HRM 531 Performance Management Plan

Performance Management Plan
Team “A”
HRM/531
March 31, 2013
Donald Kilgore
University of Phoenix
Performance Management Plan
Performance management is an integral part of an organization. The ability to effectively and efficiently manage employee performances plays a vital role in the company’s overall success. Employers must strategically incorporate a performance management system that will engage and develop their employees and assist them in reaching goals that align with their organization’s objectives. It will be imperative that a new business invests the time and resources in implementing a performance management system within their company.
The assignment was given to group “A” to develop a performance management
plan for one of Atwood and Allen Consulting firm’s clients. Each team member considered and researched all the significant components necessary for an effective performance management system. The following discussion of the principles and strategies occurred amongst the group members.
Principles
Cascio, (2013) tells the reader to “think of performance management as a kind of compass, one that indicates a person’s actual direction as well as a person’s desired direction” (p. 258). It identifies the direction the company or person is taking and if the management or person needs to make a change. Principles in performance management happen daily and demands continuous improvement in defining, facilitating, and encouraging performance. The use of the plan will ensure the company’s vision and goals are meeting the requirements of the business.
The principle of defining performance helps the manager to detect if the employee or team understands what the requirements are in the workforce.
Managers can determine this by using these elements: assessment, goals, and performance measurement systems. Facilitating performance is like a checklist for a manager. The manager makes sure that supplies are available and tools and equipment are functioning properly. The focus is not to let there be any roadblocks to hinder the project. Facilitating performance management may cause problems at times because the manager hands are tied if the supplies are not available due to weather conditions, for example. The principle of encouragement consists of the rewards a manager offers employees for outstanding performance or a team for completing a task in a timely manner. A manager needs to practice the ins and outs of the principle reasoning for performance management because there is a different between a performance management plan and a performance appraisal
system.
Strategies
A solid performance management framework can easily align with the company 's organizational strategy such that the business and the employees both benefit. The plan must consider what will develop the talents of the employees in line with the company 's needs. Employees, who see that they are valued and allowed to better themselves, deliver better work for their business (Cascio, 2012).
Team “A” has carefully considered various management plans and has decided that ongoing performance management will yield best results.
Real time performance management allows managers to measure, correct, and reward in a timely manner. Appraisals done often are much more useful than an appraisal done once or twice a year. Frequent appraisals allow managers and employees to compliment and encourage good work as well as correct trends that should be stopped right away.
The value of an accurate job analysis is immense as a starting point for the performance management plan. The analysis allows the hiring manager to pick out applicants who have the needed skills by describing duties, qualifications, and the nature of the work. Later the analysis becomes the tool that both employer and employee can refer to when it is time to rate the job performance.
The method used for measuring the employees’ skills must be relevant, sensitive, reliable, acceptable, and practical. Team “A” has selected the behavioral checklist as the process of measuring performance because it meets the five requirements. The checklist is relevant if all the obvious skill sets are listed. If the checklist is used fairly, the employees can see clearly that their hard work is evident as opposed to the work of someone who slacks
off.
As a performance management plan is ongoing, the manager will notice skill gaps immediately. Some gaps can easily be corrected by sending an employee to a seminar or arranging a senior employee to work closely with the employee in question. Gaps that are serious must be evaluated to see if they warrant termination or retraining. Immediate action is necessary to stop any wrong direction that could damage the business and even the employee’s future.
The approach for an effective performance feedback is one of respect, cooperation, problem solving, goal setting, and rewards. The employee must be told when the performance feedback will occur so they can be prepared. The feedback will focus on the performance, never personality. Any criticism will be delivered in a non-personal yet direct manner. The appraisal should end on a positive note by acknowledging the good work done by the employees and the rewards that will follow. Any rewards should be given as soon after the appraisal as possible.
Conclusion
In conclusion, human capital is the best resource any business can have, no matter how big or small the business is. It can also create the most havoc if it is not treated as important and with respect. Implementing a working performance management plan by setting clear organizational and personnel goals, defining performance, facilitating performance, and encouraging performance sets an organization 's cultural tone as one of employee driven excellence. Performance management is not done by simply appraising the employee annually during a performance review; rather it is done on a daily basis by observation. A real time performance management system allows a manager to observe and make corrections as it becomes needed and allows rewards when warranted.
Finally, the strategies to this plan include an in-depth job analysis, a skill 's assessment, performance evaluation, and on-going training to keep the employees skills current. An employee will not want to invest into any organization if the organization is not willing to invest in them. An effective performance management culture will bring the best out of the employer as they are working so that the employee succeeds rather than waiting for them to fail. An employee that recognizes this will give their best towards the success of any organization; an employee that does not recognize what is going on will not work towards the company’s goals and is an employee that should not be working for the business.

References
Cascio, W. F. (2012). Managing human resources, (9th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database..