EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL AND THE 95/5 RULE

Many colleges use some form of an employee performance appraisal process. Yet, despite prevalent use, the performance appraisal process is facing growing criticism. The author reviews the literature regarding the process of performance appraisal in higher education, focusing on articles supportive of the use of the performance appraisal, and those that are not. The advocates of performance appraisals cite implementation flaws as the cause for dissatisfaction among users. Essentially, they contend that the process will work if properly used. Furthermore, it is noted that supervisors, more than the employees themselves, tend to favor the use of performance appraisals. Critics of performance appraisals question the validity of the process in general. Followers of W. Edwards Deming view the performance appraisal process as divisive within the organization, and thus counterproductive to organizational development. They state that the use of ratings in an employee performance appraisal establishes arbitrary divisions among employees. Furthermore, they contend that intrinsic rewards are far more effective as a motivator of employees. The author suggests that as an alternative to performance appraisal organizations should consider a professional growth model. Elements in this model include: (a) a focus on employee success, (b) a priority for leadership development training for supervisors, and (c) a special performance appraisal process for those employees who need targeted focus in performance.     

Employee engagement and performance management in the federal sector

Much research has demonstrated that employee engagement is significantly correlated with positive organizational outcomes such as productivity, customer satisfaction, and reduced absenteeism. This article focuses on the importance of effective performance management in driving engagement. The results of a government‐wide survey of federal employees are reported. Every one of the 37 positive performance management practices reviewed was employed more widely in the agencies with the highest percentages of engaged employees.     

Teamwork in secular and faith‐based organizations

The word teamwork has become a favorite of corporate leaders; however, many employees view teamwork as a word devoid of meaning. Part of the problem is that teamwork has an entirely different meaning to people at various levels in an organization, and this prevents individuals and different departments within a company from moving forward with a single vision. Another factor is the issue of fair compensation. Traditional managerial views emphasize individual incentives or piecework compensation as the key to employee motivation, while more modern managerial theory contends that giving workers autonomy and showing them appreciation is just as important as financial incentives. There is also a growing trend of mixing religion and business principles to create a harmonious work environment. This article examines research and best practices around key factors that contribute to a team‐based work environment and also explores whether employees at faith‐based organizations are more willing to embrace the team concept than their secular counterparts.     

Equity and lifelong learning: lessons from workplace learning in Scottish SMEs

Workplace learning is identified by UK and Scottish governments as an important means of achieving social mobility, and therefore producing a more equal society. However, there appears to be a patchwork of provision and funding arrangements, making it difficult for employers and employees to identify suitable routes. Analysis of large scale survey data at European and Scottish levels shows that existing inequalities are further entrenched by differential access to and participation in workplace learning, where those with existing high levels of qualification have far greater opportunities. This paper draws on data drawn from an EU Sixth Framework funded study of lifelong learning, focusing in particular on case studies of six Scottish SMEs which are used to identify some of the reasons underlying inequalities in access to workplace learning. Whilst all of the SMEs had a positive approach to employee development, they differed in the type of work they undertook and the composition of the workforce. Employees in knowledge intensive organisations were immersed in a culture where on‐going learning was an expected part of working life, and was driven by both employers’ and employees’ expectations. By way of contrast, more traditional manufacturing and training organisations had a more restricted approach to learning, encouraging employees to undertake courses which would give them the skills to do their jobs more effectively, but with less focus on their wider growth and development. All firms treated lifelong learning with some degree of scepticism, ultimately prioritising company profitability over individual employee development and seeing the two as sometimes at variance. Given the Scottish government’s desire to promote the demand side of skill development, the barriers posed by employers’ attitudes need to be addressed, particularly in relation to lower‐skilled workers in manufacturing firms, who might have less intrinsic motivation, but are also less likely to receive encouragement and support from their employer.     

Guerilla Tactics for Employee Empowerment

Frontal assaults (e. g., training, team building, strategic planning) on organizational dysfunctions have been a staple of performance technology. A newly popular stratagem—-employee empowerment—-seeks to address dysfunctions by vesting more organizational power with the individual employee. This usually means that the manager and employee set specific and measurable mutual goals that require the manager to relinquish measurement processes and tools to the employee and then hold the employee accountable for quality, customer satisfaction, etc. However, managers may be loath to give up their traditional areas of control, while employees may be unaccustomed to assuming responsibilities of management. Therefore, around and between the more formal strategies for employee empowerment, the performance technologist needs to consider tactics beyond those of conventional organization development.     

