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• Module overview
• 1. Manage and appraise performance
  • 1.1 Manage performance of individuals in teams
    • 1.1.1 Performance appraisal defined
    • 1.1.2 Types of appraisal
  • 1.2 Goal alignment: "Best practice" performance appraisal supports
  • 1.3 360 degree feedback or multi-rater appraisal sessions
  • 1.4 Individual development
    • 1.4.1 Aligning individual with organisational needs
    • 1.4.2 Setting individual development needs
  • 1.5 Evaluating the performance appraisal process
  • Job Performance Plan

• 2. Improve performance

  • 2.1 Address performance related issues
    • 2.1.1 Job Performance plans
    • 2.1.2 Setting and integrating job performance outcomes
    • 2.1.3 Addressing poor performance
    • 2.1.4 One-on-one formal staff interviews
  • 2.2 Address issues and problems of individuals in teams
    • 2.2.1 A team problem solving process
    • 2.2.2 Solutions search
    • 2.2.3 Removing root causes
    • 2.2.4 Solutions implementation through inclusive communication processes

• 3. Motivate and build commitment

  • 3.1 Build support and commitment within the work team
  • 3.2 Encourage value and reward contributions
  • 3.3 Empowerment
  • 3.4 Expectancy theory
    • 3.4.1 Motivation and expectancy theory
    • 3.4.2 Rewarding individual commitment
  • 3.5 Gaining individual and team commitment to action
    • 3.5.1 Participative processes and commitment building

• 4. Review and evaluate performance within the work team

  • 4.1 Teams as delegated authority centres
    • 4.1.1 Transitioning to the required team structure
  • 4.2 Review and examine performance in teams
  • 4.3 Monitor delegated performance
  • 4.4 Assess the ability of the team to achieve goals
  • 4.5 Review the success of team leadership

• 5. Facilitating team outcomes

  • 5.1 What is a team leader?
  • 5.2 What is a team?
  • 5.3 Types of teams
    • 5.3.1 Self-Managed Teams
    • 5.3.2 Quality Circles
    • 5.3.3 Project Teams
    • 5.3.4 Empowered Teams
    • 5.3.5 Process Improvement Teams
    • 5.3.6 Virtual Teams
  • 5.4 Forming participative teams
    • 5.4.1 Forming Storming Norming Performing team-development model
    • 5.4.2 Hints on developing teams
  • 5.5 Team planning processes
    • 5.5.1 Establishing purpose and gaining commitment
    • 5.5.2 Ensuring the team adds value
    • 5.5.3 Avoiding group-think in teams
    • 5.5.4 Encouraging participative group relationships
    • 5.5.5 Team member roles
  • 5.6 Supportive and directive team leadership behaviours
    • 5.6.1 Cost of poor team participation

• 6. Establishing and administering safe work environments

  • 6.1 Introduction - What is safety?
    • 6.1.1 Safety and the potential for injury
    • 6.1.2 How accidents happen
  • 6.2 What is legislative responsibility and what are laws?
    • 6.2.1 Common Law
    • 6.2.2 Statute Law
    • 6.2.3 Occupational health and safety legislation in the workplace
    • 6.2.4 Further legal definitions
  • 6.3 OHS administration and the responsibilities for all workplace personnel
    • 6.3.1 Employers
    • 6.3.2 Persons in Control of Workplaces
    • 6.3.3 Manufacturers, Designers and Suppliers
    • 6.3.4 Persons who Erect and Install Plant and Equipment
    • 6.3.5 Employees
  • 6.4 Making implications of an unsafe practices and environment clear to all within the workplace
  • 6.5 Provide financial and human resources for the effective operation of the OHS system
    • 6.5.1 The nature of symbols
    • 6.5.2 Common symbols
    • 6.5.3 Choosing the appropriate OH&S interpersonal communication medium
  • 6.6 Health and safety representatives and committees
    • 6.6.1 Role of OHS representatives
  • 6.7 Occupational Health and Safety induction and training
    • 6.7.1 Complete a OHS training needs analysis

• 7. Occupational health and safety risks and hazards

  • 7.1 Hazards
    • 7.1.1 Monitoring safety and maintaining a safe environment
    • 7.1.2 What are hazards?
    • 7.1.3 Hazard identification
    • 7.1.4 Safety audits
    • 7.1.5 Hazard scenarios
  • 7.2 Hygiene
  • 7.3 Equipment hazards
  • 7.4 Risk assessment
  • 7.6 Risk control
    • 7.6.1 Fire and evacuation procedures
    • 7.6.2 Waste recycling, reduction and disposal hazards
  • 7.7 Inspections
    • 7.7.1 Continuous inspections
    • 7.7.2 Planned inspections
    • 7.7.3 Planning for Inspections
    • 7.7.4 Who will conduct the inspection?
  • 7.8 A suggested guide for planned inspections

• 8. Managing and controlling an occupational health and safety system

  • 8.1 Monitor control measures
    • 8.1.1 Writing the inspection report
  • 8.2 Reporting and making claims
  • 8.3 Occupational health and safety record keeping
    • 8.3.1 Investigate and report non-conformance
    • 8.3.2 Follow up for corrective action
    • 8.3.3 Recommendations for corrective action in an inspection report
  • 8.4 Implement improvements to the OHS system
    • 8.4.1 Accident Investigation

1.1.2 Types of appraisal

There is often confusion in companies over what an appraisal system can achieve. Conflict in uses often sees performance appraisal being used for:

• Counselling performance deficiency
• Identifying individual training and development options
• Decisions on changing rewards and/or remuneration levels
• Succession and career planning
• Work unit planning and job design/work allocation
• Sessions to gain commitment for new work unit or corporate objectives

Decisions have to be made if the performance appraisal is to be a formal process or an informal process.

