Allier Gruppen: Developing both people and organisation through employee conversations
Eirin Eriksen Horvei
October 14, 2026
– In the past, how the employee appraisal was followed up was a bit random, says Richard J. Toften, team leader at Inventas' Bergen office.
– Perhaps a few notes ended up in a binder or in a folder on the desk – perhaps nothing was written down at all. The different departments also had slightly different practices for how things were done, he adds.
With the help of Motivati, Inventas, which works with all types of clients where technology is part of the solution, now has an effective tool for holding and following up employee appraisals.
Now we can see immediately where the shoe pinches and pick up on different challenges. This means we can quickly take action if necessary, Toften continues.
All the information that comes up before and during the employee appraisal is stored digitally. This makes things simple and clear for both employees and managers.
– We can also uncover differences between offices or teams, as well as what we have in common, says Toften.
Ahead of the employee appraisal, the employee answers a survey that results in a motivation analysis. The analysis provides insight into the employee's working day and what matters for each person's motivation in order to thrive and perform better.
This makes it clear to both what the conversation should be about.
– The biggest advantage of Motivati is that it triggers good conversations. We no longer spend an hour on “Hi, how's it going?” and “Oh, fine thanks” – before the conversation perhaps goes completely off track, says Toften.
Since the employee has completed the Motivation Analysis™ before the employee appraisal itself, it is easy to get started quickly on what needs to be discussed.
– Then we can move on to less pressing topics once we've got the most important things out of the way, says Toften.
Mechanical product developer Even Jørs has worked at Inventas for six years and is positive about Motivati.
– The tool is easy to use and gives my manager good insight into what I need to raise during the employee appraisal, he says.
The Motivation Analysis™ makes it easier for Toften to create the right conditions for each employee. At the same time, it makes it easier for the employee to understand their own role and tasks.
– The most important thing for us is people who thrive and feel heard and seen. If they don't, we as a company are on the wrong track and need to correct course, Toften continues.
Marianne Danielsen, Head of People and Organisational Development at Inventas, was one of the driving forces behind adopting Motivati there. It is now used across all the offices.
– We were becoming so many that it made sense for us to hold employee appraisals in the same way. Now everyone makes the same preparations for the employee appraisal, carries it out in the same way and follows it up in the same way, she says, adding:
– We have created an annual cycle with three conversations: an employee appraisal, a development conversation and a follow-up conversation. We can see the results at everything from team to company level. This is how Motivati helps us really take the temperature of the company.
– The employee appraisal has become more efficient since we started using Motivati. The tool is also very intuitive and easy to use. If you're on the go, you can also answer the analysis on your phone, says Even Jørs.
A lack of follow-up is a common challenge with the employee appraisal.
– We know that satisfied employees both perform better and are more likely to want to stay with the company, says Cecilie Lycke, CEO and founder of Motivati.
– That is why the tool makes it easy to create an action plan, define competence goals, add reminders and create notes that make good follow-up and development easier, she explains.
It is also easy to implement the Motivati tool in each company. Nor does it take long to get the system ready for use.
Motivati has customers all over the country and in all industries – from workplaces with four employees to those with a thousand. They also want to attract even larger companies.
– Everything from construction companies to consultancies and knowledge-intensive companies hold their employee appraisals with the help of Motivati. Customers can also adjust the questions in the analysis or create their own questions if they wish, says Lycke.