Implications of job rotation literature for performance improvement practitioners

Job rotations have existed as a means of developing individual knowledge and skills since the industrial revolution, and in today's dynamic global workplace, they afford organizations an opportunity to manage changing psychological work contracts and employee desires for self‐managed careers. Through the systematic mining of psychology, business, management, and educational databases, this literature review provides a summary of job rotation practices, individual and organizational benefits, likely costs associated with job rotations, and implications for practitioners. Findings indicate that while employees seek learning and marketability over job security and stability, organizations strive to maintain continuity and internal growth and development of their workforce. Job rotations can appease both individuals and organizations through enhanced knowledge and skills, facilitation of greater job satisfaction, and identification of individual strengths for optimal organizational performance. However, these benefits come at a price to the individual and the organization in the form of increased work/life conflict, potentially higher training costs, and possible lower work unit morale. Conclusions are presented on the practical implications and recommendations for implementing job rotations and integrating the practice into performance improvement models.     

Employee Retention: Organisational and Personal Perspectives

In this continuously changing contemporary economy, companies have to be able to anticipate technological innovations and to compete with other companies worldwide. This need makes important a company’s ability to evolve through its employees’ learning and through continuous development. Securing and retaining skilled employees plays an important role in this process, because employees’ knowledge and skills are central to companies’ ability to be economically competitive. Given that employee retention is very important for the functioning and competitiveness of a company, this study focuses on the organisational and personal factors that influence employee retention. A special interest is taken in employees’ learning, because this is seen as a retention supporting activity. A questionnaire was administered to 349 employees, and 11 employees were interviewed. The interviews are used to illustrate and contextualise the quantitative results. The results show a large positive contribution of appreciation and stimulation of the employee to employee retention. This result is consistent with findings of earlier research. However, the retention benefits arising from personal development offer new possibilities when attempting to enhance employee retention. This study also showed that individual differences influence employee retention. Leadership skills and seniority have a positive relationship with employee retention and the level of readiness and initiative regarding learning are negatively related to retention.     

Solutions to Literacy Deficiencies in the Workplace; A Survey of Current Practices

Much attention has focused on employee basic skill (literacy) problems in recent years. Most authorities on the topic have focused their attention on two solutions alone: (a) offering in-house training to employees short-term solution intended to rectify existing basic skill deficiencies in the workforce; and (b) supporting public education as a long-term solution intended to ensure that future job applicants/employees possess basic skills adequate for beginning work. Few writers or authorities have suggested alternative performance improvement strategies to address basic skill problems. This article identifies a range of performance improvement strategies for addressing basic skill deficiencies and summarizes results of a recent survey of training and development professionals about how often these strategies are used in their organizations. In general, many survey respondents indicated that their organizations are using many different performance improvement strategies to address basic skill problems.     

Determinants of salary growth in Shenzhen, China: an analysis of formal education, on-the-job training, and adult education with a three-level model

Using 1996 surveyed data of 1023 employees in Shenzhen, China, this study estimated the effects of three forms of human capital on employee salary, namely formal education, on-the-job training provided by employers, and adult education pursued by employees. Using a hierarchical linear model, the analysis estimated employee monthly salary growth over a maximum of six years due to (a) such temporal factors as work experience and improved performance, (b) individual-level characteristics, and (c) firm-level characteristics. This study found that (a) pre-work formal education was positively associated with salary only at hiring, (b) employees' experience in changing production technology as well as on-the-job training were positively associated with salary increases through improved technical proficiency, formal education was not; (c) manufacturing firms introduced more new production technology than the service sector and provided more on-the-job training, thus improving workers' performance and increasing their salary.     

Education makes a difference: Results of a survey of writing on the job

A survey of 182 employees participating in writing workshops reveals some differences in writing practices, based on the educational level of the employee, and suggests that employees with advanced degrees (e.g., master's or doctoral) vary most noticeably from the other groups. In particular, it seems that a large percentage of workers with graduate training write long reports, write to other experts in their field, and spend time revising. Additional research needs to be done on the impact of educational level on writing practices.     

