Effective Superior Performance System - Example

Personal Blog: Reflective Journal (Introduction to People at Work - HR) Introductory evaluation In any job there are important factors that an employee should consider, which as an individual I have also to consider for any future job. I like to work in a company where there is sound relationship between employees and managers. I expect a manager’s decision to be thoughtful on its effects on employees and their work. There should be effective superior performance system that evaluates employees’ performance to enhancing equality. I expect my talent and skills to be improved through training and development. I would also like my job to have effective work/life balance. The location of my workplace from home shouldn’t be more than 6km. keeping in mind that if I will have a family would want to have time for it as much as I can. My work should thus allow me to sometimes work from home when need arises especially if I have a sick family member that needs my care. This will enable me to work effectively and be productive because being denied this flexibility can cause home stress which in turn can affect my work. A job that will enable me travel will be an issue if I have a family. I can take up a job that takes more than 50% of time while single and without much responsibility at hand, but if I get a family and part-time studying comes in, this kind of a job wouldn’t be ideal as I wouldn’t have enough time to travel. The culture of overtime in companies will also work for me depending with the amount of time I will have, but when I become a mother and a wife frequent overtime for my job wouldn’t be ideal for me because of the responsibilities that will be awaiting me at home. I prefer working with little supervision than constantly be checked on by my manager. I find it more appealing when given targets and guidelines by my supervisor, be left to maneuver my way through and provide a report. A job that deals with creativity, developing and implementing strategy and building client relationships are also more appealing to me. Promotion at work is also important to me especially if I perform highly. Staying in one position for more than three years can make me demotivated and I may also feel unchallenged. I also like a company where I feel connected to the values of the company and how they are manifested in my work. The leaders of the company should respect their subordinates, give them freedom of expression, involve them in decision making and take into consideration their wellbeing. The type of the industry a company is in will also determine if I can work for it. I cannot take a sales and marketing job in a company that sells cigarettes or beer because I don’t associate myself with those products. The basic pay given for the job should be proportionate with my worth in the marketplace. It should be enough to warrant leaving my current job or what I may be involved in at the time. I also expect to receive incentive pay especially if I perform at a superior level. A weekly/fortnightly record of my thoughts Week 1-2 I waited patiently for this class and when the teacher finally came and introduced ‘Introduction to People at Work’ module, I was eager to find out what it was all about. The teacher took us through the key themes of the module: rewards and benefits, worker voice, fairness and wellbeing at work, challenge, interest and meaning. We were led to WOLF to get the available weekly schedule. For further reading and useful sources our class was referred to textbooks and some quality newspapers. Writing a personal blog/diary and providing a group poster presentation were the assessments the teacher gave. A personal blog/diary is not a friendly thing to most of students but one that I had to come to terms with as an academic requirement. In a group of three to four people, we engaged in an activity of producing a list of what we thought employees want. I found this interesting as I related it to what I want in the work place; respect, good pay, bonuses, pension, location, job satisfaction, good location, safety, good holidays, promotion, flexibility, fringe benefits and good organization structure. I also learnt about the six essentials of what employees want; elbow room for decision making, opportunity to learn on the job and to go on learning, variety, mutual support and respect, meaningfulness and a desired future. From the teacher’s instructions, I registered the topic on WOLF (HR1014), read through the day’s slide and tried out some of the links to useful sources for better understanding. I also went into PebblePad and familiarised myself with how it works and began my personal diary. I was expected to find an interesting news story for discussion in the following week’s class about being an employee. Week 2 session was about working in groups and teams. I brought a news story to class that was about teachers’ strike demanding for a pay rise. We dwelt on ‘mutual support and respect’ as one of the six essentials of employees, which explains that people need help and respect from their co-workers, and I thought it made great sense. We worked in groups by answering a related question and analyzing it from the perspective of the manager in the case study. We also discussed group values and norms in the workplace, as well as the characteristics of an effective group. We put this into application by working in groups of 4 or 5 to produce a poster presentation and discuss a theory