Why is it necessary to consult relevant groups and individuals about the work to be allocated

and the resources they will need?

Because it is essential that the correct resources are put into place in order to operate
successfully. It's important to find the best methods of distribution, disbursement, and
management of resources. It's also important to track the resources to determine whether
their need is relevant and cost effective. By consulting with individuals it gives them
ownership, allows them to contribute, and makes them aware of the goals and targets.

What resources might be required in a business organisation?

- Human resources.
- Educational/training resources.
- Financial resources.
- Physical resources / equipment and surroundings.

What are the likely repercussions if resources are not available to employees as needed?

Without the correct resources employees will be unlikely to be able to fulfill their duties and
obligations to the required and expected outcomes. Also, budget restrictions may be
compromised.

Why are operational plans necessary?

Operational Plans are necessary as they are used to provide a detailed and clear direction of
how an organisation will go about achieving it's goals. It will also ensure that all the right
resources are in place.

What procedures might be followed to allocate work?

Work must be allocated taking into account the availability of resources and the skills of
employees.

Employees should be fully briefed and given the opportunity to ask questions and make
suggestions. They must also be made aware of the level of expected performance.

Supervision and support may need to be offered and then also appropriate feedback.
Describe the criteria that should be considered when allocating work to individual
employees.

Work must be allocated considering the experience of the employee, the expertise, the skills,
the knowledge, and the workload. Has the employee done the particular task before or taken
on similar ones?

When might a project plan be used to allocate work?

A project plan is a formal approved document used to guide project control and execution. It
covers the entire set of tasks that a project requires and allocates the different tasks of the
project to the appropriate people.

It is used when a major or important objective is to be achieved.

Explain what a code of conduct is and how it might affect work outputs.

A code of conduct is the rules that outline the responsibilities and behaviors of the
organisation and individual staff members. It verifies the legislation and confirms the
expectations and level of performance to which the staff are to abide by. It also sets the
standards of the way they should conduct themselves towards others.
The code of conduct defines the adherence to the policies and procedures of the business
and any disregard to these will reflect on the image of the organisation.

In what ways might it be possible to confirm work outputs with relevant teams and
individuals and what things might be considered in terms of work outputs?

Confirming work outputs can be done a number of different ways.

Controlling and monitoring of work processes.

Financial controlling.
Supply performance measures.
Non-financial performance measures.
Customer service levels
Quality inputs and outputs
Why is it necessary to develop and implement performance management processes or
systems?

Performance management aligns the activities of people with the objectives of the business.
It enables management to monitor and evaluate employees work to ensure it is contributing
to the business and that it is to the expected standard. Successfully developing and
implementing performance management systems will aid in the growth of individuals, teams,
and the business as a whole. It will also identify KPI‘s that can be implemented. Further to
this, performance management systems act as evidence of consistent poor performance
when conducting performance reviews.

How does measuring and monitoring individual or work group performance link with the
management of effective business resources?

By analysing the job descriptions and performance you can then better determine the type of
resources required and the demand of them that's needed. It will also identify areas that are
in excess, or in need of, labor, products, and equipment.

Explain what a contingency plan is and the important aspects of contingency plan
development.

Contingency plans are plans developed for the worst case scenario. They are put in place to
eliminate disruption in production if something were to go wrong. It is important to develop
contingency plans to enable quick reactions to business threats and possible loss of time,
profit, production, stock, relationships, etc. Plans should be developed with the thought that
something definitely will go wrong.
Should a contingency plan not be created, catastrophic results may occur. It’s evident that
every day will not be the same and the likelihood of unforeseen events are typical to take
place. Risk identification is a major step in the production of the plans. There may be a
history of an issue that needs to be looked at. You may need to create a potential issue and
work through the consequences of this happening. There may even be known problems that
you are expected to face. It’s important to look at all scenarios and be ready for the worst.

Why is it necessary to ensure that performance management and review processes are
consistent with organisational objectives and policies?
To ensure accurate representation of what is expected and what is to be achieved. It's about
the comparison of the customer satisfaction to the job being done. If there is a difference
then it needs to be looked at.

Write a paragraph explaining why you think performance evaluations are necessary and the
method/s that you consider might best be used. Explain and justify your answer.

Performance evaluations are necessary for many reasons.

