Performance Management Initiatives For The Public Sector Essay

The management of an organization plays an integral part in determining the direction and performance of the organization. The manner in which the management of an organization is handled has a profound effect on the organization. The success of an organization is dependent upon a flexible and skilled management and workforce. The management of an organization is responsible for shaping up the organizational behavior and ultimately the culture within the organization. Public management faces a multiple of challenges and opportunities, how the management deals with these issues translates to efficiency in management. The personal judgments and skills of public managers can make a significant impact in public management. If

Performance management is a tool that managers use to ensure that their companies remain at the top of their competitive edge. The Chartered Institute for Personnel Development (CIPD, 2008), defines performance management as a method by which individuals and teams are managed in a way that achieves high performance at an organisational level. The individuals within the organisation share an understanding of the achievement goals of the organisation. In order to achieve this, a general strategy is created, with each individual within the organisation understanding his or her role and requirements within such a strategy

Performance management is about creating a culture that encourages the continuous improvement of business processes and of individuals’ skills, behaviour and contribution. It is a repetitive process that is continually reviewed and is both strategic and integrated. It is about broad issues and long-term goals and integrated by linking various aspects of the business, people management, individuals and teams to delivering successful results in organisations. It does this by improving performance and developing the capabilities of teams and individuals.

Osborne and Plastrik (2000) in ‘The Reinventors’ Field book’ appreciates the ‘performance measurement’ as a tool to hold institutions accountable and to introduce rewards (incentives) for the performance. It further enables citizens to judge and value the interventions made for them and provide data for the

Most firms in Kenya now employ some performance appraisal system (GOK, 2009). The Performance Appraisal System (PAS) was introduced by the GOK to refocus the mind of the public from a culture of inward looking to a culture of businesslike environment, focused on the customer and results in addition to improving service delivery (Obong 'o, 2009). According to the new PAS, the evaluation of staff performance is supposed to run concurrently with the duration of ministerial performance contracts and the Government Financial year. Targets should meet acceptable quality standards and benchmarks as determined in each category of service delivery; the system should be supported by training of staff, particularly those with managerial and supervisory responsibility; and the process should be regarded as interactive, for mutual agreement between supervisors and appraisers (GOK, 2009). Longenecker and Goff (1992), observed that managers and human resource professionals belief that a PAS is a good tool for human resource management and performance improvement. If well designed and implemented it can benefit both the employees and the organizations (Coens and Jenkins, 2000). According to GOK (2009), the PAS has caused a cultural transformation within the public service from a baseline of extremely poor performance before 2003. The GOK has in the past made some efforts in launching and implementing Public Service Reform initiatives aimed at improving the performance of public

The performance management in the public service is guided by several Acts, Acts that regulate and assign the senior management daily tasks as to attain and achieve the organizational goals and objectives. Public Institutions as mandated by the Constitution, their goals is to deliver effective and efficient service delivery to the inhabitants of the state. Following are the regulatory frameworks for the performance management within the public service.

As stated by Peter F. Drucker, “Management is about human beings. Its task is to make people capable of joint performance, to make their strengths effective and their weaknesses irrelevant.” Performance management is essential to achieving an organization 's mission statement and business goals, and also in attracting, retaining, and motivating qualified employees. There are many benefits and reasons why an organization should execute a performance management system. Performance appraisals establish the basis for qualifying, recognizing, and rewarding employee contributions. In this paper, I will discuss what performance management is, the problems with the current performance management system at my organization, how other organizations have succeeded in their performance management system and how I would advise management at my current organization to improve our performance management system.

Performance management is the process of planning work assignments, setting expectations, monitoring processes, rating performance, and rewarding performance. Performance management systems are used by organizations to identify, measure, and develop the performance of individuals and teams. The goal of an effective performance management system is to strategically align employee performance with company goals and objectives (Smither & London, 2009). In order to achieve optimal performance, organizations are tasked with implementing innovative solutions that ensure performance management systems that deliver real results and improve performance (MacMillan, 2015). Organizational leaders are responsible for understanding the performance management system in order to focus on employee efforts that will help in achieving both individual and organizational goals (Opm.gov). In this paper, the author will suggest the key processes that DSM needs to provide within its system in order to successfully link its key success factors (KSF). The author will select three drivers, and examine the central manner in which DSM management has aligned its business strategies to performance management. Lastly, the author will critique DSM’s competitive advantage by using three of the six assessment points outlined in the textbook.

