Organizational Vision, Mission and Objectives with Regard to Performance Assessment - Research Paper Example

People and Performance Management Introduction This research paper discusses performance management. On the example of police division from the Virgin Islands, Caribbean, performance assessment of policemen is correlated with organizational vision, missions and objectives. Moreover, development of performance assessment criteria for policemen is present in this paper. Therefore the research paper is outlined as follows: A) Introduction B) General discussion: 1) Organizational vision, mission and objectives with regard to performance assessment; 2) Performance criteria for policemen. C) Conclusion. Thesis: Performance assessment is a way to complete realization of organizational vision, mission and objectives. Organizational vision, mission and objectives with regard to performance assessment In modern world every organization and institution takes care about its employees. It’s proven that human resources play the most important role in any organization. In case organization’s employees are provided with efficient working conditions and work out the system of motivation, organizational goals and values will be met for sure. Performance in policing is not defined by number of crimes’ exposure only (Burgess, p. 53). Currently, policemen are responsible for prevention of terrorist attacks; an order in their communities; constant control of crime etc. Therefore with regard to mission, organizational goals and visions of police of the Virgin Island, it is possible to develop an interconnected model of performance assessment. Mission of police of The Virgin Islands is as follows: “to make the Virgin Islands a safe environment for all people we serve”. This statement is multi-sided and requires clarifications. Possible ways of this problem’s solving are: Active responsive policing activities within the community (Collier, 2001, p. 81); Strict law abiding and guarantee of law punishment of law-breakers; The decrease of crime level and fear of crime. In accordance with mission of police of the Virgin Islands, police vision can be reached if mutual cooperation of police and community and other law enforcement agencies occurs. In such a way, the Virgin Islands on Caribbean will be the safest territory. Police values are: fair treatment to every member of the community; being open and sincere with regard to every member of the community; trust relations establishment with the community; prompt services and integrative cooperation. From a point of view of an Inspector of police, I can outline the following links between performance assessment and organizational values, mission and vision. The latter organizational aspects will be improved if: A personal assessment program for every policeman is developed; Police services weaknesses are improved; A development of the most skilled policemen, able to solve problem oriented policing (Shane). There are seventeen officers under my command and I plan developing the abovementioned points in order to connect performance assessment with organizational values, mission and vision. I can claim that performance assessment criteria is established and defined by organizational values, mission and vision. With regard to our vision, mission and values, a policeman should have a personal devotion to his service and be a responsive and not indifferent man. If all these qualities are present in policeman then he will put the safety of the community of a priority status (Collier, 2004, p. 460). The basic performance assessment criterion should be developed with regard to “…providing visible and responsive policing activities within the community”. It is not easy to fulfill this goal, because the community consists of eight thousand of people and there are only seventeen policemen. Nevertheless with a correct shift work-out and obligations’ division, it is quite real to reach the goal of overall safety in the community. In order policemen could cope with a hard task, it is relevant to improve efficiency and effectiveness of personal performance assessment. Generally, personal performance of policemen depends on performance of an Inspector of police. Organizational capacity is outlined by performance of employees. Therefore if some changes or innovations occur, then performance management is a step for implementation of these changes. Currently, shortcomings of police performance are in the similar learning of managers and policemen (Shane). Managers and policemen are taught the same things. Shane claims that policemen “…watch bewildered and despairing as their organization leaps from one tactic and program to another--rarely bothering to conduct a meaningful feasibility study or figure out what worked and what didnt work and under what conditions the last time a similar problem was tackled.... A learning organization learns to measure what really matters, for it understands that what we measure is taken more seriously” (Shane). A positive effect of a policeman personal performance development is following: a policeman is taught to think critically and develop his skills and active responses to the community; policemen are taught to work in cooperation with each other. In such a way, every policeman feels satisfied with his widened outlook and developed knowledge and feels support of his colleagues. Performance criteria for policemen With regard to organizational values, mission and vision, a performance criteria development is a complex issue. In order to define correct performance assessment criteria, it is necessary to take into account: “the ways people may respond to performance assessment; the methods of gaining commitment of individuals and teams to performance assessment; the importance of incorporating a range of financial and non-financial performance criteria” (Spottiswoode, 2000). The first step is the creation of the police business plan. This plan concerns community interests and police services. Business plan covers organizational vision, mission and goals and thus is the basis for individual performance of a policeman. Modern vision of police goes far beyond crime exposure; it covers many issues, such as community protection and police services delivery. Thus performance assessment criteria may be developed in the following way: Definition of the main goal and possible contributions to goal solving by every policeman; Identification of each performance assessment criterion with regard to the stated organizational goal; Definition of the minimum acceptable performance criterion (crime exposure ratio to level of community satisfaction) (Hough, p. 29); Allocation of resources to reach individual performance thus leading to an organizational goal completion; Assign of responsibility to every policeman with regard to personal job fulfillment (Moore, p. 15). Performance assessment is usually made basing on certain management model. Generally, a linear regression analysis is applied. For example, measurements of the same variables (e.g., crime rate, response to community