- They provide valuable feedback from both parties
- They recognize future development needs
- They give an understanding of how the employee is doing and how well they think they are
doing
- They outline improvement that may be needed
- They determine whether the requirements of the job match the original job description
- They determine whether the tasks are achievable or whether they're too simple
- They can also bring up issues in operations that may have gone unnoticed

The job description method is a good performance evaluation to use. Providing the
description is up to date it can identify clearly whether the employee is doing their job
correctly and to the required standard. However, this method needs to be used carefully as it
can reverse growth of an employee as their extra work efforts and duties can go unnoticed
and not seem appreciated.

By using the job description method along with a standard evaluation form that both parties
can fill out, will give a better indication of where the employee stands with consistency and
quality of work.

Why is it necessary that performance monitoring and evaluation be a continuous process?

To ensure continuous progress and that the employee is staying on track. It will assist in
identifying issues as, or before, they arise. The demands of the business may also change
and it's important to monitor employees to ensure that they are coping correctly with the
change.

Why should both managers and employees receive suitable training in how to handle
performance review/ appraisal interviews?
So they understand how the system works and so the performance review can be used as an
important and productive tool as opposed to a quick exchange of words where no valuable
progress was actually made. It will assist in preparation of the review and both parties will
be confident in exchanging thoughts, ideas, and future progression.

How and how often do you think performance appraisals should be held and why do you
think this?

Depending on the circumstances and positions, bi-annually is a good frequency to have

performance appraisals. Particular jobs may only call for an annual review. In the hospitality
industry where there is usually a high turnover and many external opportunities available,
it's important to ensure that the staff are on the right track and that they are aware of future
plans within the company. If a good staff member is not feeling appreciated or cannot see
the opportunities within the company then they may move on. A bi-annual review will invite
confidence in the company and express the intentions of employee growth.

On the other hand, a bi-annual review can also assist the removal of consistently
underperforming staff members. With back-up documentation and confirmation of
unsatisfactory performance, it can help them on their way if that is the only option left.

In what ways can you recognise the contribution of your work group members and why
should you do this?

There are many ways of recognising employees. Simple verbal praise and acknowledgement
is a good way, especially in front of other team members. Other ways include:
- improved working conditions
- increased responsibility
- new work tasks
- further training

It's important to recognise the contribution of employees as it will assist in motivation,

encouragement, and overall attitude improvement.

What is feedback and why is it important that managers and supervisors provide informal
feedback to staff on a regular basis?

Feedback is information that is given to people to let them know how they are doing.
Feedback on a regular basis is important as it makes the employee aware of their
performance and provides encouragement. It is a tool that can be used to make sure the
section/business is doing the right thing and moving in the right direction. It's also important
to give feedback as soon as possible for maximum impact.

Give examples and an explanation of what you consider to be formal and informal feedback.

Informal feedback is in the form of passing comments such as "great job on the birthday
cake, Tim. The guest was really happy with it."

Formal feedback comes in the form of a meeting or appraisal about performance.

You will need to address these complaints (ie terse and harsh interpersonal skills and her
lack of responsiveness when dealing with problems). What performance areas will you
investigate?

You would need to find the underlying issue that is affecting Sue. Maybe there is something
going on in her personal life, maybe she feels undervalued, maybe she is on the receiving
end of pressure or abuse from another employee. As she is known for being an exceptional
worker, there must be something that is preventing her from continuing her work ethic.

How would you approach Sue regarding these complaints?

A one-on-one conversation in private would be the best option. You would start with positive
comments about her continuous great work and then mention that there have been some
reports suggesting otherwise of late.

An honest, open and 'casual' approach should work well in this situation. It should be able to
detect the underlying issue and give the opportunity to work on a solution.

If you needed to gather information from other sources, how would you address the issue of
confidentiality?

You need to collect reliable, valid, relevant, productivity related information. Sue's identity
should not be revealed to other employees unless they are a direct involvement in the
problem. Other sources could also be customer surveys, figures, percentage of completed
customer issues.
How do you think the difficulties could be resolved?

Offering support and trying to encourage motivation would be the first step. Also, goal
setting may be another encouraging method depending on how the original discussion and
results went.

Explain what coaching and mentoring are, making certain that the differences between the
two processes are clearly explained.

