2. Maintainance Phase

Question 1

Induction definition?

Answer 1

Induction aims to familiarise a new member of staff with the organisation and its environment. The induction program for a new employee can be relatively informal or highly structured, depending on what suits best. It should include the organisation’s facilities, physical layout, key personnel, organisational rules and procedures. As far as possible the program should attempt to describe and explain the culture of the organisation.

Question 2

Training definition?

Answer 2

Training is the process of developing workplace skills. Training may be necessary at the start of employment if the individual is unfamiliar with machinery or processes employed by the business.

Question 3

Development definition?

Answer 3

Training is often skill based, whereas development (or PD) may focus more on increasing the knowledge base of employees.

Question 4

Performance Management definition?

Answer 4

The term performance management refers to a strategic and integrated approach to organisational success by improving the performance of the people who work in the organisation. Performance management is strategic because it has an emphasis on long-term objectives and integrated because it is linked to other functions throughout the organisation.

Question 5

Performance Appraisal definition?

Answer 5

Performance appraisals are evaluations of an employees work over a period of time.

Question 6

Recognition definition?

Answer 6

Good staff will leave if they don’t feel appreciated. Just recognition of good work can be enough. Recognition usually will not involve a cost to the organisation, therefore it is considered to be non-monetary.

Question 7

Reward definition?

Answer 7

Sometimes a reward might be in order, particularly if the staff member was responsible for direct contribution to the profit made by a business. Recruiting staff is very expensive and time consuming. It is worth the effort to keep valuable staff members.

Question 8

Reward management definition?

Answer 8

Reward management sees rewards and recognition as part of a total business strategy ensuring the organisation has the skilled and motivated people it needs.

Question 9

1. Maintenance Phase?

Answer 9

Once a member of staff is employed by an organisation, the maintenance stage of the employment cycle takes over from the establishment stage.

In this section, we concentrate on three additional areas of management that are central to HR practice in maintaining employment:
■ training and development
■ performance management and reviews
■ reward management.

Question 10

2. Induction?

Answer 10

Induction aims to familiarise a new member of staff with the organisation and its environment. The induction program for a new employee can be relatively informal or highly structured, depending on what suits best. It should include the organisation’s facilities, physical layout, key personnel, organisational rules and procedures. As far as possible the program should attempt to describe and explain the culture of the organisation.

• Induction is sometimes called ‘orientation’, and the aim is to familiarise the new employee with the workplace so that they can perform to their maximum ability as soon as possible.

Question 11

2. Induction

Organising Induction?

Answer 11

• The way induction is organised varies considerably from one organisation to the next, but it may include the following features:

1. The employee is introduced to their colleagues and made familiar with the organisational structure and day-to-day practices.
2. A mentor will be assigned. This is an experienced staff member who can show the new employee the ropes of the organisation.
3. The policies and procedures of the organisation should be explained to a new staff member. They may undergo a formal induction program.
4. Make employee feel comfortable in environment.

Question 12

3. Induction

Benefits for the Organisation of Induction Programs?

Answer 12

• The recruitment process is costly in terms of time and money.
• A good induction program can help the new employee feel motivated and ensure that their morale is high.
• It allows them to be productive almost straight away.

Question 13

3. Induction

Benefits for the Employee of Induction Programs?

Answer 13

• New employees will be put at ease with a well-conducted induction program.
• If they are motivated and their morale is high, they will feel a sense of purpose and achievement, increasing their feelings of self-esteem.

Question 14

4. Training

Answer 14

Training is the process of developing workplace skills. Training may be necessary at the start of employment if the individual is unfamiliar with machinery or processes employed by the business.

• Ongoing training and career development have become more important than ever before. Without training and development, the skills of staff may become out of date very quickly, especially when businesses are looking to make the most of rapidly changing technology.
• An organisation that has developed a learning culture among its staff will be in a strong position to do this.
• Even for staff who have been at the workplace for some time, training is always going to occur at some stage.

Question 15

4. Training

Pre-Training Decisions?

Answer 15

• Before training is undertaken, HRM must decide:

i) Who needs training
ii) Should training occur at the organisation or outside
iii) If internally, is the training going to be provided by someone in house or an external provider
iv) How is the training going to be evaluated
v) Will follow up training be required

Question 16

4. Training

Training Principles?

Answer 16

Broadly speaking, the type of training should suit the skills to be learnt and the level of sophistication required. The application of a number of principles of good training will make for more effective training.

A training program that does not incorporate the essentials of these principles is likely to be quickly forgotten and have little practical benefit in the organisation.

These principles include:
■ Attention to the level of employee motivation for the training
■ allowing for individual differences among staff in the type of training offered
■ linking the training to evaluation of the current job performance of staff, that is, the training must be what is needed
■ giving feedback on progress to the trainees
■ reinforcing advances made by trainees
■ Providing opportunities for follow-up and the practice of new skills
■Evaluating the training program.

Question 17

4. Training

The main benefits of effective training are?

Answer 17

The main benefits of effective training are:
■ improved worker productivity
■ a more flexible workforce
■ increased workplace innovation
■ increased job satisfaction and motivation
■ fewer accidents and injuries (OH&S training).

