McLean & Company Warns Poor Performance Criteria Erode Employee Trust
Event summary
- McLean & Company released 'Guide to Establishing Performance Criteria' on April 2, 2026, highlighting how poorly designed performance metrics undermine employee trust and engagement.
- Research shows organizations with misaligned criteria see 40% higher voluntary turnover and 1.27x elevated stress levels among employees.
- Clearly defined criteria make employees 8.6x more likely to be engaged and improve fairness in evaluations.
- McLean & Company outlines a structured approach to building role-specific, outcome-and-behavior-focused performance criteria.
The big picture
As performance management evolves, McLean & Company's research underscores the critical link between well-designed criteria and employee trust. With voluntary turnover and stress levels rising in organizations with misaligned metrics, HR leaders face growing pressure to balance outcome-driven goals with role-specific expectations. The shift toward clearer, fairer criteria reflects broader industry trends in prioritizing employee experience and organizational culture.
What we're watching
- Criteria Alignment
- Whether organizations can successfully tailor performance criteria to reflect role realities and broader strategic goals.
- Manager Training
- The effectiveness of McLean & Company's manager training programs in reinforcing performance expectations.
- Employee Feedback
- How organizations gather and act on employee feedback to refine performance criteria over time.
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