The Hubtown HR Firm’s Performance Challenges

Challenges of Creating a Performance-Oriented Culture

Creating a performance-based culture entails using a systematic approach to manage the performance of the team, individuals, and the entire organization. The performance-oriented culture will always demand high-performance metrics at all levels of operations. The approach necessitates several aspects, such as innovative methods for training nonperformance, appropriate reward methods, effective leadership skills, and continuous research in performance analysis. However, companies with comparatively low levels of professional management practices may face challenges in creating a performance-oriented culture. These companies must work on all essential aspects of the performance-oriented culture. Effective change management may be essential to help willing employees to perform better in due time. Another challenge for these companies may be in the form of self-incentives for improvement, reviewing and setting standards for performance, and exceeding the set benchmark by the company.

Hubtown HR Strategy

The Human Resource Manager in Hubtown has faced several challenges in planning and implementing a process for enhancing employee performance and capacity management. The sustainability of the process has been the major issue of concern in the implementation process. To solve the challenges, human resources have developed strategies to help cope with the issues. Hubtown has designed a bottom-up approach to communicate and implement the change from low-level employees to top-level managers. Most implementation changes are done at the executive level, focusing on the organization’s bottom.

Additionally, a behavior-based approach has been used to help assess the willingness of the employees to accept required changes and capability of adoption to required requirements. The process comprises aspects that include identifying enabling behavior that demonstrates distinctive behavior. Developing a framework for consistency is used to indicate superior and negative behavior. Linking job profiles to skills was carried out, and verification of the framework was validated by top managers. The framework is then connected to the performance management program to maintain a standardized evolution process.

Result-Based vs. Behavioral Approach

Organizations should use a result-based approach to assess the performance of the employees when the company utilizes a performance-oriented culture under a skillful workforce. Advantages involve the approach’s ability to provide more useful evaluation and a more effective target of capacity development. Cons include favoritism, risk of internal competition, and it is time-consuming. (Van Thielen et al., 2018). On the other hand, a behavioral approach to performance measurement should be used when the organization has low-level professional management. Pros of the method are that it is based on objective measures, requires little direction and monitoring, and provides clear expectations. Cons include that it focuses on short-term results and focus on reward aspects

Design to Reduce Behavioral Approach Weaknesses

Effective performance management is not always easy but making manageable changes may bear significant results. The HR head can design a performance management program to reduce weaknesses in behavior management. HR head needs to set goals effectively for a small subsection of a large workforce. The manager should start with performance planning. Creation is an ongoing process that should be processed and used for better goal management to improve productivity. As perfect as the performance review, preparation and training of managers are essential. The human resource head should link performance with recognition and rewards and encourage full participation from the entire team

Challenges of Adopting Bottom-up

Challenges to adopting a bottom-up approach to usher institutionalized performance culture exist. Employees may not feel comfortable sharing ideas or feedback with the leaders and managers (Van Thielen et al., 2018). Since employees do not have access to high-level insight, they may be unable to identify and set goals that are truly aligned with the mission and the long-term goals. Additionally, too much input may create disorganization and slow down progress.

How Performance Management Program Should Be Implemented

The performance management program should be implemented in a couple of steps. Preparation is the first step that should be done by combining efforts to ensure the plan does not fail. Communication of the plan within the organization is the next step. The third step involves gaining employee acceptance for the program. The fourth step entails training programs for the acquisition of the skills required. Before implementation, a pilot test should be implemented on the program to see the needed changes. Ongoing evaluation and monitoring should be done to determine effectiveness. The final step should be incorporating the program into the organization’s culture.

Suggestions for Implementation

On evaluating the implementation process adopted by the HR team, I realized employees’ involvement in the process is minimal. For the success of the process, employees’ acceptance of the program is important. I would have communicated efficiently with the employees and involved them in giving feedback on the program. Employees must understand every aspect and be allowed to agree or disagree with the plan.

Appraisal Process During an Economic Downturn

Given these circumstances, a formal appraisal is not very effective. Economic downtown results in pressure on margin, customers are reluctant to buy, and the project slows down. A formal appraisal is ineffective as employees cannot provide sufficient evidence to support their performance. In this case, opportunities to demonstrate performance are decreased, and the slow pace of the project makes it hard to identify exceptional performance. During times of economic downturn and reduced pace of the project, evaluation frequency needs to be reduced until the economy is improved. Reducing evaluation would ensure that the seriousness of the process is not diluted and that newly designed systems would proceed.

Reference

Van Thielen, T., Bauwens, R., Audenaert, M., Van Waeyenberg, T., & Decramer, A. (2018). How to foster the well-being of police officers: The role of the employee performance management system. Evaluation and Program Planning, 70, 90-98. Web.