I like the real-time tracking; I can monitor my progress toward goals and performance metrics as they happen, making it easier to identify areas that need attention or adjustment.

Under the performance management umbrella, the flexibility to design performance review processes—including self-assessments, peer evaluations, and manager feedback—helps both managers and employees track progress, recognize strengths, and identify areas for improvement.

One of my top features is Career Pathing, which gives employees a clear view of potential career advancement within the organization. The platform promotes transparency by outlining the necessary skills, experiences, and accomplishments needed to progress.

Lattice has been well-received by employees seeking internal growth, as it helps hold managers accountable for supporting career development.

I’m with the Audubon Nature Institute, a nonprofit AZA facility. We conducted an employee feedback survey, and our staff expressed concerns to the People Services Department about not receiving adequate performance evaluations. Many felt that their voices were not being heard regarding career development opportunities, feedback, and salary increases.

We searched for a platform that held hiring managers accountable for consistently evaluating employee performance and providing feedback on work ethic. We began using Lattice in October 2023.

Lattice can be quite expensive, particularly for larger organizations seeking a full range of features.

Users may encounter a steep learning curve due to the platform’s extensive capabilities, which can make it challenging to understand fully. It can feel overwhelming to incorporate a new platform into an existing workload.

The platform’s complexity may also affect response times when support is needed, as assistance levels can vary depending on individual user requirements.

I have used ADP for many employment features in the past and continue to do so; however, I believe Lattice provides superior tools for employee engagement and data management.

Lattice places a stronger emphasis on performance and development engagement, which I find especially useful.

Overall, I prefer Lattice for its effectiveness in improving performance and engagement in the workplace.

The criteria should focus on the specific needs and challenges within the organization. Consider whether the organization needs to improve employee performance, increase engagement, support career growth, collect feedback, or streamline goal-setting processes. It’s important to align the tool’s capabilities with the issues that need solving.

Lattice has played a significant role in improving attention to career development through Career Ladders. By allowing companies to create clear career paths, Lattice makes it easier to outline growth opportunities for employees.

This feature helps facilitate career advancement discussions and encourages internal mobility by clarifying the steps employees can take to grow within the organization.

Medium to large-sized organizations. As organizations grow, it becomes more difficult to manage performance and maintain employee engagement. Lattice is a strong fit for supporting organizational growth.

I liked that Lattice encouraged more engaged conversations between managers and employees. It served as an effective performance tracker since ongoing notes were required. The system was simple to use, and managers adapted to it quickly.

I worked for an organization that was already using Lattice when I joined. I used it for a couple of years while I was there. From my understanding, before I joined, the organization had been using an all-in-one HRIS with an evaluation component but wanted a system with a stronger focus on performance evaluations.

The goal was to move away from one-time evaluations and instead foster ongoing employee engagement. Lattice allowed for continuous performance and project discussions leading up to evaluations.

The forms had limitations in terms of customization. Employees were sometimes hesitant to add detailed notes because they felt the information was more public than they preferred, especially with HR having access. The system also had restrictions on which data and external systems it could integrate with.

Lattice was easy to use and encouraged ongoing conversations. Its simplicity made the performance review process more effective. Some other systems are overly complicated without adding much value.

One key factor an organization should consider is its size when selecting this type of software. It is also important to assess how realistic it is for managers to document ongoing conversations at this level. Some managers were reluctant to provide detailed input because they did not want to engage with the system in addition to having verbal conversations with employees.

I used it for two years, and while there were updates during that time, I did not notice significant changes in how the system functioned.

Lattice is well-suited for organizations that prioritize employee development through ongoing conversations. It is also a good choice for companies looking for a straightforward performance evaluation system.

• It is user-friendly for both employees and managers.
• The integration between different modules is seamless.
• You can purchase only the modules you need, making it more flexible.

We initially purchased Lattice for performance management and employee reviews. I have used it at two different companies—first for over three years and then for more than a year at the second.

In the first case, we wanted a tool that was easy to use and that employees would engage with. In the second, we needed a system that could support a highly structured performance review process. Lattice was the only platform that integrated job ladders with the review process in a single tool.

• The cost can feel high, especially for smaller companies.
• With so many features, it can be difficult to determine what to focus on promoting.
• Encouraging employees to engage with the tool regularly can be a challenge.

Lattice offers a wide range of modules, like many of its competitors, but its primary differentiator is how well these modules integrate and how easy the tool is to use. It often outperforms tools like Culture Amp in terms of usability. However, it can be more expensive than alternatives like 15Five and Pando.

Consider your goals and ensure the tool fits your company's philosophy and processes rather than adjusting your processes to fit the tool. Identify what features are most important to you now and what you may need in the future so you can assess its scalability. Also, factor in costs, as they will increase as your company grows.

I was one of Lattice’s earliest customers when it launched in 2016, and it has been impressive to see how many new modules have been added since then. It has expanded far beyond just a performance management tool, continuously evolving to reduce the need for multiple separate HR tools.

Lattice is best suited for companies that value structured HR programs. It becomes particularly useful once a company reaches 60-100 employees and can scale with organizations up to 1,000-2,000 employees.