Effective Performance Management

            The success of any organization is greatly determined by the type of employees that work together to ensure that its goals are met. Employers are fully aware of the importance of having the right employees and are doing all they can to ensure that the people working in their organizations are skilled and possess the relevant talents to perform their duties satisfactorily. To ensure that employees are satisfied with the terms of their employment and that they are motivated to accomplish tasks assigned to them to in the best way possible, employers are adopting the use of performance management and appraisals. With the advancement in technology, guidelines on how to pick and implement a good performance management system are easily accessible as the information can be found on various websites on the internet.

            According to the hrcouncil (2016), performance management is described as a process whereby the employer and the employees work together in planning, evaluating and reviewing the objectives set for employees and to what extent an employee contributes to the success of the organization. Performance management is done continuously where the manager is responsible for setting the companies objectives, checking on progress and offering guidelines to employees to ensure that they are able to meet the set objectives and thus accomplishing the company goals. It main goal is therefore to ensure that that the effectiveness of the employees is promoted and maintained in a way that is beneficial to both the employee and the organization.

            Since establishing a successful performance management system is time consuming and requires uses up the organization’s resources, it is important for senior managers and executives of the organization to offer adequate support. Their support will help all the parties involved not only to understand its purpose but to adopt and willingly participate in the performance management process. Their participation should also incorporate methods that are used to recognize and reward employees that perform exceptionally well. For those employees who do not live up to the expected standards, the process will help to identify areas that may have been problematic for the employees and then come up with ways to improve their performance such as offering training (hrcouncil, 2016).

            According to Lawler (2015), there is a new trend where organizations are seen to be changing their performance management systems. The change is due to various reasons, the most common being how difficult it is to implement an effective performance management system. However, instead of using the information of what they already know as a foundation to come up with a better implementation strategy, the organizations are opting to adopt new strategies that suit the organization in general rather than the performance management system. If the process is to be successful, Lawler (2015), states that organization must observe three key aspects when using performance management systems.

            First, executives must offer support for the performance management systems at all levels. Since executives are seen as role models in an organization, they should lead by example and also ensure that appraisals are done on all employees regardless of the position they hold in the organization. Secondly, the organization must set its goals early in advance. These goals will help in motivating the employees because they know in advance what is expected of them and how to deliver it. Setting up rewards or appraisals for those who accomplish the set goals will further motivate the employees and thus make the performance management process successful. Finally, employers should avoid discussing matters related to payment together with discussions on the feedback from the employee’s performance. This is because the employee will tend to recall more about the salary and might forget what was discussed in relation to their performance (Lawler, 2015).

            According to Puckett (2015), a well implemented performance management system is of great importance and has various benefits to an organization. It allows for setting of goals and revising them accordingly. Setting of goals helps the employees to understand what is required of them and the role they play in meeting organizations objectives. Assigning goals to teams or to individuals helps the employees to get a sense of belonging because they feel as part of a team working together towards the common good of the organization. Performance management is also important in that it helps in coaching and managing of employees. Effective performance management systems help to identify areas that may be problematic to employees at a personal level. After identification, managers can then engage in coaching the employees or giving them training that will equip them with the skills to overcome the problems that may have caused issues for them (Puckett, 2015).

            Performance management is important in that it helps in development planning. After it is conducted, employees get feedback on how they performed and guidelines on what they can do to improve their performance. This means that the employee will be aware of what skills they are required to learn or improve so as to better improve their work efficiency. It effectiveness is however dependent on the fact that employees see the practice as a means of improving their skills and making them better equipped for their jobs (Puckett, 2015). Performance management is also important in that it paves the way for recognition of employees and rewards. Employees who are seen to make the most improvements and those that are able to meet the goals and objectives of the organization are not only recognized but also rewarded. This goes a long way in motivating them because they feel that their work is appreciated and thus strive to do better (Puckett, 2015).

            If well implemented, performance management systems can help all members of an organization. Through it, managers and supervisors learn how to engage with other employees and put their abilities into good use. Rather than just giving appraisals, the manager helps to improve the skills of employees and make them better suited to meet their objectives. As for executives, their responsibility is to ensure that the goals of the organization and the employees are linked. In doing so, meeting departmental goals will ensure that the overall goals of the organization are met. As for employees, the performance management systems will go a long way in making them better at their jobs. Other than helping them to identify areas that cause problems for them, it informs management who in turn offer coaching and training to help employees to overcome these problems (PMARC, 2016).

Although information about performance management is easily accessible through the web, there are both advantages and disadvantages that are bound to be experienced. In all the sources mentioned, the information is accessed quickly and with ease. One simply needs to type the topic of research and the results appear within seconds. Another advantage is that it is free. The websites are accessible to anyone who has access to the internet and can retrieve the information at no cost. In the case of hrcouncil, the website gives a detailed description on how to plan and implement a successful performance management system and this is a major advantage. The Lawler addresses changing trends in the field of performance management, pointing out areas where managers are making mistakes. A shortcoming of this site is that it assumes that following the guidelines given by Lawler will ascertain successful performance management. It however fails to consider other factors such as cost and attitude of employees which could undermine the process.

While Puckett’s strength lies in identifying the importance of performance management, they fail to discuss ways to ensure that the system can be implemented to ensure that these benefits are achieved. This is the same shortcoming that is seen in the PMARC site which only mentions how all parties stand to benefit but do not show ways of ensuring that the promised end results are attained. Despite these shortcomings, websites still offer valuable information that plays a major role in the implementation of effective performance management systems.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Hrcouncil, (2016) “Keeping the right people: Performance management” Community        Foundations of Canada, retrieved from, http://hrcouncil.ca/hr-toolkit/keeping-people-         performance-management.cfm

Lawler E, (2015) “Performance management: the three important features you’re forgetting”        Forbes, retrieved from,            http://www.forbes.com/sites/edwardlawler/2015/04/15/performance-management-yet-            another/#2d1a77a64902

Puckett J, (2015) “The importance of performance management” retrieved from,             http://technologyadvice.com/blog/human-resources/importance-of-performance-    management/

The Performance Management and Appraisal Resource Center, (2016) “Performance        management for this century” retrieved from, http://performance-appraisals.org/