An analysis of the contribution of participative decision making and communication with supervisor as predictors of job satisfaction

This study examined the relationships of (1) perceived participation in decision making, (2) communication with supervisor, (3) employee characteristics, and (4) employee job satisfaction. Classified employees in three administrative units at a comprehensive eastern university in the United States served as subjects. Results of canonical correlation andt-ratio tests demonstrated that job satisfaction was most strongly and positively related to communication satisfaction with supervisor and supervisor's receptivity to information. Implications are discussed in reference to personnel decisions and training, employee productivity, and the possible adverse effects of initiating a participative program of decision making for nonprofessional university employees.Presented at the 22nd Annual Forum of the Association for Institutional Research, Denver, May 1982.     

90后企业员工自我效能感对工作绩效的影响——工作投入的中介作用

90后员工已经成为多数企业最具潜力和活力的重要力量,为提高90后企业员工自我效能感、工作投入与工作绩效关系的理论基础,采用问卷调查的方法,以212名90后企业员工为样本,检验了工作投入对员工自我效能感与工作绩效的中介作用,结果表明:自我效能感和工作投入能显著正向预测90后员工的任务绩效和周边绩效;工作投入在自我效能感与任务绩效、周边绩效的关系中起中介作用。     

Retaining Staff Employees: The Relationship Between Human Resources Management Strategies and Organizational Commitment

Organizational behavior studies suggest that employee retention is dependent upon levels of organizational commitment. This study focused on the potential influence that human resources management (HRM) strategies have on organizational commitment levels among staff employees. The study collected data on human resources practices at thirty-four public institutions of higher education. In addition, staff employees from six of these institutions completed a survey measuring affective, continuance, and normative organizational commitment levels. Statistical analysis procedures found significant relationships between the HRM strategies and two of the commitment constructs, indicating that certain HRM strategies can affect organizational commitment and potentially influence turnover.     

Career Development: The Linkage Between Training And Organizational Development

Improved organizational efficiency can only be accomplished if the employees within an organization have developed the skills, competencies, knowledge, and attitudes to perform at the highest possible levels. To a limited degree this can be accomplished via training, but employees develop the fundamental skills, competencies, knowledge, and attitudes related only to their current job. As a result, the organization is only indirectly impacted. This refers to the micro perspective of improved organizational efficiency. Organizational efficiency can also be accomplished through organizational development, but the individual employee is often overlooked during this process. Without employee commitment to improve efficiency, it will be short-lived. This approach refers to the macro perspective of improved organizational efficiency. Both the micro and macro perspectives of improved organizational efficiency have their weaknesses. Thus, a combination of the two processes is necessary. Career development is that combination. Career development is a process which enables employees to develop beyond the fundamental skills, competencies, knowledge, and attitudes required for their present job assignments. It is a process which is focused on improving organizational efficiency while relying on the development of the individual employee. Performance improvement practitioners can provide learning activities which improve employees' skills, competencies, knowledge, and attitudes by viewing improved organizational efficiency from an individual (micro) perspective while remaining dedicated to the overall enhancement of the organization (macro). However, many performance improvement practitioners fail to see the connection between training and overall organizational development. These terms are often used interchangeably which leads to the increased confusion and misapplication of each process. It is necessary, therefore, to arrive at an acceptable definition in order to communicate effectively the intent as well as the similarities and differences of the processes. This will enable performance improvement practitioners to better understand the commonalities of each process. It is this understanding that serves as the basis of this article and the forthcoming recommendations.     

领导者行为与员工离职关系的调查研究

随着经济全球化的迅速发展、产业结构调整不断升级,人才的流失将会是企业面临的严峻挑战。研究领导者行为与员工离职之间的关系,有助于提高领导者行为的有效性,降低员工离职率。采用问卷调查和统计分析方法,分析了领导者品行端正行为、领导者显示信任行为、领导者进行沟通交流的行为、领导者进行授权的行为、领导者对下属关怀的行为、领导者整体行为,与员工离职的关系。研究结果表明领导者品行端正的行为、领导者显示信任的行为、领导者进行沟通交流的行为与员工离职的关系存在显著负相关。领导者进行授权的行为、领导者对下属关怀的行为、领导者整体行为与员工继续留在企业工作的关系存在显著正相关。     

Evaluation of Executive Development: A Case Study

This article describes seven evaluation studies over the five–year history of an executive development process. The message is two–fold. First, executive development can be evaluated despite measurement difficulties. Second, evaluation should be part of the strategy for managing executive development. The seven evaluation studies included: (1) interviews with participating managers to investigate the use of development plans; (2) analysis of counseling contact records to quantify the kinds of development support requested by participants; (3) comparison of the training activity of participants to national surveys for the same period; (4) experimental comparison of the developmental practices of participants versus a peer group of nonparticipating managers; (5) analyses of annual performance ratings and career recommendations for participating versus nonparticipating managers; (6) comparison of needs assessment data gathered five years after inauguration of the development process with the original needs study; and (7) use of an employee opinion survey to examine the relationship of an executive's development to the developmental practices among employees managed by that executive. The management and evaluation of executive development are both discussed.     

