What is Performance Management?

Performance management is the ongoing and systematic means of monitoring progress toward goals and ultimately improving results. In order to improve results, the data collected and reported upon must be used in decision making. Incorporating performance data into decision making can result in improved customer satisfaction, cost savings, and increased organizational efficiency. Performance management provides decision makers with data and evidence upon which to base policy decisions.

Principals of Performance Management

The National Performance Measurement Advisory Committee has seven principles of Performance Management:

1. A focus on results permeates strategies, processes, organizational culture and decisions.
2. Measures, data, and goals are relevant to the priorities and the well-being of the government and community.
3. Information relating to performance, decision making, and processes are transparent.
4. Goals, programs, activities, and resources are aligned with priorities and intended results.
5. Decision making is driven by timely, reliable, and meaningful data.
6. Performance measurement practices are sustainable over time and through organizational changes.
7. Performance measurement has the ability to transform an organization, its management, and the policy-making process.

Overview of Performance Management in Clayton

For Clayton, performance management is an ongoing, systematic approach to improving results through evidence-based decision making. Since 2008, the City of Clayton has presented performance data in the annual budget document through the Exceptional City Services Scorecard.

The scorecard is a tool used to track the performance of key performance indicators by service area. Key performance indicators are categorized into four perspectives: Customer, Financial, Process, and People. This approach, adapted from The Balanced Scorecard, ensures that the City is delivering services in a balanced manner and taking into account the four perspectives. Performance data is collected annually and results are benchmarked with peer cities that are of similar size and provide similar services.

How Performance Measures Tie to Our Strategic Plan

Clayton’s elected officials and employees work hard to provide residents and businesses with exceptional services. C the Future, our Strategic Plan, identified four key performance areas including Exceptional City Services, Livable  Community, Strategic Relationships, and Economic Development and Vibrant Downtown. Our performance  measures are shaped to achieve the best outcome for each of these areas.

Resident and business satisfaction play a large role in how we determine the overall quality of the services we provide. Results of the satisfactions surveys can be found here.

In addition to our budget, our performance measures can also be found in our Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) and our Annual Report.