Question 18

5. Development

Answer 18

Training is often skill based, whereas development (or PD) may focus more on increasing the knowledge base of employees.

• Eg: lawyers may attend a seminar to keep up to date with recent changes in the law. It is the knowledge that is being updated not skills.
• This knowledge assists them in undertaking their duties.
• Development should occur throughout the employee’s time at an organisation.

Training and Development Activities
It is clear that the more senior the level of manager, the more they are likely to attend PD and conferences and seminars.

-The front line manager is more likely to attend internal training with a facilitator, external training and on the job training.

Question 19

6. Performance Management

Answer 19

The term performance management refers to a strategic and integrated approach to organisational success by improving the performance of the people who work in the organisation. Performance management is strategic because it has an emphasis on long-term objectives and integrated because it is linked to other functions throughout the organisation.

• Performance Management involves the various methods of achieving the maximum performance levels that are possible from employees.
• There can be a close link between performance and motivation.
• The contribution of employee performance to the achievement of the organisation’s objectives is a key area of management responsibility.
• Performance management converts organisational objectives into targets for departments, teams and individuals. Management makes use of performance reviews, or performance appraisal, and performance indicators to evaluate performance and to find ways to improve performance over time.
• In the modern organisation, managers are expected to evaluate the performance of employees, but also be the subject of performance reviews themselves.

Question 20

6. Performance Management

Reasons for Performance Review?

Answer 20

There are a number of good reasons for a system of performance review. They include:
■ Feedback—providing staff with a clear indication of their performance and recognition for work completed
■ Remuneration—providing information on which decisions about pay and other benefits can be based (e.g. performance-based pay systems)
■ Promotion
■ Training needs—identifying the type of training needed to improve staff performance
■ Improvement—encouraging staff to perform better
■ Goal review—providing an opportunity to discuss and review priorities for the future

Question 21

6. Performance Management

Good performance review systems?

Answer 21

There is no perfect system of performance review applicable to all work situations. HR specialists are continually trying to devise better systems of performance review.

Good performance review must avoid:
■ Personal bias—opinions that should not be part of the review
■ The halo effect—being so impressed by one aspect of performance that other important aspects are ignored in the review
■ Unclear standards of performance—standards that are open to different interpretations
■ The activity trap—staff become very involved in the specialised activities that rate high in the review, but lose sight of the overall goals of the organisation.

Good performance review should incorporate:
■ a systematic approach to review (e.g. performance management)
■ clear goals (or standards of performance), preferably established with the participation of those doing the work
■ clear feedback on performance
■ an emphasis on improvements in the productivity of the organisation
■ an emphasis on the continuing development of the individual member of staff
■ support for staff in the form of training and other assistance related to performance.

Question 22

6. Performance Management

TYpes of Review?

Answer 22

The usual types of performance review are:
■ interview—a discussion, normally one-on one, takes place
■ checklist—a written form with a set list of points (criteria/indicators) is completed
■ essay—an extended written report is completed
■ 360 degree feedback—written or oral information is provided by people who interact with the employee (e.g. managers, other employees, customers)
■ monitoring—ongoing and less formal checks of the employee’s work performance.

Question 23

6. Performance Management

Performance Appraisal?

Answer 23

Performance appraisals are evaluations of an employees work over a period of time.

-HRM’s may consider the following points when organising and conducting their performance appraisals.

i) They should occur at regular intervals
ii) The employee’s performance should be measured against their job description, the organisations goals and personal goals
iii) Feedback should first be gathered from people within organisation (superiors) and customers: 360 degree feedback.
iiii) A formal meeting time should be arranged
v) The discussion should remain solely about the performance appraisal
vi) It is important to focus on goals for the next time period, not just performance
vii) It can assist developing career paths

There are really two possible outcomes of a performance appraisal:

i) If the performance is found to be unsatisfactory, further training may be recommended
ii) If the performance is found to be satisfactory, positive consequences may follow including recognition, promotion, and bonuses or even pay increase.

Question 24

6. Performance Management

Recognition?

Answer 24

Good staff will leave if they don’t feel appreciated. Just recognition of good work can be enough. Recognition usually will not involve a cost to the organisation, therefore it is considered to be non-monetary.

Question 25

6. Performance Management

Reward?

Answer 25

Sometimes a reward might be in order, particularly if the staff member was responsible for direct contribution to the profit made by a business. Recruiting staff is very expensive and time consuming. It is worth the effort to keep valuable staff members.

Reward management
Reward management sees rewards and recognition as part of a total business strategy ensuring the organisation has the skilled and motivated people it needs.

• Rewards consist of financial rewards (pay, bonuses, profit sharing, share bonus schemes, fringe benefits) ;
• and non-financial rewards (the intrinsic reward of the work itself, increased responsibility or challenge, positive feedback, certificates of appreciation).
• Modern organisations usually base rewards on quantifiable performance indicators.

Note that performance management runs parallel to reward and recognition, and informs training needs. All three contribute to performance.