Mentoring a staff member is the process of guiding them through a number of processes and
providing ongoing support. It can be a close relationship offering encouragement and
personal support.

Coaching a staff member is the process of guiding them in a particular skill or development.
It may not contain the level of personal interaction that a mentoring roll would offer.

Why is it necessary to document and record performance?

- To identify how the business is performing

- To determine productivity levels
- Identify improvement and training needs
- To provide evidence for future evaluations
- Determines whether actual performance matches forecasted performance
- Assist in income and promotion negotiations

Under what circumstances and for what reasons might HR expertise be of benefit to
managers and employees who are negotiating performance improvements?

When developing plans and procedures for improvement, HR are good to seek advice,
support and expertise to resolve issues and problems. HR can also mediate between the
manager and employee and then draw up a satisfactory outcome that can be helpful to both
parties.

HR can also keep discussions on track, clarify issues, and intervene when discussions
become heated. It can also be more comfortable discussion for both parties knowing that
there is a representative that will ensure that their rights are upheld.

If counseling and constant performance management fails to resolve the issue, HR can be
consulted for advice on further action.
What procedures might be followed to draw up and implement a performance improvement
plan?

Define the problem - Determine what the problem is and whether it's a performance or
behavior problem.

Clearly define and document the areas for improvement.

Identify how the standards will be measured.

Agree on timeframes for achievement of the goals and standards.

Identify needs such as coaching, training, and support.

Establish a review date.

Measure the performance against expected standards.

In what ways do you think excellent performance should be recognised and rewarded?
Explain the procedures that should be followed and explain why you think these ideas will
motivate employees.

Excellent performance could be recognised and rewarded by continuous acknowledgement

and praise. Other ways can be to offer bonuses and/or promotions or even extra training,
especially training that gains certification, and also extra responsibilities. Invitations to
industry related events are also a great reward.

Employees will feel motivated as they will see that other employees and management notice
their contribution and that it is appreciated of the hard work that is put in.

When employees feel values it inspires them to continue their hard work, learn new skills,
and move forward with the company.

Explain what you consider the value of mentoring and coaching to be and explain how it can
be used to support performance improvement.

Mentoring and coaching shows the employee that you are willing to invest some time into
their development. It provides guidance and support to enable the employee to do their job
as expected. This can be used to support performance improvement as it directs the
employee in the right direction and provides the right information for the employee to
succeed. It can also push the employee to excel in their field.

Why should counselling be instigated in the case where performance does not improve?

It's in the company's best interest to improve their current employees rather than to hire
new ones. There are far more costs and possible complications to replace employees.
Counseling enables the company to put together a very structured plan for the employee. It
also shows that the business is giving the employee every chance that they can to improve.

Explain the disciplinary actions that might be taken by an organisation if an employee’s

performance does not improve.

If an employee’s performance does not improve then warnings can be issued. Verbal,
written, and final warnings may be issued depending on the severity and the progress of the
performance. All disciplinary action must be documented and can also include notes from
witnesses.

What are some of the options that might aid an employee in resolving performance issues?

- Continued support
- Counseling
- Extra training
- Delegation of some tasks
- Retraining
- Time off

Case study 1
An employee is going through a nasty divorce. As a result of the divorce, the employee can
no longer afford to pay for child care for their 4 and a half year old child. The child will be
starting school in 4 months time and the school offers free after school care for working
parents. The employee has been distracted at work, making more errors than usual. They
have had a lot of time off and often have to leave work early to care for the child. Previous to
this the employee’s performance was excellent.
Considering there will be care options in 4 months time it may be appropriate to shift the
employees hours around temporarily to accommodate the sudden change. It's important to
support them through this as they are a valued employee. There may be the option of some
time off but money seems to be an issue. Delegation of some of their tasks may be helpful.

Case study 2
An employee’s performance has been unsatisfactory for a long time. The employee and their
manager created an employee development plan which has been carried out. The employee
has been given ample training and coaching. Verbal and written warnings have been given
but there has been no improvement in the employee’s performance.

Dismissal needs to be looked at as the next step. It would be advised to converse with HR for
the correct procedure per the company's policy and to ensure that all legal implications will
be avoided. All documentation must be presented as evidence for the decision.

Case study 3
An employee’s performance is identified as being unsatisfactory. The reasons for the
employee’s poor performance are unclear.

