13. Outline the importance of giving feedback?

Feedback is a way to let people know how effective they are in what they are trying to accomplish, or how they affect you. It provides a way for people to learn how they affect the world around them, and it helps us to become more effective. If we know how other people see us, we can overcome problems in how we communicate and interact with them.

Feedback is a must for people who want to have honest relationships. A powerful and important means for communication, giving feedback connects us, and our behavior, to the world around us. Feedback helps us to become more aware of what we do and how we do it. Receiving it gives us an opportunity to change and modify in order to become more effective. To be helpful, feedback needs to be given in a concerned and supportive way and to include both positive and negative observations. In giving feedback, try to focus on:

·         The behaviour rather than the person.

o    What he does rather than what we imagine he is.

o    Use adverbs which relate to actions rather than adjectives which relate to qualities.

·         Observations rather than inference – what is said or done, not why.

·         Descriptions rather than judgment.

·         Limiting the amount of information to what the receiver can use rather than the amount you would like to give.

3. List and briefly explain the objective of appraisal interviews?

The Appraisal Interview
In preparing for the actual dialogue with the employee, take time to review your completed evaluation form
and the employee's Pre-Evaluation Appraisal Form. Plan what topics you will discuss in the meeting.
Walking into a performance review without thinking about the discussion that will occur will lead to an
ineffective review. Take time to:
 Read and respond to the Pre-Evaluation Appraisal Form
 Gather the necessary objective data and review it
 Decide on critical elements of the review
 Write down the major points you want to discuss
 Set aside a minimum of thirty minutes for the meeting and arrange it in a business-like setting
 Allow no interruptions

The role of a Manager should be:

1. Translate organizational  goal into individual job objectives and requirements

2. Communicate their expectations regarding employee performance

3. Provide feedback to the employees

4. Coach the employees on how to achieve job objectives and requirements

5. Diagnose the employee’s relative strengths and weaknesses

6. Determine a development plan for improving job performance, and ability

utilizations

B. Employees should get the answers to :

1. What am I expected to do?

2. How well am I doing?

3. What are my strengths, weaknesses?

4. How can I do a better job?

5. How can I contribute more?

C. The Company should :

1. Provide employees with a clear understanding of what is expected of them;

establish direction; set objectives and priorities, monitor results, respond to

problems and give help and support to ensure that all assigned objectives are

met on time.

Objectives of appraisal interviews

·         To improve employee performance

·         To let the employee know where he/she stands

·         To give recognition where due

·         To help the appraiser gain a better understanding of the employee and his work

·         To improve the manager or supervisor – employee relationship

·         To plan specific objectives and performance targets

2. Is it possible to conduct meaningful performance appraisal without accurate and up to date position description and performance indicators?

It is not possible to conduct meaningful performance appraisal without accurate and up-to-date position descriptions and performance indicators as it should be well planned and well-structured.

Important meeting should be held to create awareness for both parties. It will not be right and unprofessional to carry out an appraisal without:
1. reviewing previous appraisal report
2. listening to different opinions
3. giving him information on the time, date and venue for the appraisal
4. knowing the task of the employee.

The appraiser should have all the required information, that is:
• the job description
• the job analysis
• the performance standard
• the employee full report
• the achievement of the job holder

After gathering accurate and up-to-date information on the employee, then it is essential for a fair and objective performance appraisal meeting.

1. What is performance management? What is the difference between performance management and performance appraisal?

The field of performance management can comprise two separate types of management. In one aspect of performance management, an analyst may view the performance of a company as a whole, and also evaluate the effectiveness of the managers and heads of companies in reaching goals. In another sense, performance management may be a system of evaluating employees to help them reach reasonable goals and thus ensure that the company performs better.

Performance management is about getting better result from the organization, teams and individuals by understanding and managing performance within an agreed framework of planned goals, standards and competing requirements. It is the process for establishing shared understanding about what is to be achieved, approach to managing and developing people in a way which increase the profitability that it will be achieved in the short term and long term whereas Performance appraisal is the process of obtaining, analyzing and recording information about the relative worth of an employee. The focus of the performance appraisal is measuring and improving the actual performance of the employee and also the future potential of the employee. It aim is to measure what the employee does.