The words at the beginning and end of each line indicate a continuum between descriptive factors that may apply to the degree of structure given to performance appraisal systems. Our aim is to investigate the indications of how systematic and structured your organisation's response is to the conduct of performance appraisals.

When YOU are involved in your organisation's performance appraisal system, where do you perceive your organisation is NOW on each line. Place a ü along each line to indicate placement between each continuum.

Table 1 Types of appraisal

Interview process	This is the most common form of employee assessment. It is primarily carried out by a supervisor or manager in the workplace and in some cases there has been an attempt to provide a more objective viewpoint of the individual's performance by having the interview conducted by those other than the individual's immediate superior. The interview process is supported by some of the information gathering methods below.
Written essay	Written essays on an employee's performance are supplied primarily by the immediate supervisor. Problems associated with this form of appraisal are that it uses no objective measures of the employee's performance.
Graphics rating scale	This scale Provides a list of measures to evaluate an employee's performance. Graphics rating scales as the name implies provide a scale to mark the employee against. These are easy to complete and are seen as effective in benchmarking employees' performance against one another when completing simple tasks.
Critical incidence appraisal	Critical incidence appraisals provide a list of outcomes seen as critical to job performance, for example the completion of specific tasks. This, as an outcomes based measure, can be effective in linking individual performance to organisational outcomes.
Management by objectives	Similar to the critical incidence appraisal, however objectives are set usually by both the manager and the employee and an evaluation of performance against these is made at the time of the appraisal.

 

Performance Management Systems are fundamentally concerned with facilitating productivity and effectiveness by maximising and maintaining individual performance. The primary concern for performance management systems is not just for improving individual development and performance outcomes, but also to do so while focussing on continuous improvement.

Activity 2

Complete the following chart to assess how performance appraisal sessions and processes you may be involved in rank against the listed criteria.

	1.	2.	3.	4.	5.	6.	7.
Consistent								Dissimilar
Known measures								Subjective
Planned								Random
Comprehensive (everyone)								Disconnected (Few staff on key issues)
Known procedures								Appraiser sets procedures
Records kept								Filed by appraiser
Linked to training								No external links
Management tool								Personal tool
Feedback sought								Instructions given
Improving self								Improving attainment of manager's objectives
Recognising achievements								Focussing on faults
Time consuming								Less time consuming

Give each tick a score from the column head Total is NOW = _______

Scoring

62-84

Appraisal and feedback sessions are generally routinised, formal and cyclic. They focus on goal attainment and operational problems. Personal development needs coverage is most likely through indirect or accidental procedures, rather than a deliberate focus. The conduct of the process is also likely to reflect management control, rather than reinforce empowered and participative communication processes.

37-62

Performance and appraisal are more balanced. The processes are likely to balance the needs of the appraiser/manager attaining their goals, whilst, to a limited extent, also acknowledging the needs of the individual employee (appraisee). Achievements are acknowledged and feedback sought, but the means for doing this are often informal or ad hoc. Seeking causes for problems and fault may still be present in the process. The process is still triggered by the management team and controlled by timelines set outside the team or process level's control.

12-36

Appraisal and feedback sessions are targeting known measures and actively seek input from the appraisee/teams; including when sessions are held, feedback and procedures. Management take a less controlling influence on the appraisal process and seek feedback from multiple levels within the appraisal and management process. Processes are closely tied to individual improvement and identification of both operational and individual needs.

Hints

When used effectively performance appraisals can produce common benefits including:

• Providing a strategic communication point
• Reinforcing behaviour and performance expectations
• Mutual orientation towards agreed outcomes
• Collaborative process to assist individual development
• Leaders can recognise performance
• Agreement on measures that can underpin improved planning systems
• Structured performance review tied to ways to assist poor performance
• Forum for feedback
• Recognising individual contributions to team and enterprise performance
• Canvassing individual and enterprise needs together
• Direct point for information sharing on strategic issues and priorities
• Contributing to awareness of operational climate and culture
• Clarified responsibilities and commitment

Dangers

Common Problems and Barriers to Effective Use of Performance Appraisal

• Lack of linkage between appraisal and corporate goals
• Lack of linkage between individual appraisee's goals and outcomes from appraisal
• Incompetent use of interpersonal skills by interviewer
• Variations with different interviewers/assessment opinions
• Irrelevant or understated performance targets
• Regional variations
• Unwillingness of interviewer to give colleagues bad grades
• Fear of interpersonal contact by parties involved
• Use of performance appraisal as an assessment and sanction tool
• Failure to realise people compare ratings and need to know why variations occur

Hints

Setting Standards of Performance should:

• Define the Job in relation to Work Area and Strategic Objectives (KRAs)
• Differentiate the job from others in the Section/Team/Work Area
• Integrate the Job's Performance with the whole Section /Team/Work Area
• Be job related and realistic
• Be worded in clear and concise language and terms
• Be framed consistent with organisational culture, procedures and practices.
• Reflect the performance context (location and environment)

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