Introduction
The performance management is the prescribed course of actions that contains the expectations of the organization and the manner in which employees will be evaluated on how they have performed against the expectations of the organization. Managing workers’ performances are meant to enhance the attainment of the organization objectives. Organizations have various techniques through which the performance of the workers can be managed.
However, the plans, systems or criteria must meet certain conditions to make the management of the employees’ performances be more effective. Managers utilize performances assessment plans to manage the way employees carry out their obligations and how they align those achievements with the organization goals.
The management of employees’ performances also includes the elucidation of the responsibilities as well as roles of employees within the organization (Martocchio, 2011). In addition, performance management also set priorities and goals to be achieved by the employees. The goal setting enables employees to increase efforts in their undertakings particularly on the assigned tasks in order to attain the set objectives.
Employees’ growth and skills development is also one of the areas that performance management emphasizes. The employees’ growth in terms of enhanced skills is attained through training and long-term experience. The relationship between increased performance among employees and their improved skills as well as development is direct.
The other important area in which performance management centers its attention is the improved communication between the employees and the top management. Through efficient communication, all issues that might hold back effective operations can be resolved.
The most prominent performance management plans
The major aim of performance management plan is to align the employees’ activities with the operations of the company, channel them towards attaining the company objectives, and make the company be more competitive (Gruman & Saks, 2011). The most commonly used performance management plans include the strategic performance management planning and the administrative performance management plan.
The strategic performance management planning takes into consideration long-term performance objectives. All the activities of the employees are aligned with the long-term strategic objectives of the company.
In other words, the strategic performance management plans includes those long-term objectives the employees are expected to achieve (Gruman & Saks, 2011). The strategic plans on employes perfoirmances take into consideration the external or environmental factors that may influence the performances of the employees.
On the other hand, the administrative performance management planning is immediate and takes into consideration the short- term objectives of the company employees are expected to achieve (Gruman & Saks, 2011). The performance management plan looks into the internal influences on the workforce and utilizes the immediate resources to attain the objectives of the company.
The consequences of performance management in an organization
The major aim of the performance appraisals is to motivate and enhance the workers’ performances towards the attainment of the organization goals. In essence, performance management motivates employees to focus their efforts on accomplishing the given tasks. The motivating factor results from the development of incentives or compensations for greater performances (Martocchio, 2011).
Compensation plans for greater performances enables employees to increase their efforts towards accomplishing the established goals. Such increased efforts lead to improved productivity. Increased productivity within the workforce translates into augmented organization’s performance. Moreover, the organization is capable of meeting its long-term objectives because of improved productivity and returns on investments (Martocchio, 2011).
The relationship between compensation and performance management
Most of the organizations use compensation plans to motivate workers. As a result, the performance of workers increases. In fact, employees are rewarded through appropriate compensation schemes for their performances.
The organization compensation schemes are organized in a way that optimizes the employees’ performances (Martocchio, 2011). For instance, compensation is pegged on the attainment of specific tasks. Therefore, organizations that want to achieve higher target objectives must attach such accomplishments with increased compensations.
Compensation plans should be included within the performances strategies in order to motivate employees. Through such motivations, employees’ productivity increases which in turn leads to enhanced performance of the organization. Moreover, compensation and improved job satisfaction are directly related (Gruman & Saks, 2011). Therefore, managers should remain focused on compensation while developing their performance plans.
Factors to consider while implementing the performance management plans
Managers should understand that performance management should be an incessant course of actions and as such communication becomes critical in the implementation process. Communication ensures that roles and responsibilities of employees are translated efficiently and effectively (Gruman & Saks, 2011).
Moreover, trainings are needed for the implementing managers as well as the employees. In addition, standards and measurement procedures should be established before the implementation process. In other words, managers should come up with appropriate appraisal plan derived from the current business processes.
Conclusion
Performance management ensures that all the business processes are geared towards attaining the set goals s and objectives. Performance management ensures that the organizations attain its short-term and long-term objectives through motivation of workers as well as strategic and administrative plans. The most important factor managers should consider is that performance should be implemented continuously.
References
Gruman, J. & Saks, A. (2011). Performance management and employee engagement. Human resource management review. 21(1), 123-136.
Martocchio, J. J. (2011). Strategic compensation: A human resource management approach. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.