MGT 511 session long project MODULE 5 Performance Management (walmart) - Essay Example

XXXXXX Number: XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXX of XXXXXXX XX – XX – 2011 Performance Management Systems – WalMart WalMart focuses a great deal on the performance management systems used within the company. The company focuses a great deal on the training and development of the employees and ensures that this is an ongoing part of the life of the employees. The performance of the employees, known as ‘associates’ at WalMart, is given prime importance, and this is one of the largest strengths of WalMart’s performance management system.

The company ensures that the employees have all the tools, techniques which can assist them in improved overall performance as well as help in better results for the company as well (Aguinis). In terms of the weakness of the performance management systems, it is important to note that the company currently utilises a wide range of technologies and also a number of different innovations to keep the company’s sales and transactions in line and completely accounted for (Bacal). However, with the constant and intensive performance training the company leads to high levels of stress for the employees (Harvard Business School Press).

Also, the company has been in the news for the low levels of pay that they provide the employees which in turn impacts the company’s performance and also impacts the company’s performance management system as a whole. In order to improve the systems, the company can focus on improving the work place condition for the employees and ensure that employees are given the right remuneration for their jobs and are not overworked (Bacal). Also, it is important that the company focuses on developing performance management systems which are focused more on the continuous training.

However the company does not focus on the needs of the employees (Armstrong and Baron). In order to overcome the issues of the performance management systems the company needs to develop a strategy which is focused on employees and their needs. Here the company needs to ensure that employees are paid accurately for their work and no work hours are cut from the employee time sheets. Also, the company needs to focus on developing plans and strategies which take into account the work load of the employees and is more flexible to allow the training and development to be more of a pleasure to learn rather than a stressful experience (Aguinis).

Increased work load with increased training will lead the employees of the company to be impacted in a negative manner and also leads the employees to be faced with a wide range of disturbances, and barriers which in turn impacts the performance of the company as well. Hence here it is crucial that the employees are given a wide range and choice, and flexibility for the training and development, and other performance management systems which in turn allows better performance of the employees as well (Bacal).

In conclusion, WalMart has been able to develop a strong strategic position in the markets, and is also strong with resources. A little planning and more focus on employee needs during development of the performance management systems will allow a higher rate of success for the company (FSA). Works Cited Aguinis, Herman. Performance Management. Prentice Hall, 2008. Armstrong, Michael and Angela Baron. Managing Performance - Performance management in action. CIPD Enterprises Limited, 2004. Bacal, Robert.

Why Improving Performance Management Systems Is So Difficult - Part 1. 2010. 14 October 2010 . FSA. Subject: The importance of Performance Management. n.d. 16 October 2010 . Harvard Business School Press. Harvard Business Essentials: Performance Management: Measure and Improve the Effectiveness of Your Employees . Harvard Business Press , 2006.