chpt 11

• Performance management


  An approach to managing people that comprises a set of practices, tools and processes used by managers to plan, direct and improve the performance of employees in line with achieving the organization's objectives
• Performance management systems


  The heart of managing people effectively at an individual level in an organisation
• Performance management process


  1. Strategic business objectives

  2. Job requirements

  3. Organization structure

  4. Staffing

  5. Job design and profiling

  6. HR Consequences

  7. Rewards

  8. T & D

  9. Succession Planning

  10. Counselling & Discipline

  11. Individual performance planning

  12. Performance monitoring

  13. Individual performance review
• Figure 11.1


  • Illustrates the performance management process
• Strategic objectives


  Influence the design and profile of jobs
• Job profile


  Sets the agenda to plan performance requirements and thereafter monitor performance
• Organisational level performance management approaches


  • Objectives-setting approach
  • Benchmarking approach
  • Balanced scorecard
• Objectives-setting approach


  Typified by Management By Objectives (MBO), seeks to link strategic intent with day to day organisational activity
• MBO


  • Relies on the manager and the employee collaborating in the setting of objectives, allowing the employee to be involved in, and to manage, their own performance
• Benchmarking


  Emphasises the identification of best practice standards that the organisation tries to emulate through continuous improvement
• Balanced scorecard


  Provides the organisation with a comprehensive framework that can translate a company's vision and strategy into a coherent set of performance measures
• Balanced scorecard perspectives


  • Financial
  • Customer
  • Internal business processes
  • Learning and growth
• Performance management process steps


  1. Strategic business objectives

  2. Agree on personal objectives

  3. Assessing performance

  4. Meeting to review performance
• Step 1 - Strategic business objectives


  1. Clarify the strategic objectives of the organisation

  2. Translate high level objectives into departmental or team objectives

  3. Clearly communicate these objectives
• Step 2 - Agree on personal objectives


  1. Manager considers each job in the department and translates objectives based on the individual's KPI (Knowledge, skills and abilities)

  2. Look at the job profile or job description to develop specific objectives

  3. Manager and employee collaborate in setting personal objectives
• SMART objectives


  Specific, Measurable, Acceptable, Realistic and reasonable, Time-bound, Clear, Flexible, Prioritized, Several
• Step 3 - Methods for Assessing Performance

  1. Continuous feedback

  2. Formal reviews
• Appraisal methods


  • Objective setting (MBO approach)
  • Critical incident technique
  • Comparative rankings
  • Forced distribution
  • Behavioural approaches
• 360-degree feedback


  A multiple-rater method that uses performance assessment information from various sources such as from peers, superiors or customers
• Step 4 - Meeting to review performance


  1. Review performance in an encouraging manner

  2. Preparation is key for an effective performance review

  3. Start the discussion by putting the employee at ease and clarify the purpose of the meeting

  4. Effective communication during the appraisal through balanced and effective feedback
• Guidelines for providing effective feedback


  Specific rather than general, Focuses on behaviour rather than on the person, Takes the needs of the receiver into account, Aimed at behaviour about which the receiver can do something, More effective when requested than forced, Sharing of information rather than giving advice, Contains only the amount of information the receiver can use, Involves what was said or done and how, but not why, Is checked to ensure clear communication
• Managing poor performance steps


  1. Agree that there is a problem and what the problem is

  2. Explore and identify reasons

  3. Agree on corrective action

  4. Implement corrective action

  5. Monitor Progress
• Counselling employees for performance stages


  1. Identifying and exploring the problem

  2. Understanding the problem

  3. Action planning

  4. Managing the problem
• Absenteeism is unauthorised leave and for it to constitute misconduct the employee must be at fault
• When dealing with absenteeism that results from ill health or injury the employer should have regard for the Code of Good Practice Dismissal. Employees cannot be dismissed purely on the basis of their status.
• The employer must determine whether an employee under the influence of alcohol or drugs represents misconduct or incapacity as the employer has a duty to assist employees who are unable to perform their duties due to incapacity
• A Code of Good Practice on key aspects of HIV/AIDS has been published and provides guidelines for employers, employees and trade unions on how to manage HIV/AIDS in the workplace
• The Code provides guidelines for ensuring a non-discriminatory working environment as well as ways to try and support a person affected by HIV/AIDS to work productively for as long as possible