Personnel Appraisal System - Coursework Example

Report on the Analysis of a Personnel Appraisal System (First sur no qualifications like Dr. College of author Position in organisation Place of author Introduction This report covers the soft systems analysis for the possible implementation of a personnel appraisal process, it will make changes to personnel processes and the data kept on individuals throughout the company. It is to be introduced by using new software in the Personnel department to keep the records. A series of interviews of people involved in the implementation and those who will be appraised has been done, this was then carried through to the analysis itself. The soft systems analysis consists of studying present processes against the changes that will happen when the new system is working, taking into account any issue based problems not immediately apparent, but which could impact on the final implementation if it happens.(Patching, 1995). Table of Contents Report on the Analysis of a Personnel Appraisal System 1 Introduction 2 Table of Contents 3 Real World Comparison 4 Conclusions 5 APPENDIX ONE 7 CATWOE 7 Root Definitions 9 Conceptual Modelling 9 The Rich Picture is on the final page. Analysis The analysis started with interviews and a study of existing systems and processes and the number of people working for the society, nothing like the appraisal system exists at present. The latest implementation was that of the staff absence-monitoring system, which created some hostility from the staff, who felt it was an unjustified attack on them. The society has a large customer base many being in the co-operative society themselves, so fulfilling two roles both of which are important. To ask them whether they feel staff should be appraised gave a problem, many felt that staff should be appraised regularly to help with efficiency, others that there was an infringement on peoples working lives. The Personnel Manager has felt for some time that changes were necessary; he was not popular last year when he insisted on bringing in an employee absence monitoring system. Staff were hostile to the system as they felt it attacked them unnecessarily. Since then the system has been reluctantly accepted, but it has created a them and us attitude between managers and staff which is not good for the co-operatives’ work. After the initial work was completed the analysis; (using the soft system methodology) was begun, the first step was to build a graphic representation called a rich picture first, and then building Human Activity Systems (HAS) using the CATWOE methodology to capture information on the involvement and actors in the society, giving root definitions for each of the HAS, this then leads into conceptual modelling and then comparing against the real world. Checkland states: SSM has been described as an organised learning system that deals with complex and messy problematical situations (Checkland 1999). The idea is to gain deeper understanding of the problem by systemic analysis. See Appendix One for a deeper view of the stages of the SSM. Real World Comparison With the analysis at a stage where it can be compared against the real world a meeting is held with the MD, Personnel Manager and employee representatives who insist they want to have some input and want to know the exact uses of the appraisal system. Once held it was possible to get agreement amongst the various parties as to the uses and actual role the system will take. There will be changes to processes to be undertaken. The four areas of concern to the MD have been addressed below: 1. Line Managers will run the appraisals and input the data to the new system, they will need time to do this, but they say they are already stretched with their present duties. They also complain about training, most have not done staff appraisals before and feel very weak in approaching staff to do this. 2. Recording the outcomes of the appraisals will mean a level of confidentiality not needed before for staff records, usually held in the HR department computers. HR also has a problem with personnel not being sure of the legislation, rules and regulations around such a system. They will need training on the new system as well. 3. Meetings mean time out of a busy day for managers and for staff, this will impact on customers of the society, as there are less people to serve and help them in the short term. Where will such meetings be held, there is limited space around the company, meeting rooms are already over booked regularly, so the Admin. Department are unhappy. 4. Senior staff will monitor the process and the computer system but they will need time to do this and again training on the computer and how to do staff appraisals, as they will have to appraise their own line managers. Holistically, it must be remembered that as anyone can become a member of the society, care and diplomacy are needed when approaching customers, managers and employees. The members of the society will be informed of the changes to employee conditions and they will be asked if they are in agreement before any move is made to spend on the software or the consultants for training in various aspects. Conclusions There are good reasons for the implementation, but it has been badly handled from its first inception in the personnel department, who were hostile themselves having little knowledge of how such a system operates. The real world comparison has helped to see the way the system and processes are to be implemented company wide. As everyone in the company from the MD down will be appraised there is likely to be less hostility from the employees who will be informed of the implementation and their advantages for them. There are areas that will be seen to have an input from an employee and their personal development within the company. Training will be needed for everyone before the implementation, it will be in two parts the for all managers, first to become familiar with the basics of appraising someone properly and the process to follow with the changes in the very culture of the company this will engender. Second is training in the software, again in how it works and how to follow with the processes to be used. To this end an organisation such as ACAS should be contacted about courses and advice for everyone in the company.(ACAS, 2010). Report Word count: 1049. References ACAS. (April 2010) How to manage performance (PDF) ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service). London. Accessed: 28/11/2011. Checkland, P. (1999). Soft systems methodology: a 30-year retrospective. Chichester, UK: Wiley. Patching, D (1995) Practical Soft Systems Analysis. 3rd Ed, pp 50 – 100. London UK. Pitman Publishing. APPENDIX ONE The stages of the soft systems analysis are shown in the following pages. CATWOE CATWOE is a mnemonic, which is shown below by the capital letters. Client: The customers and members of the society who will see a rise in the service they receive. The employees can also be a customer or a society member able to vote on who is on the board at any time. Actors: These are the people in the co-operative who are affected by the new appraisal system; the personnel in the co-operative will have to comply with a new system. The managers will have to carry out extra duties, the Personnel manager will have to keep the system under control and the personnel department staff will have to comply and keep the information contained on the system confidential, ensuring Line Managers follow the statutes for staff appraisal’s. Transformation: In this case a better understanding of personnel and their work, leading to ways to improve them for the customer to have better service and greater efficiencies in the society. Worldview: From the MD’s viewpoint it will give a reliable, improved, more profitable service. Personnel manager’s viewpoint is it will give a deeper understanding of individual personnel and their overall performance. The Line Managers think they are going to have a lot more work, which is true, for little return. Right now they have hostile, de-motivated staff working around the society. The worldview of the staff is they are being hounded by their manager’s again like last year with the absentee system, with all the dangers of dismissal and a lack of freedom in their work. Owner: The Managing Director is the owner and will decide if the system is accepted, but on behalf of the members of the co-operative society, whose opinions must be kept in mind when making decisions. Environment: Working within a business environment where many companies carry out staff appraisals from the MD to the lowest apprentice. There are strict regulations from controlling bodies and government on how such appraisals are to be done and the records kept. Many companies do this as part of their quality regime. Root Definitions Root definitions take the analytical work done at the CATWOE stage and start to build an issue based root definition to reflect particular points of view for each of the four identified human activity systems. 1. The MD. Has an interest in the system for its improved management of employees, by raising their working standards and improving them over time. 2. The Personnel Manager and department: Can see a development in the way the department can record and use the better information on individual employees and watch their progress. 3. Line Managers. Can see who is weak in their teams and help them to overcome their problems by tracking their performance and having regular meetings with employees to encourage their development. 4. Employees can watch their own development and ask for help where needed, it will be fairer than the absence system as it covers every aspect of their working life, giving a clearer picture of why there are problems. Conceptual Modelling The conceptual models are built from the root definitions, usually by graphically using verb for each root definition. This is normally done with the involvement of the key players in the company, in this case the MD and Personnel manager. 1. MD. 2. Personnel Manager 3. Line Managers 5. Employees. Read More