time, unemployment level etc) at a certain period, enables Inspectors of police to see how police officers reach organizational goal (Short, p. 20). Performance assessment provides every policeman with responsibility for his work. Therefore it is beneficial for the police to develop performance criteria in order to make a clear analysis of policemen services. But the important point for the police is that Inspector of every division should develop performance criteria for his officers with regard to the community they serve. Finally, police of every community unites their efforts and reaches the common organizational goal and mission. Working out performance criteria, police should provide: its personnel with knowledge of performance standard they should meet and the community with expected levels of police services. Consequently, in the process of performance assessment development, police should clearly define its goals; to analyze current and prognosticated activities of police; develop the ways for performance improvement; implement performance policy with regard to organizational objectives (Irving, 2002). Performance assessment leads to employees’ “…better sense of what is expected of them...” and the community awareness of cost and effort of policies’ services (Shane). In order to develop performance assessment, an Inspector of Police will positively influence on performance and service delivery. Therefore the Police Division claims its high ethical values; involve efficient practices for performance development; works out effective business plans and motivates every policeman to work efficiently (Butterfield, p. 398). Performance assessment models as it was already mentioned above may be reflected on: the ways people may respond to performance assessment; the methods of gaining commitment of individuals and teams to performance assessment; the importance of incorporating a range of financial and non¬financial performance criteria. Concerning the first point, it is relevant to notice that both positive and negative attitude towards performance assessment may be present among policemen (Childs, p.19). Fortunately, the majority of officers are motivated to reach organizational goals and work with regard to organizational mission and vision. On the other hand there are officers who don’t want to spend more time on new knowledge gaining and self-development. Thus an Inspector has to motivate the latter group of officers through organizational mission interpretation and involvement (Butterfield, p. 395). The second point is a logical continuation of the previous paragraph. Naturally, once being motivated and interested in organizational goals, officers will widen their outlook and gain new knowledge and skills in the name of common organizational objectives and mission. At this point it is possible to propagate mutual cooperation of policemen from different divisions; trainings conduct by policemen without participation of administration (Collier, p. 358); sharing experiences and skills after every crime exposure or service delivery etc (Butterfield, p. 395). The third point on importance of financial and non-financial criteria is relevant for both policemen and the community. The reports on spent costs on crime exposure or police service delivery reflect ratio of police efficient activity to governmental costs’ spending. Conclusion In modern world every company should take care about its employees. It goes without saying that human resources play the most essential role in any organization. In case organization’s workers are provided with well-organized working conditions and work out the system of motivation, organizational purposes and values will be met for sure. Performance in policing is not determined by number of crimes’ exposure only. A correct work-out of performance assessment criteria depends on organizational vision, mission and objectives. In case clear initial requirements are assigned to policemen, they will be motivated to act promptly and efficiently. A coordinator of efficient performance can be an Inspector of a police division. With regard to quantitative and qualitative human resources of his division and the number of community population, he is able to work out performance assessment criteria. Moreover, he is responsible for officers’ commitment to performance assessment. Thus it is relevant to find appropriate models of performance development and involve them in the daily work of police officers. Thus, taking into account mission of police of the Virgin Islands, performance assessment criteria are worked out in an individual manner for every policeman. Seventeen policemen of my division have different devotion degree to organizational mission and objectives. Thus it is necessary to instill ideas of organizational mission into the minds of ‘distant’ officers, remembering of active and highly motivated officers too. Each policeman should easily define the main organizational goal and direct all his efforts to reach it. Moreover, every policeman has to fulfill his obligations with regard to the community. Community safety should be of primary concern for every policeman. An Inspector of division plays an important role of his employees’ performance developer because a burden of responsibility for organizational mission, vision and objectives depends directly on him. Works cited 1. Burgess, S. et al, 2002. Does performance monitoring work? A review of the evidence from the UK public sector, excluding health care. CMPO Working Paper Series (49): pp. 53-91. 2. Butterfield, R. A. et al, 2004. New Public Management and the UK police service: the role of the police sergeant in the implementation of performance management. Public Management Review, 6 (3): pp.395-415. 3. Childs, R. et al., 2003. Performance regime change: for better or worse? Policing Today, 9 (3): pp.19-21. 4. Collier, P. et al, 2004. Communicating knowledge about police performance. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 53 (5): pp.458-467. 5. Collier, P. M., 2001. Tortuous triangle: public demand, the performance culture and human rights. Police Research and Management, 5 (4): pp.85-100. 6. Hough, M., 2002. Missing the target: over-emphasis on performance measurement. Stakeholder, 6 (2): pp.29-30. 7. Irving, B., 2002. Enhancing performance in BCUS: the appropriateness of the strategic approach outlined in Policing a new century: a blueprint for reform. London: Police Foundation. 8. Moore, M. H., et al, 2004. Police performance measurement: a normative framework. Criminal Justice Ethics, vol. 23 (1): pp.3-19. 9. Shane, J., 2010. “Developing a police performance measurement system”. [Online]. The FindArticles.com. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin. Available at: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2194/is_9_77/ai_n29475668/[Accessed 22 May, 2010] 10. Short, D., 2004. Star performer: a new method of assessing police performance. Police Review (20): p.20. 11. Spottiswoode, C., 2000. Improving police performance: a new approach to measuring police efficiency. London: HM Treasury. Read More