Performance Management: Implementing an Effective Performance Management

Performance Management: Implementing an Effective Performance Management System

Why Performance Management?

Performance management is the organized method that companies use to monitor the results of work activities, to measure and evaluate the performance of the employees, and to ensure that goals are met in an effective and efficient manner. According to Pulakos (2009), performance management is a key process that ensures that work gets done; and it is used by different organizations to communicate expectations and drive behavior towards achievement of important goals. For instance, ABC Company has offices in more than 50 countries across the globe and it employs over 40,000 employees from various cultural backgrounds, and it also deals with a diverse range of customers. It therefore needs to develop a performance management system that fosters an inclusive environment and channels different employees' talents and capabilities towards achievement of the organization's goals.

It is important to implement an effective performance system within an organization to avoid wasting the company's resources on performance management practices that do not work and at the same time ensure that performance management activities are aligned with the business needs of the organization (Stone, 2009). An effective system will identify the root areas of weakness, identify ways of improving them, and focus on individual as well as organizational growth, which will increase the productivity of the employees and ultimately improve overall performance of the company.

One example of an effective performance management practice is activity-based management (ABM). ABM involves identifying and evaluating specific activities that will be carried out to ensure performance objectives are achieved and that the performance improvements translate to the desired business outcomes. For instance, to improve the performance of the employees, ABC Company's staff should participate in intercultural team building activities, learn the importance of cultural diversity, and attend workshops that will provide insight on the steps they need to take to ensure every employee feels included, regardless of their cultural background. ABM is beneficial to an organization because it supports excellence through the use of activities that compel the participants to understand how key performance indicators contribute to the success of the organization. It also guarantees performance improvement because it develops the skills of employees and contributes to their personal growth. Moreover, Stone (2009) states that performance centered frameworks and activity-based practices enable execution in the work setting, which is the 'secret sauce' to effective performance improvement.

Part 2 -- Performance Mismanagement

The video demonstrates the importance of performance appraisal as a performance management practice. It emphasizes that performance management practices should benefit both the employees and the organization. It also teaches that instead of prioritizing on the negatives, managers should focus on what they like most about an employee during a performance appraisal interview, and how they can deal with the negatives together.

I can relate to this video because I was once required to attend a performance appraisal interview in my previous place of work. Just as demonstrated in the video, the manager first congratulated me on the good work done before pointing out the areas that I needed to improve on. I was also given an opportunity to attend a workshop that provided the much needed learning experience that I still apply to this day. By receiving both positive and negative feedback, I was able to understand and appreciate my contribution to the success of the organization, which motivated me to improve on my areas of weakness.