An Exploratory Comparative Case Study of Employee Engagement in Christian Higher Education

Numerous studies have identified a positive correlation between employee engagement and overall organizational performance. However, research on employee engagement specifically within higher education is limited, and even less attention has been focused on engagement within the context of Christian higher education. An exploratory comparative case study research design was used to explore two faith-based universities that are atypical examples of excellence as measured by the Best Christian Workplace Institute (BCWI) “Employee Engagement and Organizational Culture” survey. Analysis of data gathered from 53 interviews with employees and document analysis led to the identification of institutional characteristics that fostered employee engagement at two universities that consistently exhibited high rankings of employee self-reported engagement based on the BCWI survey results. Despite substantial differences between the two institutions, commonalities were identified in many of the characteristics that fostered employee engagement on the two campuses. The findings revealed that the shared themes of mission, community, empowered human resource departments, and a sense of positive momentum all contributed to the atypically high employee engagement levels that resulted in a positive and empowering organizational culture.     

对波黑医学院校的综合评估

按照国际标准对波黑的5所医学院进行了内部评估和外部评估,参与者包括医学院管理人员、教师、学生以及外部评估专家.评估内容包括10个项目:学校宗旨和目标、课程、管理、教师、学生、设施和技术、经费情况、国际关系、内部质量保证和发展规划.结果表明,内部评估中有的学校高估了自己的总体表现,有的学校明显高估或低估自己在某些项目上的表现.评估工作表明,即使在复杂和不利的条件下,对医学教育进行建设性的、有组织的评估也是可能的.     

Career Development; The Linkage Between Training and Organizational Development Originally published in 1989, PIQ 2.1

Improved organizational efficiency can only be accomplished if the employees within an organization have developed the skills, competencies, knowledge, and attitudes to perform at the highest possible levels. To a limited degree this can be accomplished via training, but employees develop the fundamental skills, competencies, knowledge, and attitudes related only to their current job. As a result, the organization is only indirectly impacted. This refers to the micro perspective of improved organizational efficiency. Organizational efficiency can also be accomplished through organizational development, but the individual employee is often overlooked during this process. Without employee commitment to improve efficiency, it will be short-lived. This approach refers to the macro perspective of improved organizational efficiency. Both the micro and macro perspectives of improved organizational efficiency have their weaknesses. Thus, a combination of the two processes is necessary. Career development is that combination. Career development is a process which enables employees to develop beyond the fundamental skills, competencies, knowledge, and attitudes required for their present job assignments. It is a process which is focused on improving organizational efficiency while relying on the development of the individual employee. Performance improvement practitioners can provide learning activities which improve employees' skills, competencies, knowledge, and attitudes by viewing improved organizational efficiency from, an individual (micro) perspective while remaining dedicated to the overall enhancement of the organization (macro). However, many performance improvement practitioners fail to see the connection between training and overall organizational development. These terms are often used interchangeably which leads to the increased confusion and misapplication of each process. It is necessary, therefore, to arrive at an acceptable definition in order to communicate effectively the intent as well as the similarities and differences of the processes. This will enable performance improvement practitioners to better understand the commonalities of each process. It is this understanding that serves as the basis of this article and the forthcoming recommendations.     

中国文化背景下员工敬业现状调查研究

为了了解中国文化背景下员工敬业的现状,采用《中国员工敬业量表》调查了355名被试,结果表明,中国员工的敬业不存在性别差异;不同工龄员工之间的敬业不存在显著的统计学差异;年轻的员工敬业程度更高;学历越高敬业程度越高;港台资企业员工的敬业程度高于国有企业和民营企业;中高层员工的敬业得分高于低层员工。中国文化背景下的员工敬业特征不同于西方员工。