The literature review brings up some interesting common themes and issues that run through the existing literature, research and definitions of performance management. These common themes will focus on features of performance management and its application in an organisation.

Performance Management Within the Workplace The basis of the mainstream of performance appraisals within the modern workplace is one person (a manager or executive) rating one more, an intrinsically individual process. There are distinction such as 360 degree appraisals that include the judgment of others such as clientele and peers/colleagues in the process but it is the action of one person transitory judgment upon another that is subjective in nature and the root cause of many of the problems encountered in the research associated with performance appraisals. Performance appraisals are of importance to the organisation, as they often provide the only measure of an individual's contribution and

274) is a process used to assess a team or individual’s abilities towards performance development and improvement. This process involves setting a goal towards an outcome, monitoring and evaluating via performance indicators, and rewards as well as penalties as the case may be. However, in the public sector, arguments have ensued that performance management often contradicts the blue print of public services or is rather strategically used by politicians to assert some form of control over the sectors and not to perform its intended purpose. Performance indicators albeit is fast becoming popular both in the public and private sectors, has a measurability often argued to be complex in the public sector as opposed to the private sector where only monetary values and profits are measured. Even though, the ultimate goal of this HR tool is to drive performance either in the private or public sector, the role of targets in the public sector is often debated as many studies have demonstrated their obscurity by questioning whether ratings or indicators can actually measure performance accurately. However, over the last decades, some studies have agreed that HRM tools have to a certain extent a drive on organisational performance both in the public and private sectors (Carter and Robinson, 2000, Boxall, 2003).

The main reason for this report is to exhibit an understanding of Performance management. These days, organisations take diverse ways to deal with competitive advantage. Thus, there are a mixed bag of definitions for Performance Management. Performance management is a vital issue. It is based upon the human side of administration, and focuses on representatives as essential resources inside their organizations. As indicated by Price "Performance management is aimed at recruiting capable, flexible and committed people, managing and rewarding their performance and developing key competencies" (2007: 31).

It is much easier to describe an ideal performance management system (PMS) than to implement one. Societal, cultural, practical, and organizational constraints may restrict an organization’s ability to implement all of the ideal PMS characteristics. This truth becomes especially apparent when comparing different countries such as China, Australia, and India. While each country has its challenges, PMS successes are possible by having a thorough understanding of existing constraints and capitalizing on the characteristics that come most naturally.

Performance management is important in all organizations in helping to develop priorities and to identify the resources required to progress and maintain organizational accountability for the delivery of its primary objectives. Employee and employer expectations in both private and public sector organizations are changing as people become more aware of the importance of quality service. In the 1950s as reported by ADDIN EN.CITE Marrewijk20031249Marrewijk and Timmers (2003)1249124917Marrewijk, Marcel vanTimmers, JoannaHuman Capital Management: New Possibilities in People ManagementJournal of Business EthicsJournal of Business Ethics171-184442/32003Springer01674544http://www.jstor.org/stable/2507502610.2307/25075026 HYPERLINK l "_ENREF_5" o "Marrewijk, 2003 #1249" Marrewijk and Timmers (2003), people were more tolerant of poor services and could stand in queues for longer periods. They also endured the inefficiencies that came from lack of accountability in organizations. However, people have grown more and more concerned about the quality of public services they receive as well as their expectations of quality. This has led organizations to require increased assertiveness in demanding their employees to develop better quality services as well as greater accountability.

Performance management is the process of assessing, measuring, managing, and enhancing the overall business performance in an organization. It is defined as a “strategic and integrated approach to increase the effectiveness of companies by improving the performance of the people who work in them and by developing the capabilities of teams and individual contributors.” (Armstrong and Baron,1998) Performance management is associated with the business processes and daily activities which lead to strategic goals. It includes how management decide to take a particular action under the specific business environment, and also how does those actions affect other departments, employees and the overall achievement of company strategy