The employee would need to me monitored more closely. It would be best to approach the
employee and have a one-on-one meeting to try and understand their situation. There could
be many reasons for the unsatisfactory performance.

Case study 4
An employee’s behaviour at work has become erratic and their performance has slipped
markedly. They have on occasion, attended work smelling of alcohol and behaving as though
intoxicated. When the manager speaks to the employee, the employee admits that they have
a problem with alcohol but does not know where to turn to get help.

They need to be made aware of the consequences of being at work under the influence of
alcohol and also the importance of personal hygiene. Offering some time off would be the
best idea to give the employee a chance to seek help and work on their problem. Assistance
in finding this information would be good as well.

Case study 5
An employee’s performance has been identified as being unsatisfactory. When the manager
speaks to the employee, the employee admits that they are finding the job stressful. They tell
the manager that they do not enjoy dealing with customers and would prefer a less public
position.

More training in customer service could be offered. If this does not work or is not an option
then they could be retrained into a less customer focused position.

Delegation of tasks may take the stress out of their job allowing them to concentrate more
on customer service.

When allocating work, what things should be taken into consideration?

Work must be allocated considering the experience of the employee, the expertise, the skills,
the knowledge, and the workload. Has the employee done the particular task before or taken
on similar ones?

Why are performance management systems necessary and how do you think performance
appraisals contribute to performance and to productivity in an organisation?

Performance management systems are necessary for both the employee and the company.
Performance management keeps the employees in the right direction and assists with their
development. They aid in offering valuable information to the employee and also can be used
as a tool for receiving information about the working conditions and the position. It will also
give an opportunity to understand the learning requirements and learning style of the
employee. On top of this, it also creates a record of management which may need to be used
for official warnings and dismissal.

What steps might be taken if it is necessary to follow-up performance appraisals?

Upper management or an HR representative may need to be present.

All documentation must be available and presented for evidence.
Performance goals must be analysed to determine whether they are being achieved.
New goals and timelines may need to be set.

Why is it necessary to provide employees with regular, consistent and constructive feedback,
and if performance issues are identified, how might they be documented and who might it be
necessary to advise?
It's necessary to provide employees with regular, consistent and constructive feedback to
promote growth, to let the employee know how they are progressing, and to provide support
and motivation. If performance issues are identified, upper management and even HR may
need to be advised and all communication regarding the performance issue must be
documented to provide evidence for future discussions and performance plan
implementation.

What are some of the legislative and regulatory issues that should be considered?

Has the employee been given the appropriate time to correct their performance.
Has everything been correctly documented.
There are also laws to be aware of such as:
- Federation termination law
- State unfair dismissal jurisdiction

What should a good performance management system aim for?

A good performance management system should aim for improvement in the employees
performance and attitude, and provide the opportunity for correction and growth. It enables
encouragement and the opportunity for personal development. It also offers the opportunity
for staff counseling and identifying the need for training. Overall, it provides the company
with diversity and a tool for staff success.

If managers decide that an employee’s performance is so poor as to necessitate dismissal,

what must they be aware of? Submit your answer for assessment.

Written No7.docx

What needs to be considered when developing and implementing performance plans?

- The employees history

- The employees abilities
- Training opportunities
- Timeframes
- How performance will be measured
- Possible outcomes
What things need to be taken into consideration when allocating work and drawing up work
plans? Explain why it is necessary to:
o develop KRAs and KPIs that meet the organisation’s needs

o develop and implement effective performance management systems

o have a code of conduct (or a code of ethics or behaviour) for the organisation

o regularly monitor and evaluate the work of employees

o give effective feedback and reinforcement to employees and acknowledge

good work

o have systems in place to manage poor performance

o understand the organisation’s termination policy and the legislation to which

it relates

Your up-line manager has called you into the office to discuss a situation they have only just
become aware of. One of your major customers, Organisation X, has expressed dissatisfaction
with the service provided by your organisation. You have an ongoing contract to supply this
customer with goods until the end of the year. At this time the contract will be re-negotiated.
Apparently, Organisation X has expressed their dissatisfaction on a number of previous occasions,
but there has been no real improvement. As a result of the poor service and the problems with
supply of goods, the manager of Organisation X has strongly suggested that the contract will not
be extended and might, in fact, be offered to another organisation.
The problems have been traced to your…