Activity 1.2 | Managing and Leading in the ECE sector
Activity 1.2 | Managing and Leading in the ECE sector
Human Resource Management (HRM)
Performance Improvement Plan
Putting it into Practice
According to Craig and the College of New Caledonia (n.d.)
"most people feel nervous about giving and receiving performance evaluations. One way to limit this is to show the employee the written evaluation before the interview so the employee knows what to expect. To keep it a two-way conversation, many organizations have the employee fill out the same evaluation, and answers from the employee and manager are compared and discussed in the interview. When the manager meets with the employee to discuss the performance evaluation, the manager should be clear, direct, and to the point about positives and weaknesses. The manager should also discuss goals for the upcoming period, as well as any pay increases or improvement plans as a result of the evaluation. The manager should also be prepared for questions, concerns, and reasons for an employee’s not being able to meet performance standards"
It is wonderful when a staff member deserves recognition for a job well done, but often, implementing a performance improvement plan is necessary. A performance improvement plan should not be punitive; rather, it should help your staff develop and succeed.
Craig and the College of New Caledonia (n.d.) offered six main components of a performance improvement plan to support success:
- Define the problem.
- Discuss the behaviours that should be modified based on the problem.
- List specific strategies to modify the behaviour.
- Develop long- and short-term goals.
- Define a reasonable timeline for improvements.
- Schedule “check-in” dates to discuss the improvement plan.
A performance improvement plan is most effective when it is collaboratively written by the manager and the staff member. This approach helps you obtain maximum buy-in. Additionally, the conversation that is required to support the need for a performance improvement plan can be sensitive.
Craig and the College of New Caledonia (n.d.) suggested some considerations for providing feedback:
- Be direct and specific. Use examples to show where the employee has room for improvement and where the employee exceeds expectations, such as, “The expectation is zero accidents, and you have not had any accidents this year.”
- Do not be personal; always compare the performance to the standard. For example, instead of saying, “You are too slow on the production line,” say, the “expectations are ten units per hour, and currently you are at eight units.”
- Remember, it is a development opportunity. As a result, encourage the employee to talk. Understand what the employee feels he does well and what he thinks he needs to improve.
- Thank the employee and avoid criticism. Instead of the interview being a list of things the employee doesn’t do well (which may give the feeling of criticizing), thank the employee for what the employee does well, and work on action plans together to fix anything the employee isn’t doing well. Think of it as a team effort to get the performance to the standard it needs to be.
Craig, Z., and College of New Caledonia (n.d.). Introduction to Human Resource Management. Canadian 1st Ed. [Pressbook] CC-BY 4.0.