Page owner: Kim Coutts

Last updated: December 5, 2024

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Everyone at Vendasta is required to use Lattice, our people success tool- home to our core talent management processes. Lattice's 1:1 tool, updates, feedback, goals and automated performance and goal evaluation processes, among other tools, make communication and alignment between managers and direct reports (team members) seamless and transparent. It is flexible, and dynamic, and puts the conversation in the hands of both the manager and the team member to ensure alignment, accountability and ultimately, growth.

Lattice Platform Tools and Functionality

• Weekly [Monday] Updates: A space each Monday morning to capture last week's WINS, this week's focuses and any support needed from your Manager

• 1:1 Meetings: Weekly meetings with organizational stakeholders 

• Feedback: Public recognition (KUDOS Program) and private feedback for promotions and performance reviews

• Goal Setting: Individual goals are captured and closed on a quarterly basis and aligned to parent goals

• Growth Areas: Personal and Professional Competency and Skill Development 

• Career Tracks: Career tracks for every function, mapped by individual contributor and managerial job levels (1-6)

• Engagement: Weekly Pulse Surveys and Anonymous Feedback

• Performance Reviews: Annual, Upward Manager and (ad hoc) Talent Reviews

The Updates tool in Lattice allows team members to submit a weekly update to their manager each week. This template can be customized to the manager's liking to best fit the functional, team or individual needs, however the default questions for all Vendastians are: 

• What were your wins last week?

• What are your priorities for the upcoming week?

• What challenges or roadblocks do you need help with?

• Is there anything else on your mind you'd like to share or discuss?

NOTE: Managers need to turn on Updates within the Lattice system for their Team Members. 

Resources and Quick Links

• Turn On Updates

• Customize Update Questions and Frequency

• Introducing Updates to Your Team

• Encourage Public Updates

• Keep Updates Short

• Provide Guidance on Early Updates

• Read, Respond, and Remind

The ultimate aim for every 1:1 is that it’s a quick, easy, and regular way to stay aligned on changing priorities and challenges week to week. They’re time-bound by design, meaning managers and their direct reports have an opportunity to discuss only the most pressing of issues.  But without a good meeting agenda, that precious time can quickly become derailed by personal chitchat, a therapeutic rant or two, or even feel like a military drill of project check-ins and task follow-ups.  Adding in a loose structure can help make sure that everyone gets to cover the key points and leaves a little room for relationship-building.

View framework

Tips for 1:1 Meetings

• Set a recurring schedule

• Use the Agenda Items

• Capture Action Items

Vendasta is a proponent of agile and real-time Coaching and Feedback as an extension of our Partnering for Performance Model. This ensures that Managers keep a pulse on performance and Team Members are continually receiving feedback through formal (Lattice) and informal channels (word of mouth, GChat, etc.) as a means of supporting their growth and development. However, the role of giving feedback is not limited to Managers, peers (360 feedback) and direct reports (upward feedback) are also given opportunities to provide feedback to team members within the Lattice platform. 

The idea of giving feedback isn’t always easy to get right. Feedback delivery is absolutely critical within a learning and growth-oriented organization, however a culture of brave conversation must be the expectation. The following walks through a systematic way in which you can effectively provide feedback to your employees to ensure it is a positive, powerful and high-impact experience that creates sustainable and improved performance over time. 

Lattice offers both Private Feedback and Public Feedback (KUDOS Program) through the Feedback tool and functionality. 

Any Team Member can use the feedback function within Lattice to give, receive, and request feedback from other stakeholders (peers, managers and team members) using the Feedback tool. To access the Feedback tool within Lattice, you can go to the ‘Give or Request Feedback’ button on the Home Page.

