Founded in 2002, Red Door Interactive is a privately held, data-driven marketing agency. Red Door Interactive has always placed a high priority on engaging and retaining talent. Yet the purchase of an enterprise-level performance management system was “overkill” for the 90-person company. According to Kate De Jong, VP, Employee Experience, at Red Door Interactive, “We were using a system built for multinational companies with thousands of employees. It had rigorous compliance rules, but we’re a small group and depend more on personal relationships. While we needed to keep our records straight, we didn’t need proof that everything happened in a rigid fashion.”

The enterprise system was also difficult to administer—and use. “The interface was so kludgy, it felt like it had been cobbled together. There were occasional improvements, but the improvements weren’t significant enough to retrain our people to use the new features.”

Why PiiQ by Cornerstone

While searching for a nimbler performance management solution, DeJong and her team discovered PiiQ by Cornerstone. “We looked at Cornerstone’s enterprise system first. It seemed like a well-coordinated tool and fully functioning, but we thought it would also be overkill for our needs. Then we were introduced to PiiQ.”

Easy to use and deploy, PiiQ is a unified learning and performance management system designed for businesses with fewer than 250 employees. The platform enables a highly visual, ongoing approach to reviews and analytics, making it easier for organizations like Red Door Interactive to drive meaningful performance.

“One of the winning features for me when I was looking at PiiQ was how easy it was to use,” said De Jong. “I also liked the flexibility of the system, and the ability to put the focus on conversations between managers and their employees, instead of checking boxes or assigning a number. That was a big sell for me.”

The Results

Engaged employees with meaningful performance management. For a small business like Red Door Interactive, engaging and developing knowledge workers is key to retaining them. “It’s a waste of money if we don’t keep the talent we hire. We see the ability to talk with each other as the most important way to keep people engaged,” said De Jong. “PiiQ is our framework for nurturing relationships between managers and employees. The system supports development and performance conversations, while also functioning as a place to maintain goals and expectations.”

Streamlined the review process. Red Door’s previous enterprise-level performance management system was difficult for managers to use, making the review process even less appealing. With PiiQ, managers can not only streamline evaluations but access performance management tips and tricks within the platform. “The nine-box grid is great, and the visualizations are so helpful,” said De Jong. “But the availability of the tips, the coaching for managers, that’s been meaningful at a high level. It’s something we really appreciate about PiiQ.”

Gained insight into performance patterns and trends. As a technology company, Red Door Interactive places a premium on data and analysis. “I love any tool that gives me easy access to analytics and the ability to see patterns and trends,” said De Jong. “I love the analytics in PiiQ. For example, I can go in and see that 30% of our roles require a certain competency. That information helps me make better decisions around training, competencies, and roles.”

Increased the frequency of feedback. With PiiQ, managers can provide ongoing feedback. “Everybody should always know the answer to the questions, ‘What’s my job?’ and ‘How am I doing?” said De Jong. “Managers are now having conversations at least once a month and conducting structured reviews every six months.”