Da planilha ao sucesso: Como o Attivo Group profissionalizou a Gestão de Desempenho e Metas

Summary: Professionalizing Performance and Goal Management at Ativo Group

This webinar features Juliana (HR Director) and Nara Souza (HR and Internal Communications Specialist) from Ativo Group, a Brazilian family-owned luxury restaurant group, sharing their journey of professionalizing performance management and goal setting with the support of the Coach Rocks platform.

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Company Context & Strategy

Ativo Group Overview

• Nearly 10 years old, family-owned.
• Operates 10 restaurant units, 2 dark kitchens, and an events business.
• Focus on high-end luxury gastronomy (Japanese, Italian, French cuisines).
• Serves a “triple-A” affluent clientele demanding exceptional service.
• Workforce of approximately 500 employees, mostly operational staff (cooks, sushi chefs, waiters).
• Expansion plans include international growth (Miami).

Business Strategy

• Emphasis on consolidating processes and maturity over rapid expansion.
• Strong focus on cultural transformation and aligning HR with business goals.
• Talent development and succession planning are strategic priorities.
• Target: 70% of new leadership roles to be filled internally.

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Performance Management Professionalization

Initial Challenges & Legacy Processes

• Performance evaluations were manual, spreadsheet/Word-based, especially for operations.
• Loss of historical data and lack of centralized records hindered fair, consistent evaluations.
• Operations represent 80-90% of the workforce; needed a process tailored to their digital literacy and work routines.
• Annual evaluations were insufficient given the dynamic, hourly-changing operational environment.
• High turnover was a critical pain point; performance data was needed to anticipate and mitigate talent loss.

Solution Selection & Implementation

• Chose Coach Rocks platform due to:

  • Prior experience with the tool.
  • Usability: simple, mobile-friendly interface critical for operational managers.
  • Flexibility to customize evaluation cycles (90º, 180º, 360º feedback).
  • Ability to integrate cultural fit assessments and segment by brand/location.
  • Robust data dashboards and KPIs for decision-making.

• Implementation was phased:

  • Started with operational roles (managers evaluating teams).
  • Later extended to office/administrative staff with self-evaluation.

• Cultural transformation efforts included:

  • Regular communication campaigns and reminders to boost engagement.
  • In-person visits and hands-on support in restaurants during evaluation periods.
  • Calibration committees to align leadership on ratings and reduce bias.
  • Training on feedback quality and bias awareness.

Evaluation Process & Frameworks

• Quarterly evaluation cycles (~1.5 weeks for completion).
• Operational roles: primarily manager-led evaluations with input from coordinators.
• Office roles: full 180º evaluations including self-assessment.
• Use of the Nine-Box Grid for talent segmentation and development planning.
• Calibration committees mediate and ensure fairness, focusing on data over personal bias.
• Individual Development Plans (IDPs) are practical and skill-focused (e.g., sushi cutting, service).
• AI-assisted feedback writing helps managers provide constructive, specific comments.
• Data used to identify performance trends, training needs, and succession candidates.

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Key Metrics & KPIs

• Engagement rates in evaluations improving with platform usability and communication.
• Turnover reduction linked to early detection of performance decline.
• Use of cultural fit and performance data to guide promotions and career pathing.
• Segmentation of performance by cuisine type and unit to tailor development efforts.
• Quarterly cadence enables agile response to performance issues.

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Organizational & Leadership Tactics

• HR embedded in operations, visible and accessible to frontline staff.
• Leadership buy-in secured by demonstrating clear benefits: time savings, data-driven decisions, better people management.
• Partnership approach: HR works closely with managers, listens to their pain points, and adapts processes accordingly.
• Emphasis on human-centered management supported by technology, not replaced by it.
• Training and manuals (corporate university) developed in multiple formats (digital, physical) to accommodate diverse literacy and work conditions.
• Succession planning actively informed by historical performance data.

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Use of Artificial Intelligence

• AI supports but does not replace human judgment.
• AI tools assist in refining feedback language, ensuring clarity and constructive tone.
• AI enables faster, higher quality evaluations, particularly for junior managers.
• HR professionals emphasize critical thinking and ethical use of AI to avoid bias or over-reliance.
• AI seen as an enabler for scaling people management and development.

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Key Recommendations & Lessons Learned

• Know your audience deeply before designing processes—digital literacy and work context matter.
• Start with operational staff if they represent the majority, then extend to office roles.
• Use phased rollouts and continuous communication to build culture and engagement.
• Calibration and bias training are essential to maintain fairness.
• Embed HR physically and culturally in frontline operations to build trust and relevance.
• Use data actively to drive talent decisions, succession, and development.
• Leverage technology for usability and analytics but maintain human-centered leadership.
• Adapt processes continuously based on feedback from managers and employees.
• AI can enhance but must be used thoughtfully with human oversight.

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Presenters / Sources

• Juliana – HR Director, Ativo Group (19 years HR experience, focus on training, development, and cultural transformation).
• Nara Souza – HR Specialist, Internal Marketing & Communications, Ativo Group (7 years HR experience, background in psychology and corporate education).
• Gil – Moderator from Culture Rocks group.

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This case study exemplifies how a family-owned hospitality business professionalized performance management by combining tailored technology, data-driven insights, cultural alignment, and leadership partnership to enhance operational excellence, employee development, and retention.