into account.

In its office teams, Polaroid has already digitised its previously paper-based review process. Through the integration with Personio Performance & Development, digital performance reviews are embedded in the existing HR systems landscape.

At production sites, however, the review process remains more heavily paper-based: managers hold direct conversations with employees, while HR supports the cycle, keeps track of timelines and reminds participants of deadlines.

These differences make further development more complex. What works in an office environment cannot automatically be transferred to a production setting. At the same time, Polaroid wants to create greater consistency in the long term.

A common framework should provide guidance while offering enough flexibility for office teams, production sites and international regions.

The main challenges include:

• different processes across office teams and production sites

• paper-based review processes in parts of the organisation

• significant effort required for reminders and follow-ups

• calibration still taking place outside the system

• performance data already feeding into salary reviews but not yet fully connected to promotion planning and other HR processes

To embed feedback and development more consistently, Polaroid works with an annual performance review cycle. This gives employees, managers and HR a shared structure – from the mid-year conversation through to the annual review and subsequent goal setting.

Two key conversations structure the year: the mid-year review and the annual performance review. Goal setting for the following year comes next.

This structure creates dedicated opportunities for feedback. Employees reflect on their development, managers can prepare more effectively for conversations and HR supports the individual steps across different teams.

Polaroid distinguishes between the “what” and the “how”. The “what” focuses on goal achievement: Which goals were achieved? What progress was made over the course of the year? The “how” looks at how employees demonstrate the company’s values in their day-to-day work.

This turns the performance review into a foundation for feedback, guidance and the next step in an employee’s development – rather than simply an assessment of the previous year.

Performance data at Polaroid already feeds directly into salary reviews. In future, the company wants to connect performance management more closely with calibration, promotion planning and other HR processes.

Calibration currently still takes place offline. While employees provide feedback and complete self-assessments and managers conduct their reviews, teams and managers align on what average, good or outstanding performance looks like. This additional step outside the system creates manual work, particularly when the results subsequently feed into other HR decisions.

The integration with Personio embeds digital performance reviews in the existing HR systems landscape.

A digitally supported review cycle makes preparation easier for everyone involved. HR can set timelines, prepare communications and guide employees and managers through each stage of the process.

Self-assessments give employees space to reflect, while managers can prepare more effectively for conversations. Feedback, self-assessments and previous reviews also provide a stronger foundation for conversations between managers and employees.

To ensure that performance reviews are not perceived as a purely formal process, Polaroid focuses on clear communication. Feedback, development and a shared view of the future remain at the centre.

For Polaroid, the annual review cycle is only one part of a broader goal: feedback should not take place exclusively in formal conversations, but become a more natural part of everyday work.

Polaroid wants to evolve performance management from a predominantly annual format towards more continuous feedback. Managers and employees should speak more regularly, give feedback and actively ask for it.

Today, Polaroid encourages this exchange primarily through communication, workshops and informal reminders. In the long term, feedback should become a more natural part of everyday work – as a shared responsibility between managers and employees.

Alongside more continuous feedback, bringing production sites more closely into the process remains an important next step. Polaroid is deliberately taking a phased approach. Different locations and teams need time to adapt new processes to their own working environments and to feel heard, supported and fully included along the way.

In the long term, performance reviews should not be associated solely with salary or bonuses. Employees should recognise the value of these conversations for their own development and experience feedback as something that helps them grow.