The EC&R HSSE Performance Management System - Case Study Example

Name Instructor’s Name Course Name and Code Date Performance Management System: HSSE A performance management system is a process responsible creating and establishing a shared understanding with regard to organization goals that must be achieved as well as an approach to managing people geared towards increasing chances of succeeding. It is a process responsible for bringing together many people management practices that comprises of both learning and development. It is a process that largely contributes to the effective management of people and teams for the company to achieve or meet integrated levels of individual as well as organizational performance and development. Accordingly, performance management is highly inclined towards establishing a performance culture that that individuals and teams have to take responsibility for continuous service delivery improvement together with nourishing their skills, behavior and contribution. This process demands for genuine and unending commitment in order to achieve clarity particularly on role reporting relationships, responsibilities and priorities together with personal development opportunities, support and guidance to employees. In this regard, without genuine and continued commitment, the whole process will be regarded dishonest. In the same line of discussion, it is a value-based system that is hinged on the assumption that people are capable of continued development. This paper discusses PMS of EC&R (E.ON Climate & Renewables) HSSE (Health, Safety, Security and Environment). Performance Management Review The EC&R HSSE management system was designed to ensure that HSSE is effectively managed and to ensure that the company’s objectives are met. The main objectives of HSSE management system are to ensure continuous improvement in HSSE, to hurt nobody, to harm nobody, and above all to protect the environment; and this must be in line with sustainable economic success. This performance management system applies to the entire operations stipulated under the responsibility of E.ON Climate and Renewables having more than 50% share and/or if EC&R is managing the operations of the Joint Venture. The EC&R HSSE performance management system is singularly based on the international best practices and hence it comprises of: Planning This is tasked with management commitment and credible leadership: as already established EC&R management is always on the forefront in the continuous improvement process, setting expectations and providing resources necessary for success. Individual involvement in the line of management is key to make the leadership more credible. Planning also involves hazard and risk management, which dictates that operations should be managed in a manner that the business is, conducted more efficiently, whereby risks are minimized. Hazard and risk management is largely involved with the systematic identification of risks and hazards by first of all identifying, assessing, and then introduction of appropriate measures to control the risks. The objective and target of the HSSE performance management system is to drive continuous improvement process by setting up clear and specific goals which must be measured and then communicated in order to ensure that the is efficient and effective. Doing This is mainly concerned with organization and responsibilities; for instance, for all duties to be performed in accordance with to HSSE, specific roles and responsibilities must be defined and communicated. Personnel and training is another vital concept of doing, in this essence, EC&R employees as well as contractors’ personnel are appropriately trained to have the necessary skills and experience to a manner that reduces HSSE risk. Accordingly, information, documentation and communication are another aspect that demands that HSSE information and communication is vital in driving the continued improvement process. Similarly, contractor management stipulates that all EC&R contractors must operate in compliance with the company’s standards for it to achieve consistent HSSE performance. In the same line of argument, operational control directs that all EC&R operations must be conducted in accordance with the HSSE standards that are set forth in the HSSE management system in order to decrease the risk. Consequently, emergency preparedness and response; there are plans and procedures to respond to emergencies which are essential in minimizing their impacts. Checking There are two main processes with regard to checking. Incident reporting and investigation; all incidents with regard to EC&R area of responsibility are strictly reported to the relevant levels of management and according to the agreed reporting system. Lastly, monitoring together with the measurement of the HSSE performance is conducted to ensure that deficiencies are corrected in the system as well as provide continual improvement. Acting Assessment and improvement are the main processes undertaken here. For instance, the management formally reviews the effectiveness of HSSE management system implementation. In this regard, actual performance is compared with the HSSE requirements policy and HSSE management system, and thus opportunities for improvement are then identified. New PMS The above described performance management review of EC&R HSSE is a general review of performance and hence does not provide a clear understanding of how individuals within the organization are supposed to improve performance. Given this understanding, the following is a new performance management system that will be essential and instrumental in achieving the company’s performance objectives. Identify the performance gap The PMS should be able to identify the performance gap by reviewing performance expectations and the perceived