9. Why is it necessay for the organisations to have a grievance procedure.

A grievance is any problem, complaint or any unjust action, practice committed by an employee.  The purpose of the grievance procedure is to ensure that as fas as possible, grievance are dealt with and resolved informally through discussion between the concerned employee and the manager. 

The importance of setting a grievance procedure are:

• The employee can have the chance to express the problem and to settle the grievance as soon as possible. 
• It can prevent a minor grievance becoming a major problem.
• It will help to improve service excellence.
• There will be a stabilization in daily employee relation.
• Customer loyalty. i.e When customers see that his complaint has been taken care of and necessary disciplinary action has been taken against the employee.  

8. Explain the disciplinary action process.

A disciplinary action is any formal and informal action that an authority can take to limit, restrict, impose conditions and dismiss in serious cases. 

Thre are many steps in the disciplinary action process:

•  Counseling session
•  Oral warning
•  Written warning
•  Final warning
•  Dismissal or Termination of employment

The issue is investigated and the employees will be given the right to state their case before any action is taken. The employee will be advised by the employer about the reasons for investigating in writing, and he will be given the chance to explain the penalty imposed to him or her and the right to appeal. On clear evidence of misconduct, disciplinary action will be taken against the employee. The action will be appropriate to the type and size of the offence and employees have the right to be represented, by either a legal party or a member of the employees union.

Stage 1- Counseling
Counseling is the process of assisting any individual, briefing him or her about rules, procedures and regulations for example of any organization and helping the individual to understand the consequences of his behavioral attitude. Counseling sessions are usually used for the first time of offence and are mainly for minor offences. The emphasis is on the listening of the employee. The manager will define what is expected and discuss solutions and consequences. This normally does not form part of the employee’s personnel file.

Stage2- Verbal Warning
A formal verbal warning will be imposed when first occurrence, minor infractions happen. This will become part of official personnel file.

Stage 3- Written Warning
The written warning is usually the second step in the progressive disciplinary procedure. It is given to the employee by the senior manager when he commits serious offence or after repetition of minor offences. This states the nature of the offence and specifies future disciplinary action if offence is committed again. The employee will be required to read and sign the formal warning and will have the opportunity to appeal if he estimates the warning is unjustified.

Stage 4 - Final Written Warning
A final Written Warning is given by Senior Manager and also to the Human Resource Department. It is where severe actions are taken against the employee for his or her bad action or behavior.

Stage 5- Progressive Disciplinary Process
Generally the last step in the progressive disciplinary process will be dismissed the employee in the event of gross misconduct. A letter of dismissal will be sent by the Director who will recommend it. No action will be taken until Human Resource Manager has not discussed the case and the appeal procedure hasn’t been carried out.

7. What is the basis purpose of staff counselling.

Counselling is the process of helping and advising people to explore and understood personal problems and develop their potentialities.

The basis purpose of staff counselling are:

• Facilitating a two way of communication.
• Giving advice to an employee concerning work-related problems.
• Helping employee to have confidence and encouragement.
• Encouraging change in employee's performance, values and behaviour if especially it is a problem related to the work.
• Improving relationship between employer and employee through a flow of information.

6. Why is accurate and complete documentation so important in performance management, particularly when dealing with employee underperformance?

The accurate an complete documentation is important in performance management as it is a key factor for mangement assess employee's performance.  It helps to easily finding solution to improve employee's communication and ways of doing the work rapidly and better.

Good documentation procedure always help to reduce possibility of many rating errors and also justify evaluations and resultatnt administrative desion.  It also helps to have reliable, exact specific and factual information for the progress of the company. 

This procedure also helps to :

1. Identify the weaknesses of the employee
2. Be able to indicate if any improvement is needed like training. 
3. Identify if counselling to employee is required.
4. Know if individual development plan is required.