Performance Management Problem - Assignment Example

Virg Setzer MGMT 6730/4440 – Performance Management Performance Management Paper Case Overview One was hypothetically depicted as a newly assigned Senior Manager of an organization with jurisdiction over six managers. The current problem faced by the organization is the continued exhibition of unwanted and unacceptable behavior. As the Senior Manager, one is tasked to design a program for leadership training and development of the six managers to enhance their knowledge on appropriate theories, concepts and applications to address unwanted behavior. The following questions and concerns would hereby be addressed: (1) What will be the plan to inform, educate, and train the six managers in a productive and effective approach to deal with unwanted behavior? (2) What are the guidelines and key points that you will use to train your managers to increase their ability to more effectively deal with unwanted behavior? (3) What value do you see in the approach outline in our text? (4) What do you see as the disadvantages if any of using this approach? (5) Once you have educated and trained your managers, how will you monitor your managers and support them to utilize their training effectively? Statement of the Problem It is clearly eminent that the problem that needs to be considered in the case scenario is the manner by which the six managers had been ineffective in addressing unwanted and unacceptable behavior in the work setting. Case facts revealed that the approach taken by the six managers in dealing with unwanted behavior is through ‘yelling’, demanding changes, and demeaning the performance of their employees. As a result, the employees exhibit low morale and deliberately refuse to change their behavior. One could therefore deduce that there are two manifestations of the dilemma in the case scenario: the unwanted behavior exhibited by the employees and the inability of the six managers to effectively address this behavior. It is therefore appropriate that training and development programs must be instituted to enhance the knowledge of the six managers and to assist them in developing appropriate strategies that would transform the working environment from a hostile to a productive one. Unwanted Behavior in the Work Setting Although case facts did not sufficiently reveal the nature, type and kinds of unwanted behavior that were exhibited by the employees. One could surmise that unwanted and unacceptable means that the employees’ behavior run counter to the expected behavior warranted by the organization in the performance of their duties and responsibilities; but not enough to fire them or replace them. One could even presume that the behavior is synonymous with bullying and exemplifying forms of psychological harassment. As defined, “workplace bullying and psychological harassment is defined as unwanted conduct, comments, actions or gestures that affect an employees dignity, psychological or physical health and well-being. Bullying and psychological harassment may result from the actions of one individual towards another, or from the behaviour of a group” (Ministry Of Community and Social Services and Ministry Of Children and Youth Services 4). The tabular illustration below exemplifies the kind of unwanted and unacceptable behavior that could have been manifested by the employees and by the six managers in the organization; and the potential impact that these behaviors inflict in the work setting: Behaviours Impact • insulting or derogatory remarks, gestures or actions • rude, vulgar language or gestures • malicious rumours, gossip or negative innuendo • verbal aggression and/or verbal abuse • shouting, yelling • swearing, name-calling • glaring or staring • outbursts or displays of anger directed at others • targeting an individual through persistent, unwarranted criticism • public ridicule • verbal, written or physical threats and intimidation • mobbing and/or swarming • misuse of power or authority • isolation and/or exclusion from work-related activities • undermines • humiliates • offends • embarrasses • intimidates • threatens • frightens • de-motivates • demoralizes Can cause: • depression • anxiety • emotional distress • physical distress • low morale • inability to perform work tasks • absenteeism • loss of productivity • turnover Source: (Ministry Of Community and Social Services and Ministry Of Children and Youth Services 4) Responses to Questions (1) What will be the plan to inform, educate, and train the six managers in a productive and effective approach to deal with unwanted behavior? The negative impact (low morale, low productivity) and inability of the six managers to address the unwanted behavior effectively justifies the need to inform, educate and train them in a productive and effective approach to deal with unwanted behavior. The plan, therefore, is to design a leadership training and development program that focus on addressing unwanted behavior in the workplace. Within the agenda is the assessment of current workplace behavior by identifying and enumerating the actual unwanted and unaccepted behavior using the same structure and pattern as noted above. The exact impact should likewise be clearly identified by the six managers to enhance their awareness of what their current approach in dealing with these unwanted behavior causes. (2) What are the guidelines and key points that you will use to train your managers to increase their ability to more effectively deal with unwanted behavior? The guidelines and key points that must be used to train managers in increasing their ability to more effectively deal with unwanted behavior are as follows: (1) clear cut organizational policies that provide codes of discipline for all employees which likewise incorporate sanctions for violations; (2) an explicit and formal stipulation of the mission, vision, values and goals of the organization; (3) a system of performance evaluation based on SMART objectives and which incorporates an incentive and motivational program that gives recognition to exemplary performance and due promotions; (4) an overall rewards and incentives scheme (for example, potential profit sharing scheme), especially for managers, who have been effective in dealing with unwanted behavior; (5) improvement in appropriate leadership style that would effectively motivate employees to change their behavior according to the stipulated code of discipline and in conjunction with a system of rewards and controls; and (6) orientating all personnel that unwanted and unacceptable behavior should be duly reported in a legal procedural manner. (3) What value do you see in the approach outline in our text? The current approach of yelling, demanding changes and even to the extent of being demeaning to the employees is likewise a manifestation of unwanted behavior on the part of the six managers in the form of bullying and harassment. Harassment is clearly defined as “unwanted conduct related to a relevant protected characteristic, which has the purpose or effect of violating an individual’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that individual” (Acas 2). (4) What do you see as the disadvantages if any of using this approach? Using the current approach by the six managers have been stipulated to cause low morale, inability to change the behavior of employees, and the managers themselves getting frustrated with the lack of improvement to their cause. Also, if this kind of behavior persists, there is a tendency for employees to take legal action by filing charges of “breach of contract may also include the failure to protect an employee’s health and safety at work. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 employers are responsible for the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees” (Acas 5). (5) Once you have educated and trained your managers, how will you monitor your managers and support them to utilize their training effectively? Managers and employees alike could be monitored through regular performance evaluation and appraisal programs that must be designed to gauge their performance according to standards set and in conjunction with explicitly defined goals. Both employees and managers should be given due recognition of exemplary outputs in performance of responsibilities and likewise, continued exhibition of unwanted and unacceptable behavior must be dealt with according to the sanctions developed in the organization’s code of discipline. If the managers proved to be effective in changing the behavior of employees to conform and comply with behaviors expected in the organization and thereby have exemplified achievement of organizational goals, then, they must be rewarded and acknowledged through a set of rewards (monetary benefits, promotions, and giving of nonmonetary awards, as deemed approved by higher management). Otherwise, managers should be further trained in areas where weaknesses are still eminent; or should be replaced, as needed. Works Cited Acas. "Bullying and Harassment at Work." October 2010. Web. 21 March 2012 . Ministry Of Community and Social Services and Ministry Of Children and Youth Services. "Maintaining of a Bully-Free Workplace." n.d. OPSEU. 21 March 2012 . Read More