Why our workplaces aren’t working (Part 7)

We measure performance — but overlook experience

Organisations are very good at measuring performance. But performance is only part of the story. Experience matters just as much, because experience shapes behaviour over time.

Most organisations have clear ways of measuring results. They know whether targets have been achieved, projects have been delivered and business goals have been met. But what often receives far less attention is how people experience work while delivering those results.

People stay, engage and grow when they feel heard, see progress and are meaningfully challenged.

When people feel that their ideas matter, they are more willing to contribute. When they can see themselves growing, they become more committed to the organisation. When they are challenged in meaningful ways, they continue to learn, adapt and perform.

They leave when those things disappear.

These aren’t abstract ideas. They’re leading indicators, yet they’re often under-measured.

Organisations tend to notice the outcome rather than the warning signs. By the time engagement falls or talented people decide to leave, the experience that led to those decisions has often been developing for months.

So organisations are surprised when talent leaves. They shouldn’t be. The signals were always there, they were just not prioritised.

This is not about replacing performance management. Performance will always matter, but performance is an outcome. Experience is one of the conditions that makes that outcome possible.

When people have positive experiences at work, they are more likely to collaborate, solve problems and contribute beyond what is expected. Over time, those experiences shape the behaviours that organisations depend on to sustain high performance.

The organisations that retain talent understand this. They don’t just manage performance. They pay attention to the everyday experiences that shape it. They create environments where people feel heard, see opportunities to grow and are encouraged to take on meaningful challenges.

Because experience is not separate from performance. It is one of the drivers of it. The organisations that retain talent pay attention to experience, because sustainable performance depends on it.

Read earlier articles in this series here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

Arinya Talerngsri is Senior Vice President, Local Partner and Managing Director at BTS Thailand, part of the BTS Group, a leading global strategy implementation firm. She is passionate about revolutionising education and creating opportunities for Thais and people worldwide. Executives and organisations looking to collaborate or learn more about leadership and talent development, succession planning and organisational transformation can contact her at [email protected] or visit her LinkedIn profile.