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Issues in Performance Management

[WLOs: 2, 3, 4] [CLOs: 1, 2, 3 4, 5]
Prior to beginning work on this discussion forum, read Chapter 4:
Performance Management Issues and Chapter 5: Performance Management
Developments, and the Challenges to Fair and Equitable Performance
ManagementLinks to an external site. article.
Revisit the video you prepared for your Week 1 discussion forum What Is
Performance Management? For this assignment you will be sharing your
thoughts on implementing a performance management system within an
organization.
In a paper of at least 1,250 words (exclusive of title, abstract, and references
pages) and citing at least two scholarly sources in addition to required
readings,

 Assess the issues and challenges of performance management

systems.
 Recommend solutions to address the issues and challenges of
performance management systems.
 Explain how performance management starts with performance
planning.
 Create a preliminary plan addressing how you could begin
designing a performance management system.

The Issues in Performance Management paper

 Must be at least 1,250 words in length (not including title, abstract,

and references pages), double spaced, and formatted according
to APA StyleLinks to an external site. as outlined in the Writing
Center’s APA Formatting for Microsoft WordLinks to an external
site. resource.
 Must include a separate title page with the following:
o Title of paper in bold font
 Space should appear between the title and the
rest of the information on the title page.
o Student’s name
o Name of institution (The University of Arizona Global
Campus)
o Course name and number
o Instructor’s name
o Due date
 Must utilize academic voice. See the Academic VoiceLinks to an
external site. resource for additional guidance.
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 Must include an introduction and conclusion paragraph. Your

introduction paragraph needs to end with a clear thesis statement
that indicates the purpose of your paper.
o For assistance on writing Introductions & ConclusionsLinks
to an external site. and Writing a Thesis StatementLinks to
an external site., refer to the Writing Center resources.
 Must use at least two scholarly sources in addition to required
readings.
o The Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible
SourcesLinks to an external site. table offers additional
guidance on appropriate source types. If you have
questions about whether a specific source is appropriate
for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your
instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a
specific source.
o To assist you in completing the research required for this
assignment, view the Quick and Easy Library
ResearchLinks to an external site. tutorial, which
introduces the University of Arizona Global Campus Library
and the research process, and provides some library
search tips.
 Must document any information used from sources in APA Style as
outlined in the Writing Center’s APA: Citing Within Your PaperLinks
to an external site. guide.
 Must include separate abstract and references pages that are
formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center.
See the Writing an AbstractLinks to an external site. and APA:
Formatting Your References ListLinks to an external site. resources
in the Writing Center for specifications.
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Issues in Performance Management

Student’s name

Institution

Instructor

Date
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Introduction

Organizational success depends on performance management. It entails

communicating expectations, monitoring performance, giving feedback, and aligning

individual and team goals with company goals (Aguinis, 2019). However, performance

management system implementation and maintenance might be difficult. Management of

employee performance is key to corporate success. A good performance management system

links individual goals with company goals and promotes employee growth and engagement.

Creating such a system requires careful preparation and a thorough grasp of the organization's

aims. This document presents a basic concept for creating an organization's performance

management system. It offers an organized approach to the basic actions and considerations

needed to start the design process. Also the paper aims to help create a performance

management system that supports the organization's goals, improves employee performance

and engagement, and boosts success by defining objectives, forming a cross-functional team,

conducting a needs assessment, identifying key performance metrics, and choosing

appropriate appraisal methods.

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Assess the issues and challenges of performance management systems.

Organizations need performance management systems to connect employee

performance with company goals. However, they often face many issues that might hamper

their efficacy and cause problems for employees and management. First, unclear objectives

are a major issue in performance management systems. Employees may not comprehend

company goals and performance requirements if they are not clearly articulated. Ambiguity

can cause confusion, frustration, and lower productivity. Organizations must clearly express

their goals and ensure that employees understand their roles and duties to address this issue.

Secondly, performance management systems face subjectivity and bias. Managers can

be biased by personal preferences, prejudices, and other factors. Biases can cause favoritism,

prejudice, and unjust judgments. To reduce bias, organizations must create calibration

sessions where management examine and debate assessments to ensure consistency and
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fairness (Armstrong, 2020). In addition, giving good, timely feedback is difficult. Annual or

semi-annual reviews may not be frequent enough to give employees useful feedback in many

performance management systems. It can impair staff development and motivation. To solve

this issue, firms can encourage managers to provide continual direction and employees to

actively seek feedback.

New performance management systems often face change resistance. Fear of the

unknown, uncertainty about advantages, or workload issues may prevent employees and

managers from embracing new tools or methods. To solve this difficulty, firms should use

rigorous change management practices, communicate the rationale for the change, and

involve people to get buy-in. Finally, poor performance management training is a major

concern. Managers and staff need training on performance management tools, constructive

feedback, and performance reviews. Without training, the system may not be fully utilized

and staff may feel unsupported in their progress. Training programs should be provided to

ensure everyone knows and uses the performance management system.

Recommend solutions to address the issues and challenges of performance

management systems.

Performance management systems must be addressed thoughtfully to align employees

with strategic goals while fostering fairness and openness. Here are some suggestions: Clear

Communication and Objective Setting: Organizations should create a strong communication

framework to address objective confusion. Communicating corporate goals and individual

expectations is crucial. HR and leadership should regularly share the company's vision,

mission, and goals with employees via town hall meetings, emails, and intranets. This helps
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employees see how their roles contribute to company success. Setting SMART (Specific,

Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals for employees can further clarify

expectations.

