Saikiran Murali, Founder and Mentor of Workline, argues that HR Tech and KRIs are transforming performance reviews from box-ticking exercises into growth-focused, real-time conversations.
Have you ever wondered why performance conversations often feel more like an annual ritual than a genuine conversation about growth?
For decades, organisations have set goals, tracked progress, and measured output. Yet, the ritual of performance reviews has left their people disengaged and managers frustrated. The intent was always noble, to create alignment between individual effort and organisational strategy, but somewhere along the way, the conversation became transactional. Boxes were ticked, ratings were given, and opportunities for real growth were lost.
Now, technology is reshaping the nature of work, and with it, the very way we understand performance. But the real shift isn’t about tools alone, it’s about a deeper rethinking of how we define success and how we engage people in the journey toward it.
Beyond Goals: The Need for Growth-Oriented Conversations
Traditional goal-setting models (think SMART goals or OKRs) have been useful scaffolds. They bring clarity, measurability, and focus. But they also risk turning performance into a checklist rather than a conversation.
People today, especially the new generation of workforce, aren’t looking for just goals. They’re looking for growth: growth in skills, in experiences, in career trajectories, and even in personal meaning at work. If goals are the “what” of performance, growth is the “why” and the “how.”
This is where the concept of KRIs (Key Result Indicators) emerges as a complement to goals. Unlike KPIs, which often measure outputs, KRIs can help identify the patterns, behaviors, and leading indicators that truly drive growth.
For example:
● Instead of only measuring sales closed, look at the quality of client interactions.
● Instead of just tracking project delivery time, evaluate the collaboration dynamics that make delivery possible.
● Instead of checking whether learning modules were completed, examine the application of new skills in day-to-day work.
These are not just metrics; they are signals. And when managers and employees sit down to discuss them, the conversation naturally shifts from “Did you meet the target?” to “How are you evolving in the process?”
The Role of HR Tech: From Data to Dialogue
HR Tech platforms now collect continuous data points, from project management tools, peer feedback, learning systems, and even third party apps. But the magic isn’t in the data itself; it’s in how it fuels meaningful conversations.
Here’s the key industry trend: performance conversations are becoming more real-time, contextual, and human-centered.
● Real-time feedback loops: People no longer want to wait six months to know how they’re doing. HR tech like Workline, offers a 30 day, 60 days and 90 days review process to understand the progress in every step and way.
● Contextual insights: By linking KRIs with organisational outcomes, managers can see not just who performed, but how they performed and what helped or hindered growth.
● Human-centered nudges: AI-driven tech can remind managers to check in when performance patterns dip or when milestones are achieved, making conversations proactive instead of reactive.
But technology is not replacing the human touch, it is amplifying it. The true vision for HR Tech is not a dashboard that “scores” people, but one that empowers managers to show up as coaches, mentors, and growth partners.
The Future of Performance: A Two-Way Street
Another critical trend we’re seeing is the democratisation of performance conversations. Historically, reviews have been manager-driven, top-down assessments. But today’s employees expect a voice. They want to co-create their goals, track their own KRIs, and hold managers accountable for enabling growth.
This aligns with broader cultural shifts in the workplace:
● Psychological safety is becoming a performance driver, as people who feel safe are more willing to innovate and take risks.
● Continuous learning is seen not as a perk but as an expectation, tightly linked to how performance is perceived.
● Flexibility and autonomy are redefining what productivity looks like, pushing organisations to measure outcomes rather than hours.
Performance, therefore, is becoming a shared responsibility. Employees own their growth; managers facilitate it; organisations enable it.
From Goals to Growth: A Visionary Shift
So, where does this leave us?
The companies that will thrive in the future are the ones that stop treating performance management as an evaluation system and start treating it as a growth system. HR Tech and KRIs are not ends in themselves, they are enablers of a new kind of dialogue. One where goals are not static finish lines, but evolving milestones. One where indicators don’t just measure output, but illuminate pathways for growth.
The real revolution is not technological. It’s cultural. It’s about redefining what performance means in a world where work is dynamic, human, and deeply personal.
If goals once helped us measure progress, and KRIs now help us understand growth, then perhaps the most important question for leaders today is this:
Are we using performance conversations to evaluate our people, or to elevate them?
Because in the end, the future of work won’t be defined by goals achieved, but by people who grow and the organisations that grow with them.