relating to people at work. We were to present the poster to our tutor and class in week 12 for ten minutes. It isn’t easy for me to work in groups but I learnt that different people have different ideas that can be constructive to make a project successful. Week 3 -4 Week three topic was ‘Line Managers and Hierarchy at Work’. The news story we brought to class was about managers supervising their subordinates. I realized that beside the importance of groups, supervisors and managers also play an important role in shaping the employees experience at work. I found a good manager to be a Y-theory manager. I spent the rest of the session discussing my group assignment. Week four topic was ‘Happiness, motivation and meaning at work’. We dwelt more on ‘Meaningfulness’ one of the six essentials of what employees want. A true connection must exist between employees’ values and their work. I learnt that motivation, job satisfaction, engagement and meaning form happiness at work. Week 5-6 Rewards and benefits at work was our discussion for the two weeks. The need for correct referencing (Harvard) was reinforced by our teacher. We explored the meaning of rewards and benefits in the workplace, and the employer and employee tensions about rewards and pay expectations. We also discussed motivation theory which enabled me to understand how it plays a role in employees’ attitudes to rewards. Week 7-8 In week 7 we discussed the concept of ‘Employee Voice’. By the end of the session, I was able to evaluate individual and collective approaches to employee voice, and researched ways in which organizations can ensure employee opinions and voices are taken into account. Week 8 was all about fairness at work. I evaluated my answers from the previous week’s Webquest. We discussed discrimination at work in the light of the new Equality Act, and I understood groups that are given protection by the law and the nature of protection provided. At the end of the session we evaluated how effective some of the anti-discrimination legislations were. Week 9-10 In week 9 we discussed ‘Employee Wellbeing’ by understanding the term in relation to how workers/employees are treated. We also discussed the meaning and importance of work-life balance, and dignity and respect at work as key concepts for employee experiences of work. In week 10 we concentrated on the progress of our group work as we submitted team member forms. Our groups were allocated a tutorial time for the week’s class where it was compulsory for every member to attend. Week 11 In this week, we learnt the concept of employee development and career progression, its importance and implications to workers. We also discussed the meaning of talent management and the rationale of its activities in organizations. After further discussion on effective training and development design and solutions, our teacher gave us the opportunity to rehearse our presentation skills. A final conclusion Learning this module has increased by knowledge on people at the workplace and has changed my thoughts about work aspirations and ambitions in future. I have learnt that a healthy organization is the one whose organizational practices, climate and culture create an environment which promotes my physical and mental health. I would like to work in a company where I can have an opportunity to learn on the job and to continuously learn, be involved in decision making, get support and respect from my co-workers, be valued on my job and build a career that will allow me to grow and learn (professional and personal). I don’t believe in authoritarian or exploitative management style. If I work under a management practicing this particular style, I will feel harassed and disrespected. I prefer working under a theory Y manager, who believes we are willing to work and so we enjoy doing it. Personally, I am self-directing and I take responsibility of what I do. Social aspects of work and self-fulfillment opportunities motivate me. Thus, I prefer a supportive management style to a coercive one. I can be more involved in work activities, be more productive and work with an organization for a long time if I feel I am valued at work. Meaningfulness at work means having a sense of belonging, feeling involved and treated well like an adult and be lead by people who do what they say. I become happier at work if my spirituality is respected and my job is challenging and enhances my personal growth. When I feel motivated at work I become more productive. What motivates me is good and satisfactory salary that matches the market price, accompanied by promotion, job security, and being recognized for my achievements I have learnt the importance of employee voice in the workplace. I am never afraid to say what I feel regardless of a position one holds. By opening up and releasing my feelings, I become a better person and relate to other people well. This is why it is important for me to have a job that I can freely express my opinions and ideas. As an employee to be I know it is my right to be heard and my views taken into account. I respect an organization that treats all employees fairly without discrimination of any kind. Being discriminated at work will demoralize me and push me to leave the organization. I get attracted by a job that enhances my career progression through re-skilling and lifelong learning. Reference List Mullins, L.J. (2010) Management and organisational behaviour. 9th ed., Harlow: Financial Times Prentice Hall Read More