Individual Performance Cycle Analysis
Individual performance management, when viewed as a process of promoting employeesâ talents and performance in their respective roles, is the driver that underlies organizational performance. This weekâs Assignment examines the role of individual performance and its cycle by looking closely at the flow of activities and opportunities associated with it.
To complete this Assignment, review the Learning Resources for this week and other resources you have found in the Walden Library or online, and respond to the following bullets in a 3- to 4-page paper, which will include an Appendix page.
Identify why it is important to view performance over a period of time versus at a single point in time.
Establish a preferred review cycle time based on alternative choices, providing a rationale for your choice.
Describe 4â6 factors that can influence individual performance and impact an individualâs performance review at the end of the cycle.
Discuss at least 2 strategies essential to preventing individual performance from missing targeted goals and/or becoming de-railed.
Draw conclusions regarding the importance of an effective process for Individual Performance Management.
Create a graphic that establishes the flow of activities associated with The Cycle of Individual Performance Management. Note: This graphic will become your Appendix page.
The Cycle of Individual Performance
Identify why it is important to view performance over a period of time versus at a single point in time.
Viewing performance both at a specific point in time and over a period of time is essential for the optimization of organizational performance. The view of performance at a single point in time offers feedback for the development of skills (Ahuja, Padhy, & Srivastava, 2018). It helps in determining the areas of low performance and implementing strategies to improve the required skills. View of performance over a period of time acts as a basis of setting long-term goals. Long-term evaluation is vital in the assignment of employee roles and promotion. It offers a comprehensive outlook of how an employee has been functioning, which helps in determining whether they are effective (Aguinis, 2019). Both views of performance are critical in the running of an organization as they inform the achievement of both short-term and long-term goals.
Establish a preferred review cycle time based on alternative choices, providing a rationale for your choice.
Different organizations set varied review cycles depending on factors such as the number of employees and the organizational goals. Most large organizations opt to utilize the traditional review cycle, which occurs annually (Boyle, 2013). Others engage semi-annual and quarterly reviews. My preferred review cycle time would be on a bi-monthly (once every two months) basis. A bimonthly cycle offers a regular basis for employee performance reviews, which presents many benefits for both the employee and the organization. Giving an employee feedback every two months allows for clear communication of the set expectations. It gives an ideal opportunity to identify the weak points presented by an employee before they create major impacts on the organization (Boyle, 2013). A bi-monthly review also forms a basis for the popular annual reviews, which are often used for strategizing. Waiting for a year to end to conduct performance reviews may be inefficient, especially when the organization desires to maintain high levels of employee productivity.
Describe 4â6 factors that can influence individual performance and impact an individualâs performance review at the end of the cycle.
Organizational culture: This entails what an organization values. Employee performance is very dependent on the guiding values of an organization. If the organization has a favorable culture, then employee productivity is likely to be high. Increased productivity leads to a good performance review at the end of a cycle. If the organizationâs culture is unfavorable, the employee is less likely to meet the set expectations, which translates into a negative performance review.
Level of employee motivation: The key factor that drives an employee into action in a work environment is motivation. High employee motivation acts as a multiplier of employee performance. An employee who is motivated to work is likely to work hard towards achieving the organizational goals (Boyle, 2013). Hard work will ultimately lead to a satisfactory performance review.
Employee competence: Individual performance is usually affected by the ability and skills to perform the assigned job. An experienced employee will most likely perform well in their job and get a good performance review (Boyle, 2013). An incompetent employee, on the other hand, will not meet the expectations of the job title and will get a less favorable performance review.
Organizational resources: Organizational infrastructure impacts an individualâs performance of a given job. Even though the availability of resources is beyond an individual employeeâs control, it will impact the performance review that the supervisor will give an employee at the end of the cycle (Boyle, 2013). The availability of resources impacts performance reviews positively.
The attitude of the supervisor: A supportive supervisor will often give the employee positive feedback, which will boost his or her morale. A supervisor who encourages an employee during the review cycle helps him or her in improving his performance (Boyle, 2013). This is likely to yield a more positive review at the end of the cycle.
Discuss at least 2 strategies essential to preventing individual performance from missing targeted goals and/or becoming de-railed.
Invest in employee development: Making employee development a priority in an organization is an essential strategy in maintaining productivity to meet the target goals. Employee development should aim at closing the skills gap, which consequently leads to the fulfillment of the set goals (Ahuja, Padhy, & Srivastava, 2018). With the required skills, an employee is much likely to remain focused and hit the target goals.
Recognize and reward exceptional performance: High performers are often ignored in organizations as the management spends time in getting the low performers to improve. This oversight is likely to lower the motivation of the high performers and make them disengaged (Ahuja, Padhy, & Srivastava, 2018). Promotions, bonuses, and pay rises are effective strategies of maintaining motivation among the high performing individuals and ensuring that they are always meeting the set expectations.
Draw conclusions regarding the importance of an effective process for Individual Performance Management.
An effective process for individual performance management is essential for the success of any organization. If well done, performance management optimizes the productivity of the individual employees. It provides an opportunity for individual employees to understand their strong points and their weak points. This understanding is essential for individual development. The management uses the performance management results to build on the talent of the employees to meet the set goals and for the assignment of jobs (Obisi, 2011). Organizations that exhibit effective processes of individual performance management can easily align the individual employee goals and skills with the organizational goals for greater success.
Create a graphic that establishes the flow of activities associated with The Cycle of Individual Performance Management. Note: This graphic will become your Appendix page.
The cycle of individual performance management refers to a model that shows a structured process that is followed in the process of employee evaluation. Each performance management cycle is characterized by various activities, which include planning, monitoring, developing, rating, and rewarding. Individual goals and expectations are usually set at the planning stage as exhibited in the appendix (Ahuja, Padhy, & Srivastava, 2018). The supervisor continually monitors the performance of the employee after setting the goals and expectations. Through monitoring, the supervisor gains insights into the areas that need to be improved and develops the employee accordingly. During the entire cycle, the supervisor must always be engaged in rating the performance of the employee to determine the progress. Good performance is usually rewarded at the end of the cycle. Employees who do not perform well may be trained further or assigned less demanding tasks in the next cycle.
References
Aguinis, H. (2019). Performance management (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Ahuja, K. K., Padhy, P., & Srivastava, G. (2018). Performance Appraisal Satisfaction &. The Indian Journal of Industrial Relations, 53(4), 675-693.
Boyle, I. O. (2013). Individual Performance Management: A Review of Current Practices. Asia-Pacific Management and Business Application, 1(3), 157 – 170.
Obisi, C. (2011). Employee Performance Appraisal and its Implication for Individual and Organizational Growth. Australian Journal of Business and Management Research, 1(9), 92-97.