Reference

HR Glossary

A plain-language glossary of the terms used across employee engagement, performance management, employee experience and frontline workforce management.

Every entry answers the question directly in the first few lines, then explains it properly — what it means, why it matters, how it works in practice and where organisations most often get it wrong.

No consultancy language, no padding. Browse by category below or search for a specific term.

Continuous FeedbackContinuous feedback is the practice of giving specific, timely observations about work close to when it happens, rather than saving them for a scheduled review. Continuous Performance ManagementContinuous performance management replaces the annual review with an ongoing rhythm of regular check-ins, real-time feedback and frequently updated goals. Deskless WorkerA deskless worker is an employee who does not work at a fixed computer workstation. Discretionary EffortDiscretionary effort is the additional effort an employee chooses to give beyond what their role formally requires. Employee AppAn employee app is a mobile application that serves as the primary digital workplace for frontline and deskless staff. Employee EngagementEmployee engagement is the degree to which employees feel committed to their organisation and willing to put discretionary effort into their work. Employee ExperienceEmployee experience is the sum of every interaction an employee has with their organisation, from before they apply through to after they leave. Employee Experience PlatformAn employee experience platform is software that connects onboarding, communication, engagement surveys, recognition, performance management and development into one system. Employee LifecycleThe employee lifecycle is the sequence of stages an employee moves through with an organisation, from first awareness as a candidate to departure and beyond. Employee OnboardingEmployee onboarding is the structured process of integrating a new employee into an organisation, their team and their role. Employee RecognitionEmployee recognition is the practice of noticing and acknowledging an employee's contribution. Employee SatisfactionEmployee satisfaction measures how content employees are with their job and working conditions — pay, hours, environment, benefits and workload. Engagement DriverAn engagement driver is a factor that measurably influences how engaged employees feel. Engagement SurveyAn engagement survey is a structured questionnaire measuring how connected, committed and motivated employees feel across the drivers that shape their experience — typically manager effectiveness, role clarity, recognition, development, communication, wellbeing and organisational alignment.. Frontline EmployeeA frontline employee is someone whose work happens where the organisation meets its customers, clients or operations — in a venue, store, centre, ward, warehouse or vehicle — rather than at a desk. Internal CommunicationInternal communication is how an organisation shares information with its own employees. Modern IntranetA modern intranet is a cloud-hosted, mobile-first platform serving as the central hub for internal communication, company news, documents, policies and employee self-service. OKRsOKRs (Objectives and Key Results) are a goal-setting framework pairing a qualitative objective with two to five measurable key results. One-on-One MeetingA one-on-one meeting is a regular, private conversation between a manager and a direct report covering progress, obstacles, feedback and development. Peer-to-Peer RecognitionPeer-to-peer recognition is recognition given between colleagues rather than from manager to employee. People Success PlatformA People Success Platform is an integrated system combining employee engagement, communication, recognition, performance management, onboarding and analytics. Performance Improvement PlanA performance improvement plan (PIP) is a formal, documented process setting out where an employee's performance falls short, what specific improvement is required, what support will be provided, and by when performance must reach the required standard.. Performance ManagementPerformance management is the ongoing process of setting expectations, providing feedback, developing capability and evaluating contribution. Performance ReviewA performance review is a structured, documented conversation assessing an employee's contribution over a defined period. PreboardingPreboarding is the period between a candidate accepting an offer and their first day. Pulse SurveyA pulse survey is a short, frequent questionnaire — typically five to ten questions run monthly or fortnightly — used to track engagement trends between comprehensive surveys and to detect emerging issues early.. SMART GoalsSMART goals are objectives written to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. Skills MappingSkills mapping is the process of recording which skills exist across a workforce, which skills each role requires, and where the gaps between the two sit. Succession PlanningSuccession planning is the process of identifying which roles are critical, who could fill them, and what development those people need to be ready. eNPSeNPS (Employee Net Promoter Score) measures how likely employees are to recommend their organisation as a place to work, based on a single 0–10 question.

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