View framework

Giving Feedback (including KUDOS)

1. Select the Team Member Name under, “Who’s the Feedback About” 

2. Select: Public, Private, Private + Manager or Manager Only

3. Public Feedback and/or Kudos: This is public feedback for anyone to see within the organization. If the public feedback is a ‘#KUDOS’ you would like to share as public recognition, please select the Values and Leadership Principles they embodied and you want to recognize and add a “#Kudos” with the feedback

Private Feedback

This is private and confidential feedback between you and the Team Member, Manager or both. It’s functionality works in the same way as above by selecting the Team Member and relevant Values/Leadership Principles.

Requesting Feedback

1. Select the Team Member Name under, “Who do you want to ask for feedback” 

2. Select the Team Member Name under, “Who’s the Feedback About” 

3. Select: Public, Private, Private + Manager or Manager Only

Optional: choose a feedback prompt (as shown below) OR describe what you specifically want feedback on within the text box.

360 Feedback and Reviews

360-degree reviews collect feedback from multiple different perspectives, typically an individual's teammates, colleagues, and even clients in addition to their manager. This process can be a part of your formal performance review cycle or Vendasta’s approach to ongoing feedback. However you choose to incorporate it into your workplace, a 360-degree feedback system can supply employees with more fair, tactical, and well-rounded feedback they can use to improve communication, collaboration, and workplace interactions with other colleagues. Managers, teammates, colleagues, and partners can share ongoing feedback that helps employees understand their strengths and identify areas in need of improvement.

For details on the 360 Review Process, please refer to the framework and process here.

Resources and Quick Links

• Give Feedback – Lattice Help Center 

• Request feedback

• Submit a Note to self

• React to feedback

Vendasta leverages its organizational hierarchy to ensure all people and teams are aligned towards the company’s most important goals and key results. High-level business and financial goals are set annually by the CEO and executive team in conjunction with Vendasta’s board of directors (BOD) in November. Once these goals are set, a phased approach is taken to ensure employee alignment and clarity over the month of December.

Company Goal Setting (Annual)

Following the November board meeting the CEO and executive team will have approval on an annual budget and forecast including business and financial targets. From this data, annual company goals and key results are established and shared with all staff.  The company goals will then be added to Lattice. 

Department Goal Setting (Quarterly)

The CEO then meets with each member of the executive team, reviews company goals, and assists with quarterly departmental goal setting. Departmental goals should have company goals set as the parent goal in most cases. For instance, a company goal to “increase paying partners” may cascade to a Marketing goal to generate a specific amount of leads. 

Group Goal Setting (Divisional, Sub-divisional and Team)

Members of the Executive Team will then meet with their senior leaders (S-team), review company and departmental goals, and assist with group goal setting.  Depending on the size of the division, S-team members may need to meet with their direct reports, and those leaders will meet with their direct reports until the final level is reached (eg. Group goals should have a department goal set as the parent goal in most cases, but may also map to another group goal, or directly to a company goal.)

Reviewing & Setting Quarterly Departmental Goals

In January, April, July, and October of each year, all departments and underlying groups will set quarterly goals and review the previous quarter’s performance in Lattice.  This is done over a two week period.  The first week should be used to review and close the previous quarter’s goals, and the second week should be used to set the following quarter’s goals.  However, these are general guidelines. If some leaders work through this process faster, it’s ok. If other leaders need more time to process and review data, it’s also ok. 

View framework

Tips for Crafting Goals

The aim should be for high-quality, SMART goals, aligned to the following criteria:

• Is it plainly stated what needs to occur and by when?

• Does the OKR represent meaningful change, improvement and growth? Is it inspiring?

• Is this a priority?

• Is the goal specific & timebound?

• Is it aggressive yet realistic? Can we actually achieve it and make a difference?

• Is the criteria for success clear, measurable and verifiable? 

• Is the goal in the control of the team/person or is it an outcome outside their control?

• If there are more than three goals how might we reframe these at a higher level?

Here is a goal-setting worksheet you can utilize to craft your goals ahead of putting them into Lattice.

Grow(th) and Development Planning

Lattice GROW

Lattice Grow is the gateway to team member growth and development. It puts team members in the driver's seat of their development, giving them and their manager a clear roadmap of actionable steps to achieve their developmental goals, and a transparent view of their career path.