Mitigating Subjectivity and Bias: Organizations should employ several techniques to

eliminate subjectivity and bias in performance appraisals. Managers examine and discuss

assessments in calibration sessions to standardize and remove bias. Provide managers and

staff with unconscious bias awareness and mitigation training. Organizations can also

anonymize performance reviews or use technology-driven assessment methods that examine

objective data rather than subjective judgments.

Promoting Continuous Feedback: To provide timely and constructive feedback, a

culture of continuous feedback is needed. Managers should provide real-time or regular one-

on-one feedback to staff. Training programs can teach managers how to give feedback and

stress communication. Integrating feedback methods into performance management software

simplifies employee-manager feedback. Managing Resistance to Change: To overcome

reluctance to change while deploying new performance management systems, firms should

use strong change management tactics. This includes integrating staff in decision-making,

showcasing the new system's benefits, and providing appropriate training and support during

the transition. Leadership should demonstrate new system commitment by example.

Recognizing and praising people who adjust well might also minimize resistance.

Investing in Training and Development: Comprehensive training initiatives are needed

to address inadequate training. Managers and staff should be proficient in performance

management tools. Goal setting, feedback, performance management software, and

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performance management process importance can be covered in training. To maintain system

proficiency, continuous training and development should be offered.

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Explain how performance management starts with performance planning.

Performance planning is essential for performance evaluation and improvement.

Performance management is inextricably tied to performance planning such as: Setting Clear

Objectives: Performance planning requires setting defined goals and objectives. The

organization's strategic goals should guide these objectives, which should answer questions

like what has to be done, how it will be monitored, and when. Clear goals give workers a

direction and show them how their job helps the company succeed.

Clarifying roles and duties is another key part of performance planning. Employees

must understand their job duties, tasks, and KPIs. Clear work duties and expectations reduce

uncertainty and disagreement among employees. Individual growth Plans: Performance

planning extends beyond defining goals to include individual growth plans (Pulakos, 2021).

These plans detail the skills, competences, and training needed to achieve employee
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performance goals. To improve personally and professionally, this stage identifies

opportunities for improvement and creates a skill development roadmap.

Performance planning aligns employee goals with organizational goals. Organizational

stability and concentration depend on this alignment. It helps the company achieve its

strategic goals when each employee's performance goals support the mission. Monitoring and

Measuring Progress: After performance planning, staff execute their goals. Performance

planning includes regular monitoring and measurement of progress. Data might be collected

through check-ins, progress reports, or performance management software. Monitoring helps

firms spot concerns early and make modifications to maintain performance.

In a nutshell, Performance planning lays the framework for success, therefore

performance management begins with it. Performance planning sets objectives,

responsibilities, growth plans, aligns individual goals with organizational goals, and

establishes monitoring and measurement methods. Effective performance planning makes

employees understand their roles and empowers them to contribute to their organization's goal

and vision while improving and developing.

Create a preliminary plan addressing how you could begin designing a

performance management system.

Performance management system design is complicated and requires careful planning

and execution. Here is preliminary plan:

1. Establish Objectives:
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 First, I would define the performance management system's goals. This will

help determine my goals, such as boosting employee performance, matching

individual goals with organizational goals, or developing employees.

 Since the performance management system should support the purpose and

vision, these objectives should match the organization's strategic goals.

2. Forming a Cross-Functional Team:

 I would form a team comprising HR professionals, department leaders, and

stakeholders who will work together to design and implement the performance

management system.

 Team members should have clear roles and duties to cover every area of the

system, from technology selection to communication techniques.

3. Assess Needs:

 I would conduct a thorough needs assessment to analyze performance

management in the organization. Evaluation involves processes, tools,

problems, and pain areas.

 I should also ask employees, supervisors, and stakeholders about their

expectations, problems, and improvements.

4. Establish performance metrics:

 I would set staff performance KPIs and measurements. These measurements

should support organizational goals and each role.

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 I would consider quantitative (sales targets, project completion rates) and

qualitative (teamwork, communication skills) indicators.

5. Choose Performance Evaluation Methods:

 I would select performance appraisal methods including self-assessments, peer

reviews, manager evaluations, or a mix.

 Also I would make sure the chosen methods fit the company's culture and aims

while solving problems.

In summation, this preliminary plan lays the groundwork for a performance

management system that satisfies the company's goals. Setting goals, including stakeholders,

completing a thorough needs assessment, defining relevant performance indicators, and

choosing acceptable appraisal techniques are stressed. A successful performance management

system that boosts employee performance, engagement, and development requires these basic

stages.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this paper's basic approach lays the groundwork for a performance

management system that can boost organizational success. We established a thorough and

successful system by stressing defined objectives, cross-functional cooperation, needs

assessment, performance indicators, and appraisal methodologies. It's important to remember

that performance management system design is iterative. This early strategy establishes the

basis, but its success depends on continual review, feedback, and adaption. The performance

management system must adapt to changing organizational and employee demands to

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improve employee growth, engagement, and performance. Organizations may establish a

performance management system that fulfills their goals and promotes continual improvement

and growth by planning and tackling five important areas.

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References

Aguinis, H. (2019). Performance management. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice

Hall.

Armstrong, M., & Baron, A. (2020). Managing performance: performance management in

action. CIPD publishing.

Pulakos, E. D. (2021). Performance management: A roadmap for developing, implementing

and evaluating performance management systems (pp. 1-42). Alexandria, VA: SHRM

foundation.