Performance Management - National HRD Network

From
National President’s Desk
Conducting effective
Performance Appraisals
Studies indicate, 'Intangible assets have
risen from 20% of the value of companies
in 1980, to around 70% today'. In such an
environment, retaining talent becomes a
goal for every HR Department.
One of the biggest factors in retaining a good
employee is building a fair and objective
Performance Development process.
Performance management and
development can support us in creating a
work environment that helps employees
succeed. One can improve productivity,
motivation, and morale by handling
performance development in new ways.
In order for that to happen, the manager and
the employee have to work together in a
communication process to identify barriers
to success and to build plans to overcome
those barriers.
Ratings and yearly review lack the detail to
achieve this. To make the review more
effective, managers must keep the
communication channel with their reportees,
alive throughout the year. This is a good way
of ensuring that there are no surprises
during the yearly reviews. It is also a good
idea to try and have SMART objectives,
which are easily measurable/assessed, and
less subjective in nature.
Finally, one must remember, a performance
discussion needs to be forward looking, and
not a blame-game. All barriers need to be
considered, not just employee-based
factors. Also, the flexibility to negotiate
evaluation methods should be carried out
on a case to case basis between the
manager and the reportee. This will enable
both to be on the same plane while
conducting the performance review.
At the end of the day, an effective
performance review will make the employee
feel valued and improve the understanding
between the manager and the reportee.
P. Dwarakanath
Editorial
I am happy that my editorial on the kind of
articles that we would publish in the
Newsletter (see February 2007 issue) has
been welcomed from many quarters. I want
to continue on the same theme in this
editorial.
There is a growing interest amongst
practitioners - managers and consultants -
to share their experiences with the fellow
HR professionals. This is very much
welcome indeed. These articles can be of
tremendous value when they explain:
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What the experience deals with - HR
issue, HR function, HR process, etc.:
When this is stated clearly, readers have
a context to read the article
What was the context in which the
initiative was launched: The context
could include what how the issue came
about, what were the impacts of the
issue, etc. A very brief idea about the
organization may be included, if that is
really relevant
n
n
n
n
as possible so that readers have
adequate information to try out these
steps if they so desire
What were the results of the initiatives:
both successes and failures may be
shared, overcoming our belief that only
successes need to be shared - there is
so much to learn from both kinds of
results!
What factors contributed to the
successes and what contributed to the
failures: these need to be supported by
data, as against opinions, assumptions
and hopes. Even anecdotal data should
be fine, but what is important is for the
reader to get that the factors have some
basis because of which they were
identified as causes
Also, students are enthusiastic to write.
What they could write may be based on:
Their summer/internship project work
Their assignments in courses
It will be really
great is students
can share what
they experience
regarding the
relevance/
irrelevance of what
they study - these need to be based on what
they experience in real organisations.
Students could also get into small groups
to discuss, debate or dialogue on a specific
theme and share these conversations.
They may also interview managers and
other experts on specific topics and share
these interviews.
IMPORTANT: Whenever an author/
authoress submits a piece based on what
happened in real life, it is IMPERATIVE that
they send the written concurrence of
organisations and people to disclose their
identities. Else, the author/authoress should
hide the identity completely. That's only
ethical!
n
What were the steps taken in the
initiative: These need to be as detailed
n
Any studies they may done as a part of
their education
C. Balaji
| HRD News Letter | March 2007, Vol.22, Issue:12 6|