1)In order to make the system described more effective, identify possible revisions
and/or additions to each component of the PM process.
2)Keep in mind that revisions and/or additions are meant to solve a problem that needs
to be identified.
3)The literature is split on the issue of team performance measures. On one hand, it
argues performance should be focused on team members such as the use of personal
development planning and how to be a good team member; yet that seems an
individual focus.
4)On the other hand, a team is the unit of analysis and the team’s performance should
be measured. Consider that In this case, what would be the assessment of team
process versus task?
5)What should receive importance in the performance management system?
Introduction
Public Service Works Corporation is a company that provides several services to the public. It’s
cooperate network allows it to operate a result oriented system of performance management
(PM) system that’s based on individual performance which is linked to the organization via team
networks. The need for constant improvement on the company’s performance has created the
need for creativity and imagination as a core management function. The company has aligned the
individual employee performance goals with the company’s business plans its priorities. Each
department’s performance goals stems from the company’s business plan which also measures
the departments growth and rewards individual together with team work’s efforts in a bid to
encourage and motivate hard work and optimal production.
The additions to the components of Public service works performance management system are;
Performance Plans
Besides linking the company’s business plans to individual goals and team work, performance
planning should be a joint exercise between the employer and the employees. The employees
should be involved in the planning process before the performance plans are linked to individual
employees and their respective teams (Hillgren & Cheatham, 2000, pg. 21). When employees are
involved in the early stages of the PM process then the chances of the future cooperation and
positive attitude is assured among the employees. (Schuler, 1992, pg. 29).
Orientation
To adapt to the organizations standards and job requirements, new employees should undergo an
orientation period where the company visions and mission are clearly explained and their roles
and responsibilities should also be defined. Orientation provides a faster and transition from
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previous work experience to the current position. Non orientation can lead to costly mistakes that
can easily be avoided.
Learning and development plans
When performance management is applied for development, the information received from the
feedback system should be used to guide development, job training, mentoring and job
experiences that target overall employee performance and production.
Besides identification of core competency, the company should enhance the development of
competency models that can be applied as a basis for performance management systems.
Competency models provide articulate knowledge, abilities, characteristics and also the skills
necessary for an organization to achieve positive growth (Schippmann, 1999, pg. 40).
Performance Coaching
To achieve the most in performance management then the ongoing conversations on the PM
between the managers and employees should be encouraged to continue. The managers should
be providing the required information on employee assessment and evaluation reports while the
employees should be seeking the information in order to correct his mistakes and improve on his
performance. During coaching and training of the employees, the managers should be focused on
achieving the most from employees by creating permanent bonds between themselves and their
employees (Pulakos, 2004, pg. 7). Poor relationship between the employers and their employees
leads to high staff turnover and underproduction (Lawler, 1994, pg. 20)
Performance Assessment
Experienced PM practitioners advocate for a two way communication system where managers as
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well as the employees are jointly trained on their responsibilities and roles in the PM feedback
process (Marsden, 2004, pg. 370)
Performance assessment should form the basis of pay review. Where the employees have
achieved the set standards and goals that the company provided then they should compensated.
However, for an effective performance management strategy, the company should have a PM
system that is well-articulated system that is complete with defined roles and limited timelines
for achievement of specified goals. Most of the HR key decisions especially on compensation
should be based on the assessment outcome (Pulakos, 2004, pg. 3).
Team performance focuses on individual members who must play their roles effectively as
individual employees for the team to succeed. The team only enforces the discipline and
coordination required for the work environment to be conducive to optimal production.
Cooperation leads to collective responsibility that makes it possible for performance
management to achieve its goals of improving production and overall company growth and
development. Personal development planning must focus on individual employees as they form
the units that make up the team. Training can at times be applied generally in a class but the
assessment mostly focuses on individual employees (Buller & McEvoy, 2012, pg.48).
Organization capabilities and production targets form the actual foundation for building relevant
and strategic HRM practices. Analyzing team process requires resources and strategies that can
accommodate the various processes and systems necessary for effective PM (Buller & McEvoy,
2012, pg.48).
Job specific competencies in group level identifies the responsibilities that are integrated on PM
systems and are related with the flexibility, team sharing and team work that eventually define
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the tasks provided.
The communication between the managers and the employees is critical to the success for of the
performance management. Breakdown in communication systems can lead to inefficiencies in
production department especially where feedback analysis plays a role in determining the quality
and quantity of production (Pulakos, 2004, pg. 7).
Measuring performance is also very important for an effective performance management.
Performance is mostly measured under three levels, organizational, individual and group.
Measuring performance can be challenging because of the financial measures that may be
required to measure some intangible forms of human labor. But evaluation of performance in an
organization has a large impact on production and the effectiveness of the control systems. The
Balanced Score Card (BSC) is a strategic tool that is applied for effective performance and
employee evaluation (Kaplan & Norton, 1996). The BSC provides a system that provides an
accurate and complete assessment of all the HRM practices. It also links the critical HRM
activities and processes to the company’s strategic goals. BSC provides the feedback system that
is required to evaluate performance management.
Finally to conclude, performance management is a critical tool that can be applied for effective
HR management. Proper feedback systems are required to make performance management
successful. Effective communication between the managers and the employees should be
encouraged to ensure that the critical functions of the PM systems are communicated to the
responsible persons or employees and the feedback control systems implemented. But for
efficient PM system, the HR practitioners should be conversant with the core company business
strategy and also all the other management strategies and processes (Nankervis & Compton,
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2006). Understanding the needs of the HRM is also a prerequisite for effective PM. The value of
the Pm can be improved considerably by improving the company’s core competencies in
organization design, measuring performance and managing change (Buller & McEvoy, 2012).
Organization design is important in creating the social capital required. Organization change
affects the company’s achievements and alignment efforts that the company has engaged in
sustaining the performance management processes.
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References
Buller, P.F. & McEvoy, M.G., 2012, Strategy, Human Resource Management and Performance:
Sharpening Line of Sight, Human Resource Management Review 22 (2012) 43-56
Hillgren, J.S., & Cheatham, D.W., 2000, Understanding Performance Measures: An Approach to
Linking Rewards to Achievements of Organization Objectives, Scottsdale, AZ:
Worldatwork.
Lawler, E., 1994, Performance management: The next generation. Compensation and Benefits
Review 26(3): 16–20.
Marsden, D., 2004, The role of Performance – Related Pay in Renegotiating the “ effort bargain”
the case of the British Public Service, Industrial and Labor Relations Review, Vol.57,
No.3. pg. 350-370.
Nankervis, A.R. & Compton, R. L., 2006, Performance Management: Theory in Practice? Asia
Pacific Journal of Human Resources, vol. 44 (1)
Schuler, R.S., 1992, Strategic Human Resource Management: Linking People with the Needs of
the Business, Organizational Dynamics, 22, 19 – 32.
Schippmann, J.S., 1999, Strategic Job Modelling: Working At the Core of Integrated Human
Resource Systems, Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Pulakos, E.D., 2004, Performance Management: A Roadmap for Developing Implementing and
Evaluating Performance Management Systems, SHRM Foundation.
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Kaplan, R.S. & Norton, D.P., 1996, Using the Balanced Scorecard as a Strategic Management
System, Harvard Business Review, 75 -85 (January/February)
