Building the Right Performance and Growth Framework as an SME
Over the last few years, Clarion has continued to grow, and, with that growth, our policies and ways of working have evolved too. As part of this journey, we want to make sure we continue listening to our employees and understanding their perspectives no matter the size of our business.
To support this, like many organisations, we use People and Pulse Surveys to gather insights that inform important decisions. We want to understand what our employees value most at Clarion and where they feel we can improve. Although our overall results are very positive, they also highlighted a key area that needed our focus.
Colleagues told us they wanted clearer structures for professional development, more guidance when setting objectives and, above all, regular and constructive feedback.
For an organisation that thrives on solving problems and believes that people make the biggest difference, this insight was important to us. So, taking what we were hearing from the team, we began to design something that worked specifically for Clarion.
Designing a Framework that Reflects Clarion’s Values
When we asked the team what they thought a good performance framework looked like, it became apparent that few of us had experienced a system that genuinely supported development and constructive feedback.
Our people were telling us that traditional annual appraisal style schemes don’t deliver for employees or companies as they are often so focussed on completing documents rather than the quality of discussions. Therefore, ours had to be one that didn’t just follow the default model but one that we could mould to suit our culture and our size.
If we get it right, this is going to be really beneficial.
But if we get it wrong, it could be so detrimental.
During late spring last year, we brought our Senior Leadership Team together to define exactly what we wanted the framework to provide:
A guide and not a policy: Serving as a light-touch set of principles that line managers and individuals can work with, not a strict set of rules.
A two-way conversation: We encourage open conversations where employees feel comfortable raising questions and constructively challenging their line manager’s perspective.
Ongoing feedback: Conversations shouldn’t be limited to an annual review or tied purely to pay.
No end-of-year ‘ratings’: We believe that one or two words cannot summarise how someone has performed over a whole year.
Not a tick-box exercise that doesn’t allow for nuance and individuality.
Flexibility that gives line managers and individuals the chance to have one-to-one discussions as frequently as they see fit.
Objectives that support personal development in line with company strategy and growth plans. Also, objectives that could be consistent for everyone.
We then invited colleagues from across the business to join a working group and used their feedback to shape and refine the framework over the summer. This approach reflects how we work at Clarion, bringing colleagues together to design solutions and listening to different perspectives.
We also carefully considered what to call this. We wanted to avoid terms like ‘performance management’ that can carry negative associations. We felt that using the word ‘framework’ was more appropriate, as it reflects its purpose as a supportive guide that provides individual ownership. After exploring several options, we settled on the name ‘Performance and Growth Framework’, and it was launched in September.
What the Performance and Growth Framework Includes and How it Works for Us as an SME
Although we want our framework to be flexible, it also needs to provide some structure and guidance. Our Performance and Growth Framework recommends that employees work with their line manager quarterly to set and review SMART objectives in the following categories:
Behaviours: a personal objective linked directly to Clarion’s values of Trust, Tolerance, and Teamwork.
Business: an objective that supports Clarion’s strategic goals.
Development/Stretch: an objective that focusses on personal development and learning.
Delivery: an objective that indicates what you aim to deliver against your project brief and job description.
In addition, some colleagues will have a probation objective (when they first join us) and a line management objective (where relevant to their role).
When assessing objectives, we didn’t want the evidencing element to overshadow what the framework is intended to achieve: quality discussion that supports individual growth in line with Clarion goals. To ensure fairness and to recognise achievements accurately, we gather feedback from a range of sources. Our small size allows us to speak directly with heads of departments, project leads, customers and colleagues to gain insight into the real value everyone brings to their team. This approach provides a more rounded view of contribution and helps line managers to reward great work when it is deserved.
Looking Ahead
As we grow, we know that our needs will change and so must our Performance and Growth Framework. We see this as a living structure that is under constant review and always grounded in feedback from our people.
As we reach the 6-month mark since the framework was launched, our 2026 People Survey is giving us the first round of insights into how the framework is landing. Overall, it’s been positive, which is fantastic news. We expect to keep learning though and, in keeping with our culture, we will continue adapting, refining and strengthening our approach to ensure that it supports every individual to grow in a way that suits them.