Grow encompasses all of our lattice growth tracks and team member-developed and manager supported, Individual Development Plans (IDPs), captured through Growth Areas. These growth areas, once built, tie right into key Lattice functionalities and touch points such as; Updates, 1:1s, Quarterly Check-ins and the Annual Performance Assessment. 

Grow creates the opportunity for organic development conversations that help our team members feel supported in their pursuit of short term career plans and long term career visions, by leaning into their strengths and mapping out the developmental aspired career goals, while helping us drive engagement and retention of our best talent. Team members want to know more than just a performance evaluation score, they want to know what they are working towards and what the roadmap looks like to get there. 

Individual Development Planing

An individual development plan (IDP) is a great exercise and tool within Lattice used to identify the professional goals you want to achieve and determine the needed experiences, skills and behaviors to reach those goals.  As a team member, you will work with your leader to create a plan of action and evaluate the areas that have the greatest potential for you, while offering value to the organization. ‘Grow’ within Lattice, is a space to plan and capture progress on your career development. 

Career Vision Exercise

The Career Vision Exercise within Lattice is a structured self-assessment tool aimed at helping team members identify their strengths, development opportunities, and career aspirations. It involves several reflective activities: assessing strengths through external and internal investigations, noting areas where one excels naturally and has made significant progress, and summarizing these strengths into a concise list. Development opportunities are similarly explored, considering consistent feedback and internal challenges, while also anticipating future skill requirements. This reflection helps prioritize areas for growth based on past evidence and future potential.

The exercise then guides team members to envision their longer-term career goals by identifying motivators, defining their purpose, and recognizing optimal work environments. This vision is translated into short-term career goals, encouraging a creative exploration of opportunities within current roles, departments, and beyond, while considering personal constraints and development needs. This thorough reflection process culminates in selecting the most suitable short-term opportunity, with the understanding that career plans can be revisited and revised over time as circumstances and self-awareness evolve.

Growth Areas

The Growth Areas exercise within Lattice guides team members to map out actionable steps toward their short-term career goals, aligning them with their long-term career vision. This process involves breaking down goals into tactical, manageable steps, recorded and tracked within Lattice's 'Growth Areas.' The 3E framework—Education, Exposure, and Experience—helps structure these steps, ensuring they encompass formal learning, mentorship, and hands-on practice. Setting specific, measurable actions with deadlines is crucial for accountability and progress.

Creating Growth Areas can be done independently or in conjunction with assigned career tracks. These areas, identified through performance evaluations, coaching opportunities, or personal interests, are essential for continuous development. Team members can create Growth Areas using competencies from their own or other tracks within the company. Regular discussions with managers, both formal and informal, are vital for refining and supporting these development plans. These conversations ensure that individual growth aligns with organizational goals, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and strategic talent development. This approach mirrors the structured and strategic talent management processes at Vendasta, enhancing both personal and organizational growth.

View framework

Lattice Career Tracks within the GROW module are organized into Individual Contributor and Managerial tracks by Function. 

Career Tracks are grouped by 2 sets of competencies: Leadership and Role-specific. 

Leadership Competencies: A set of competencies aligned to Vendasta's 16 Leadership Principles and are universally defined by the job level along the career track, customized for the Individual Contributor or Manager.

Role-specific Competencies: A set of behavioural, technical and functional competencies that are specific to the function and role, defined by job level along the career track.

Navigating Lattice Career Tracks

• Lattice GROW > Career Tracks dropdown menu

• Use the 'Search' bar to search for a Career Track

  • NOTE: All Career Tracks are organized by "department, function, type"

At Vendasta, we deeply value the time, dedication, and talent our team brings to their work and our company. We’re committed to creating a career journey where you can thrive, collaborate with equally driven and talented colleagues, and make a meaningful impact. To build that experience together, we appreciate hearing from our team members. Inspired by John Doerr’s principle to “measure what matters,” we are dedicated to continuously improving the employee experience through open communication and meaningful engagement.

