Benchmarking

Benchmarking is the process of setting standards for achievement with incremental steps for improvement to the highest level.

 What can be benchmarked?

• Procedures
• Behaviours or sets of behaviours that make up various competencies, and ultimately a performance standard

A collaborative process is followed to achieve subjective measurements for each level from minimum requirements to excellence.

Benchmarking Benefits

Clarity of expected performance makes the following crucial business activities easy to manage:

 Performance Contracting

• Performance Appraisals
• Service Level Agreements
• Maintaining Standards
• Improving processes and procedures
• Achieving desired outcomes
• Setting clear guidelines for growth, development and improvement
• It is a systematic means of 'raising the bar' throughout the organization

Once benchmarks are in place, it is a means to set minimum standards of performance for any given level within the organization. It is also a relatively simple process to move each staff member to the next level of performance. 

A similar route is followed when dealing with processes - and how the processes are followed and implemented by management and staff. 

Besides the immediate benefit of having a uniform standard in place throughout the organization, benchmarking becomes a way of life in the organization, and results in continued performance enhancement.