The Need for Change Management Process
Question:
Discuss about the Analysis of Controllable and Uncontrollable Factors.
Managing performance remains an essential part of development for any organization in the present competitive business environment. Performance management creates a critical framework responsible for guiding, supporting, and encouraging a performance oriented culture which eventually benefits the company as well as the individual employees. The culture of performance steers success to organizations and personal career growth among individuals thus providing a win-win situation for parties involved. Performance management systems further enhance service delivery as the culture of performance provides a linkage between the attainments of goals and improves the understanding of employees on the need to satisfy the goals of an organization (Bolden, 2016).
However, the introduction and implementation of the performance system has to be done in a manner that safeguards the job security of individuals through an initiation of a change management process. According to Ochurub, Bussin & Goosen (2012), the organization needs to be ready for change and put all the necessary efforts towards building confidence on the side of the employees on the need and benefits of the mentioned change. The employees need to understand positive elements that the organization is set to achieve as well as how the expected change would change their fortunes.
As a result, the need for training and sensitization on performance management system arises where employees have to be assured of the positivity and learn on aligning the goals with their individual performance standards. Since change readiness serves as an indicator for the responsive level of employees on change, it will be prudent to consider it in the first stage prior to the implantation.
Performance management systems bear positive results on firms and their respective employees. The system gives the employer a framework from which the management and monitoring of performance aspects can be observed and necessary action taken. The systems allows for results on the effectiveness of an employee, contribution to overall organization goals, areas of improvement, and the gaps needed in performance (Van Dooren, Bouckaert & Halligan, 2015). As such, it allows the management to build the capacity of employees through training, workshops, improvement of resources, and change in strategy to suit enhanced performance. In the long run, employees would benefit from it through enhanced skills which present them the opportunity for promotions and career growth.
Performance management aligns tasks with goals which enhance the need to surpass set standards among employees. Workers working under a performance management system with clearly set out goals and targets tend to remain active and determined to attain the most of their task. In this respect, the process impacts positively on employee performance once the understanding and reality of capacity building sets in (Van Dooren, Bouckaert & Halligan, 2015). Moreover, employees become determined to outdo their challenges as opposed to the group working where a cross-examination of personal performance remains scanty. Responsibility acts as motivation factor to increased performance, and thus justifies the need for the performance management system. As such, it would bear a positive impact on the performance of employees once introduced.
Positive Impact on Employee Performance
Performance management systems work under the pressure to deliver quality and improve the production process from time to time. As employees continue working, the system evaluates their performance while highlighting their strong and weak areas. In providing a remedy to the situation, the management strives to build their capacity on the weakness while appraising them whenever a positive aspect is discovered. Bloom, Propper, Seiler, & Van Reenen (2015) argue that the performance management system would further identify the strengths of individual workers and plan for proper job design that matches the relevant skills with the respective task towards increased productivity.
Employees would be motivated doing tasks matching their qualifications and talents thereby increasing the desire to productive performance. In the long run, employees become motivated to work and outshine the rest thus encouraging the spirit of competition amongst each other. Positive work should always be rewarded through a reward mechanism that boosts and grows the desire to better performance.
Performance management systems in organizations are responsible for monitoring and identification of elements of strength and weakness among employee performance. As such, it prepares the organization in its training and refresher needs on key performance areas thus steering growth. Employees receiving top-notch resources and training services have a high probability of remaining loyal to a firm and benefiting from an appraisal system in place (Cascio, 2018). The mining workers working in isolated locations may be bored and desire to seek employment in other areas where capacity building and proper working environment exists.
However, presenting them with the same at no fee assists in captivating their minds towards performance and increased desire to continue working for the firm. Consequently, the build-up in skills and motivations accompanying the same reduces the rate of employee turnover in organization thereby steering an organization positively (Ainsworth, Smith & Millership, 2002). The mining workers would enjoy the services of the system and boost their confidence and job security since it is meant to empower their skills and not as a measure of laying them off.
Communication is a significant aspect which occurs between employees and the employer aimed at arriving at a point of objectivity and clearing issues at hand. The introduction of a performance management system would assist in opening up employees to their employer. During the performance report exercises, employees would be much at peace to explain areas of weakness where the employer can associate the same to the performance registered (Thomson, Thomson & Arney, 2015). Afterward, a training process can be instituted where a staff becomes more willing to learn and communicate effectively on the areas of interest in line with the organization goals. Thus, the situation presents positive results for the company and the employees at large.
The above mentioned issues serve as a recommendation for the introduction of the performance management as the set benefits seem to outweigh the challenges involved. The use of change management in the process would ensure a seamless transition and adaption to the performance management system given a clear communication on the need for the change among employees. Besides, the inclusion of employees in key decisions should remain in consideration to boost their moral and accommodate their views. Accommodation of employee views on issues and eliminating issues of doubt among the workers would lead to positive impacts on both the workers and the Mining Company regardless of its location (Anitha, 2014). It remains evident based on the benefits that the introduction of the system would increase motivation and morale among employees thus recommendable for the organization to undertake the venture.
Motivation for Increased Productivity
Staff rotation is an important aspect for a company with different sites of operation. Staff rotation remains essential in achieving human resource objectives such as training, refresher course, and orientation all of which contribute towards performance. As such, it enhances career development and prevents job boredom or burnout caused by the intense nature of the mining industry. The operation of the sites as single entities spells doom for the firm’s workers who are forced to remain in one location over time complicated by the presence of militant acts on foreigners (Aven, 2016). The economic crisis and the threat from ISIS threaten the executives on site thus causing a possible situation of a high staff turnover rate.