present unacceptable performance. In this regard, the purpose and scope of individual roles, the responsibilities, and accountability, priorities together with the objectives associated with the role. Accordingly, the skills, competencies and effort required, and the standards of performance and behavior needed. Lastly, reporting of the relationships. This must be discussed with individual employee to rectify the existing underperformance. Accordingly, the individual employee or manager should agree in advance the date and time of the meeting and thus outline the objectives of the meeting that are mainly: To clarify performance standards expected Tom discuss the performance gap perceived To examine the possible causes of underperformance Meet the individual staff member After the establishment of the performance gap and setting up the objectives for the meeting, the manager must: Describe the level of performance expected State the current issues regarding performance Ask the target individual to give his/her views related to or causing underperformance Discuss what should be done to fill the performance gaps Action plan to address underperformance Identifying the issues causing underperformance, the manager should then discuss how these issues should be resolved. In addition, this involves: Clarifying what needs to be improved State the level of work performance expectations Clarify employee goals and action necessary for improving performance Specify the support and resources that will provide to assist the employee Clarify the expected results This should be discussed in a non-threatening manner the consequences of underperformance Agree on the plan for providing feedback to the employee particularly if the expected performance is not met. Monitor Here, the manager is now entitled to monitor and consistently provide feedback to the employee on a regular basis regarding the performance and against the action plan. Similarly, he/she may take action as warranted. Accordingly, the employees are expected to monitor their own actions as well as provide feedback to the manager with regard to his/her performance. Training in PMS I will review the performance of the participant, which will help in identifying the performance deficiencies. Accordingly, after establishing or identifying the performance issues I will set performance objectives. Consequently, I will meet the participant and discuss with him the expected levels of performance, clearly enlighten him about the issues of underperformance, ask him to give his own view as to why there is continued underperformance and propose ways through which the situation can be mitigated. Above all, agree on what should be done to alleviate the performance. Together we will come up with an action plan to address the underperformance. Lastly, I will monitor the participant to ensure that his actions are in line with the set performance criteria; I will also ensure that feedback is always communicated. Monitoring and Evaluating Performance After implementation of the action plan, monitoring is important is essential in establishing whether there is performance improvement or not. If the there is improvement, acknowledge the improvement, consider supervision reduction, and close out as required standard is achieved. On the other hand, if the expected performance is not achieved, asses if the person can improve because he has the skills and only lacking motivation to do so or is incapable of improving because he/she does not have the skills. If improvement is impossible, disciplinary measures should be undertaken Coaching to improve performance This can be achieved through a performance improvement plan (PIP); this is a time bound process that will help in addressing underperformance in a formal manner. It facilitates a constructive discussion particularly within the supervisory relationship between the employee and the manager. Similarly, it helps in clarifying the performance areas to be improved. Constructive discussion between the manager and the employee will help in identifying problems, and it is largely essential in helping staff members in improving their performance. It is important to note that, when employees are engaged in the PIP process, the performance review cycle is stopped as the PIP focuses on identifying and addressing the cause of underperformance as well as providing additional support and supervision if required. Feedback session In any organization, feedback is an opinion or information to the person by another person on an activity, piece of work, or action. It helps individuals to know how one is performing, seeking, giving and receiving feedback. In addition, in order for feedback to be effective it must be an ongoing activity. Feedback is proactively and positively used for good management. Important to note, giving and receiving feedback can largely be improved by practice. How Feedback will be given to Staff For feedback to effective in this perspective, it should be: Honest: accurate and truthful feedback will help participants to improve their performance Focused: it should relate to performance or behavior and not personality Specific: The feedback should also be factual and based on specific behaviors/evidence/factual. It describes what is expected. Helpful: For feedback to be more effective, the receivers should feel that they can volunteer ideas, discuss problems and express personal feelings, recognize their shortcomings in performance, discuss their job performance objectively, and above all accept suggestions and forward directions. Balanced: feedback should be on regular basis, avoid information overload, and giving feedback when something right has been done and not when something wrong has happened Timely: feedback is given in as close as possible to the timing of the event that it concerns. Read More