Action Process

Glossary of HR Terms What is the Action Process

What is the Action Process?

The Action Process is a concept in psychology and organizational behavior that describes the sequence of steps individuals take to move from intention to action when pursuing a goal. It involves planning, executing, monitoring, and adjusting behaviors to achieve desired outcomes. In workplace contexts, the action process highlights how employees translate motivation into concrete performance.

Why it matters

Understanding the action process helps organizations design systems and environments that support follow-through. Employees often have intentions to perform well, but without effective planning and monitoring, goals may not be realized. Supporting the action process improves productivity, reduces errors, and increases accountability in both individual and team performance.

How it affects HR

HR can use the action process to improve performance management, coaching, and training. By supporting planning, monitoring, and adjustment, HR helps employees turn intentions into consistent performance and goal achievement.

Understand how people take action

An action process is the series of steps people take to achieve goals. Plum reveals the soft skills that shape how individuals plan, adapt, and follow through. With these insights, you can match people to roles where their natural action process drives success.

See action processes with Plum

Common use cases/Examples

  • Employees using step-by-step action plans to meet project deadlines.
  • Goal-setting programs that include milestones, feedback loops, and reflection..
  • Training programs teaching employees how to self-monitor and adapt strategies.
  • Performance reviews that evaluate not only outcomes but also goal-directed processes.
  • Leadership coaching that helps managers break long-term goals into achievable actions.

Examples of companies that encounter it

  • Tech companies like Google and Intel, which apply structured goal-setting systems (OKRs) rooted in action process principles.
  • Enterprises such as Deloitte or PwC, using performance frameworks that track both outcomes and behaviors.
  • SMBs and startups emphasizing agile workflows, where employees constantly plan, act, monitor, and adapt

FAQ

Motivation explains why people want to act, while the action process describes how intentions are turned into concrete steps and sustained over time.

Planning (defining goals and strategies), execution (carrying out tasks), monitoring (tracking progress), and adjustment (adapting actions to overcome obstacles).

It provides a framework for setting goals, measuring progress, and supporting employees in achieving outcomes, making performance management more systematic.

Yes. Skills like time management, self-regulation, and problem-solving strengthen an individual’s ability to move through the action process effectively.

By setting clear expectations, providing regular feedback, offering resources, and encouraging reflection to help employees adjust and stay on track.