Appraising Employees at the San Diego Zoo
Case 06: Appraising Employees at the San Diego Zoo
Trevor Fisher
Rasmussen College
Author Note: This case study is being submitted August 14, 2011 for Bill Erickson’s B165/MAN1300 Section 12 Introduction to Human Resources Management course.
Case 06: Appraising Employees at the San Diego Zoo
Introduction: The San Diego Zoological Society previously had an appraisal system in place for its 2,600+ employees that was almost entirely ineffective. This year it is beginning to implement a new web-based appraisal system that is centered around employee accountability and will include pay increases based on merit. I feel that the structure of the new system will be very beneficial for both the company and its employees.
Case Summary: The San Diego Zoological Society, which employs over 2,600 employees in the operation of the San Diego Zoo, the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park, and the conservation and Research for Endangered Species scientific center had a very ineffective appraisal system in place. Reviews were inconsistent, with some employees going years and even decades between being reviewed. This is changing. Tim Mulligan, who is the current director of Human Resources for the company is working on implementing a new web-based appraisal system focused on employee accountability based on the organizations strategic plan. This system will determine manager’s pay raises based on their performance, rather than just being cost of living increases, which was the basis of pay increases in the past. The new format will be rolled out as a part of management review this year and will include all exempt employees as well beginning next year. This new format is based on two categories; goals and leadership competencies and will include mid-year appraisals along with the end of year appraisals. This will serve as a tool to encourage on-going dialogue and to avoid any “surprises” in the year end review process. Critics have stated that while web-based
Trevor Fisher
Rasmussen College
Author Note: This case study is being submitted August 14, 2011 for Bill Erickson’s B165/MAN1300 Section 12 Introduction to Human Resources Management course.
Case 06: Appraising Employees at the San Diego Zoo
Introduction: The San Diego Zoological Society previously had an appraisal system in place for its 2,600+ employees that was almost entirely ineffective. This year it is beginning to implement a new web-based appraisal system that is centered around employee accountability and will include pay increases based on merit. I feel that the structure of the new system will be very beneficial for both the company and its employees.
Case Summary: The San Diego Zoological Society, which employs over 2,600 employees in the operation of the San Diego Zoo, the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park, and the conservation and Research for Endangered Species scientific center had a very ineffective appraisal system in place. Reviews were inconsistent, with some employees going years and even decades between being reviewed. This is changing. Tim Mulligan, who is the current director of Human Resources for the company is working on implementing a new web-based appraisal system focused on employee accountability based on the organizations strategic plan. This system will determine manager’s pay raises based on their performance, rather than just being cost of living increases, which was the basis of pay increases in the past. The new format will be rolled out as a part of management review this year and will include all exempt employees as well beginning next year. This new format is based on two categories; goals and leadership competencies and will include mid-year appraisals along with the end of year appraisals. This will serve as a tool to encourage on-going dialogue and to avoid any “surprises” in the year end review process. Critics have stated that while web-based
References: Bohlander, G., & Snell, S. (2010). Appraising Employees at the San Diego Zoo. In Managing Human Resources (15th ed., pp. 402-404). Mason, Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning. Van Wyden, G. (n.d.). Pros & Cons of Performance Appraisals. Retrieved August 14, 2011, from ehow.com website: http://www.ehow.com/facts_4843724_pros-cons-performance-appraisals.html