Summary of "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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.