To support this belief, Vendasta has established 10 key themes that shape our engagement strategy, measured through thoughtfully designed questions twice per year. These questions are designed to capture the pulse of our organization, focusing on critical areas such as retention (turnover intentions) and overall employee sentiment. We employ a blend of formal mechanisms- like semi-annual engagement surveys, pulse surveys, and exit interviews, and informal touchpoints, including employee coffee chats and direct feedback shared with our people and leadership teams.

What are the 10 themes and metrics?

The 10 themes are supported by 50 questions as shown below and in our Engagement Program Framework. Questions supporting the 10 themes are rooted in research to ensure reliability and validity.

How do we measure engagement?

We measure engagement at Vendasta in 2 key ways:

1. Pulse Surveys: Pulse surveys are concise, monthly surveys consisting of just 7 questions, designed to monitor team member engagement consistently and effectively. By keeping the surveys brief, we minimize respondent fatigue while regularly gathering insights into how team members are feeling. Aligned with our 10 engagement themes, these surveys provide real-time feedback, enabling people operations and leadership to identify and address concerns promptly. This proactive approach fosters continuous improvement and swift action, complementing the more comprehensive semi-annual engagement surveys.

2. Engagement Surveys: Twice per year Vendasta runs comprehensive employee engagement surveys within the Lattice platform, in alignment with the 10 themes of engagement along with other areas of assessment depending on the needs within the business. These surveys are required by all team members providing an inclusive view of our overall employee engagement and sentiment across the organization through closed and open ended questions.

Data Sharing and Confidentiality

Data Use & Sharing

Managers and senior leaders (one level above) have access to view team data within their respective departments. People Operations and Executive Leadership also have access to this data, using it to identify key areas of focus and provide the context necessary for shaping strategic decisions. Additionally, data and feedback are shared with the Board of Directors and the Talent & Compensation Committee to provide insights into how we are performing against our 10 engagement themes.

Visibility & Confidentiality

Survey data is confidential but not entirely anonymous, with measures in place to protect respondent privacy. Individual survey submissions cannot be traced back to the submitter (not even by the survey administrator). However, confidentiality means that managers, People Operations, and Executive Leadership can view responses aggregated by manager, department, team, location, or other groupings, but not at the individual team member level. For teams with 3 or more members, managers can see aggregated responses without any identifying information. For teams with fewer than 3 members, the data is escalated to the next level of management to ensure respondent confidentiality and protect individual privacy.

View framework

Lattice houses all of Vendasta's Performance Reviews and Assessments. There are 3 Performance Assessments each year. The first is the comprehensive Annual Performance Review and calibration in Q1, the Mid-year, Upward Manager Review in July and Quarterly Goal Reviews within January, April, July and September, following each quarter. 

Annual Performance Review

The comprehensive Annual Performance Review, conducted in Q1, delves deeply into Team Member goals, competencies, and overall performance. It includes a two-part evaluation: a double-blind assessment by both the Team Member and Manager, and a manager-only assessment. This thorough process ensures a fair and unbiased evaluation around team member goals, metric achievements and leadership and role competency demonstration, culminating in a calibration session to standardize scores across the organization.

Annual Upward Manager Review

The Mid-year, Upward Managerial Review, conducted in July, offers Team Members an opportunity to assess their Managers in alignment wtih our 10 managerial behaviours and suggestions as to wha they do well and could improve as Managers. This upward assessment focuses on managerial competencies and provides actionable insights for leadership development.

Quarterly Goal Review 

The quarterly goal review process within Lattice takes place the first 2 weeks following the quarter by every Manager. Quarterly Check-ins provide a lightweight, ongoing evaluation process to maintain alignment and momentum. These reviews focus on goal achievement and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), ensuring that Team Members stay on track throughout the year.

View Performance Framework