Pay scales and reward packages would need to be standardised and not dependent on location or employment status.

It is not saying that these shouldnt be varied in order to stimulate promotion and competition, however it is critical to develop a reward strategy that articulates what the reward elements will be and more importantly what an employee needs to deliver. Any reward strategy should be based on clear objectives, and communicated widely. In the case of Apple, the reward system seems to be at the discretion of the manager, which again is left to individual interpretation and deemed merely as a personal development reward for the staff involved.

Performance Reviews

Apples desire to create greatness has resulted in retaining staff despite the organisation openly promoting the work hard play hard mentality. Long hours are rewarded with company perks such as healthcare, training and product discount. However the bigger concern is why are staff working these long hours? Naturally any working environment at some point or other would require individuals to work longer hours than normal, however Apple has created a culture where this is expected. Apple would need to identify if an underlying problem is occurring. This can only be carried out via performance management approaches such as personal development plans, appraisals and 1-2-1s. When approaching performance reviews Apple would need to identify clearly the issues that it considers to be of most importance. The challenge with performance appraisals is that too many stakeholders have differing views of what is expected from them. The human trait to judge can create significant challenges in relation to motivational, ethical and legal problems in the workplace. More importantly without a structured appraisal system, there is little chance of ensuring that agreed outcomes are achieved. Acknowledging these challenges Apple should approach their performance reviews with a view of gaining insight into its

employees roles and responsibilities, therefore it is imperative that the creation of personal development plans should not become laborious or bureaucratic. This could stifle creativity and impact on the organisations culture to breed innovation. The balance on achieving and implementing appropriate performance reviews is critical.

The true aim of the performance review should be to develop staff and improve the output of the organisation. Apple would need to have a clear understanding on what type of performance approach is required and what outcome is expected. It is easy for an organisation to get the performance approach wrong resulting in staff not sharing concerns or voicing their opinions due to the risk of the information being used against them. Management would need to adopt a culture in supporting staff in raising concerns, with an internal analysis of why this culture has arisen. This could only be built on trust between manager and subordinate. The answers although vast and wide would come down to two outcomes; do staff members have too much work? Therefore is a review of the role needed or is there a sense of insecurity within the organisation to the point where staff members feels they need to work long hours in order to demonstrate their worth? In approaching performance reviews Apple would need to ensure all reviews are regular, structured and defined between management and subordinates, in which the employees performance is examined and discussed. Two-way communication is key and should be encouraged with a view of both parties identifying weaknesses and strengths as well as opportunities for improvement and skills development. Whilst formal reporting lines will help to tackle poor communication and open up better dialogue, the culture to openly communicate should be encouraged through the executive team who should actively and openly encourage all types of communication.