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Students: Chapter 5

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Quizzes

Self-test Questions

  1. Name three advantages of operating a 360-degree feedback system.
  2. What does the acronym SMART mean in reference to objectives?
  3. In the 2009 CIPD survey of performance management practices, what percentage of respondents agreed that performance management benefitted line managers in managing their employees effectively?
  4. When Sony launched its new PM system in 2009, what were the five building blocks on which it was based?
  5. Name five difficulties involved in a performance management scheme based on objective-setting.
  6. What is a ‘clone error’ in relation to assessing performance?
  7. According to Armstrong, what are the four stages of the performance management framework?
  8. What do BARS and BOS stand for?
  9. Name one crucial difference between an interview where the employee’s performance is discussed with them and a recruitment interview?
  10. In the meeting with the employee to discuss their performance, what should be the four main areas in which agreement should be sought?
Answers

1. Select three from:

  • Quality of feedback is high
  • System has more chance of causing employees to change their behaviour
  • May be more popular with managers
  • Shows that performance management scheme is being taken seriously

2. Specific and stretching

  • Measurable
  • Agreed and achievable
  • Realistic and Relevant
  • Time-related

3. 18 per cent.

4.

  • Correct mindset from managers and employees
  • Clear consequences from the PM event
  • Ensuring skills are utilised
  • Making sure system of appraisal is effective
  • Ensuring model and processes are properly used

5. Select five from:

  • Getting objectives evenly balanced between employees
  • Having objectives may make employees too narrowly focused in their job
  • Objectives may have to change during the year or be abandoned due to external circumstances changing.
  • Individual objectives may work against team building
  • Some activities are difficult to measure
  • There are many difficulties associated with rating, including trying to get managers to rate consistently, the difficulties in appearing to criticise employees and trying to get a balanced view of performance over a year

6. Where a manager judges the employee totally in comparison to the way they themselves act.

7.

  • Establishing a performance agreement
  • Ensuring that the ways that performance is measured is robust, fair and understood
  • Setting up effective ways of giving feedback
  • Making sure outcomes (rewards and development) are delivered in a fair and equitable way

8. Behaviourally Anchored Rating Scales and Behavioural Observation Scales.

9. There is a continuing relationship with the employee, so comments, statements and decisions can have an enduring effect upon the relationship. Such interviews, therefore, have a greater degree of difficulty.

10.

  • Agreement on the level of performance achieved
  • Agreement on the factors that influenced this level of performance
  • Outline agreement on the challenges/targets for the next period
  • Agreement on what support needs to be arranged for the employee

Annotated Further Reading Guide

Buller, P. and McEvoy, G. (2012) Strategy, HRM and Performance: A Sharpening of Line of Sight. Human Resource Management Review, March, 22(1): 43–56.

An article on aligning group and individual competencies and norms with corporate strategy.

Foster, C. (2012) Managing Performance without a Fixed Retirement Age. Equal Opportunities Review, January, 220: 7–10.

A study of how two companies have dealt with this potentially difficult issue.

Haines, V. and St-Onge, S. (2012) Performance Management Effectiveness: Practices or Context. International Journal of HRM, 23(6): 1158–1175.

A study focusing on how practices and context impact on performance management effectiveness.

Latham, G., Ford, R. and Tzabbar, D. (2012) Enhancing Employee and Organizational Performance through Coaching based on Shopper Feedback. Human Resource Management, March/April, 51(2): 213–230.

An American study on the benefits of using mystery shopper data to improve performance.

Wolff, C. (2012) Training Managers to Combat Underperformance. IRS Employment Review, July.

Examines issues in the needs of line managers, identifying that the most important training is in handling difficult conversations.

  • See the 2009 IDS study on Performance Management (No 886, Robertson, J.) for an extensive number of case examples.
  • A comprehensive examination of all the practical issue of performance management is to be found in Fletcher, C. (2008) Appraisal, Feedback and Development. Routledge.
  • For a summary and discussion of American PM systems, see Lawler, E and McDermott, M. (2003) Current Performance Management Practices. WorldatWork Journal, Spring, 49–60.
  • Armstrong, M. (2009) Armstrong’s Handbook of Performance Management: An Evidence-based Guide to Delivering High Performance,4th ed. London: Kogan Page.
  • Brown, D. (2010) Performance Management: Can the Practice Ever Deliver the Policy?Brighton: Institute for Employment Studies.
  • Gillen, T. (2007) Performance Management and Appraisal. CIPD Toolkit. 2nd ed. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
  • Green, R. (2010) Rewarding Performance. Routledge.

360-degree feedback

Goodge, P. and Coomber, J. (2008) 360 Degree Feedback; Once Again the Research is Useful. Selection and Development Review, 24(2): 13–16.

Levine, M. (2010) Taking the Burn out of 360 Degree Hot Seat. Training and Development, August, 64(8): 40–55.

Seifert, C., Yukl, G. and McDonald, R. (2003) Effects of Multisource Feedback and a Feedback Facilitator on the Influence of Managers Towards Subordinates. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(3): 561–569.

Extra Case Studies

Case 1

Appraisals – a waste of time? Employees agree

A survey of 1,000 office workers has found that one in three feels workplace appraisals are a waste of time and do not contribute to their personal career development.

According to recruitment firm Badenoch & Clark, appraisals are in danger of becoming ‘tick-box’ exercises that waste time and fail to help employees. More than one-third (37 per cent) of employees spend at least seven hours every year on appraisals, while an unfortunate 1 in 20 spend 15 hours discussing their performance.

Badenoch & Clark managing director Nicola Linkleter said that the process was often too formal and infrequent: ‘Many organisations adopt a once-a-year approach towards appraisals, which means the process is scheduled and collation of employee feedback is often carried out through standardised forms or systems.

‘Dedicating time to appraisals is only beneficial for organisations and individuals if they are effective in identifying and developing talent in return.’

Source: Faragher, J. (2012) One Worker in Three Thinks Appraisals are a Waste of Time. Personnel Today, 15 November.