Applebee’s International
Overview
When Applebee’s International, Inc. the world’s leading casual dining concept decided to take on the challenge of performance management, they meant business.
They wanted a system that would ensure that managers were focused on the operational factors most critical to success. They wanted better visibility and control. They wanted to insure that each associate has the right traits to deliver success and they wanted to identify and retain their best associates.
Challenge
The Applebee’s performance management process evolved from best practices drawn from a variety of industries. And the sophisticated process had an immediate, positive impact. But Applebee’s soon discovered that trying to measure thousands of employees in hundreds of locations on a timely and consistent basis was overwhelming in scope and unwieldy in execution.
Strategies and Tactics
With a thorough knowledge of Applebee’s performance management process and a complete understanding of the project’s goals, Trabon designed, created and assisted in the launch of a Web-based tool that was easy to explain, learn and use. The new application was not only able to relieve the considerable burden of the process; it allowed performance management to move in directions previously not available. At the heart of the new system is a balanced scorecard which tracks key financial, guest, and people performance indicators. Associates at all levels have unprecedented visibility to clear, concise and accurate information. Each measure of performance is evaluated against targets and given a performance rating ranging from outstanding to unacceptable. Twice a year the performance information is seamlessly included in online performance reviews. These reviews not only look at results delivered, but examine how well the associate measures up against key competencies correlated with their role. Compensation based on the performance metrics delivers true "pay for performance" capability to the company’s managers and executives.
Results
- Millions of dollars in savings realized since implementation
- Significant reduction in manager turnover- 33%
- Reduction in associate turnover- over 20%
- Improved communication
- Enhanced visibility of performance metrics
- Improved customer satisfaction
- Reduction in HR costs
Application