The case calls for the solving of the threat issue as well as the retention menace and lack of staff rotation essential for growth. In normal circumstances, workers feeling threatened would always exit an organization scampering for their safety. The situation calls for an assurance of employee safety and minimization of risks within the organization. Risk is the prime issue at hand that needs addressing.
The management ought to explore the option of implementing an Integrated Duty to Care Risk Management that entails an eight step process. The process follows the Plan-Do-Check approach to management of safety of individuals working in the isolation location. The plan category shall involve key stakeholders in identifying the responsibilities to be done under the same while the ‘do’ category catering for the Duty of Care and travel risk management implementation and deployment (Kerzner & Kerzner, 2017). The ‘check’ category shall deal with the monitoring and evaluation aspect to ensure the staff within and outside of the premise remain safe and sound.
The management plan provides paths to handling safety issues among the Mining Co. workers which would reduce the desire to leave the organization for other safe areas. The management is to explore the following steps in creating a safe working and travel environment.
The first step in providing the solution involves assessment of the safety and security in the location where the employees work, travel, and live in understanding the obligations needed. In this case, the Mining Co. situated in an isolated location experiences the threat of terrorism acts due to the presence of the ISIS operations. The measures have to align with the risk at hand in driving a sense of care to the workers.
The step calls for development of an integrated risk management strategy during incidents and ongoing care. Here, the firm needs to plan for strategic care of its workers at the work environment, dwelling places, and during travel from one location to the other.
After planning, the firm needs to develop policies and procedures of safe practice and travel advisory to its members based on the prevailing intelligence reports. A travel policy has to be formulated as well as procedures on safety of employees both in precaution and reactive measures in case of an incidence occurrence.
The organization needs to explore a global mobility of its workers flying in and out of the site as well as their immediate families. An assessment of the threat factor has to be observed and considered before departures and arrivals are made to safeguard employees and senior management from the threat of terror groups (Sadgrove, 2016). As a result, such travels must be accompanied by security officers and other protocol personnel.
Identification of Strengths and Weaknesses
The organization needs to communicate the management plan to its employees to make them aware of the situations, train them on response lines and seeking security during distress moments. The understanding of the potential risks assists in taking precautions and following the safety guide in place towards safety. The plan has to include operations within the site and those during the travel time (Bader, Berg & Holtbrügge, 2015).
The Mining Co. has to know the whereabouts of its employees and have cameras on location that can detect threat at a distance. Officials on travel must be monitored and informed of any matters arising through proactive communication to cater for emergencies and upcoming threats.
In case of a crisis or attack, the care plan officials should be able to advice and support workers within and out of site to find assistance and prepare for evacuation plans in case of attacks (Bromiley, McShane, Nair & Rustambekov, 2015). The procedures should be well understood and necessary contact numbers provided.
The firm should be ready to check on the security operations and precautions and analyze their rate of effectiveness all along. The measure will assist in providing a holistic approach to correcting the non-performing aspects thus guaranteeing safety to its workers.
The firm has to go to greater lengths and institute an insurance policy for its workers to cater for health, evacuation, ransom, and business continuity. Besides, it has to develop alert system that is real time and reaches all employees to boost awareness. Compensation plans have to exist and made known to the workers to boost their morale and desire to work for the organization (Glendon, Clarke & McKenna, 2016). Further, the firm needs to offer paid leaves with free transport for workers periodically to break the boredom and further reunite the workers with their families.
Moreover, the compensation and risk allowances have to reviewed upwards to motivate the employee in working in the isolated and high risk areas (Deresky, 2017). Education and training of immediate family members can be embraced as a measure of retaining workers with great experience. The measures aforementioned assist in motivating and seeking loyalty from the workers in the face of the turbulent times. Staffs aware of their security guarantee and a higher stipend for the difficult and risky tasks tend to have a higher retention rate (Park, Seager, Rao, Convertino & Linkov, 2013). As a firm facing the threat of terror and also the risk of employee loss, it is proper for the firm to consider the recommendation in safeguarding and reducing the employee turnover rate among the individuals.
Crisis management is a crucial function for a firm presented with the threat of exit by employees based on the security situation at hand. The crisis management team provides encouragement and support during times of crisis, where in this case relates to the loss of a talent in the organization (Ertas, 2015). The first step in solving a crisis is acknowledging the fact it can happen and beginning to prepare for an occurrence. Being prepared for a crisis entails building the capacity of employees and other stakeholders involved in tackling issues with knowledge and providing a seamless transition towards normalcy.
Reduced Employee Turnover
A crisis team involves persons with skills and instinct on reactive and proactive measures towards given sets of crisis. The team shall be selected from all departments where the representatives alongside the top level management shall sit and make deliberations to cater for the talent management issues and others within the organization. The human resource department shall field in more persons for professional and functional reasons related to their office. The positions therein can include a crisis manager, public affair advisor, security manager, legal advisor, human resource advisor, health and safety coordinator, and aides in the several departments (Liu, Shankar & Yun, 2017). Representing each department is essential in identifying the suitable person to fill a position as each of them understand the duties performed daily thus can make informed decision on the same. The team shall select their preferred leader whose position can be reviewed from annually to offer equal chances to individuals.
The crisis management team should work closely with the human resource department in handling the lay-off and resignation process. The team may be activated anytime a crisis looms to reduce the impact on reputational damage on the company. The broad role of the team shall dwell from offering support onsite, managing crisis situations, managing human impacts and other assignments related to crisis situations. According to Ji, Liu, & Austin (2014), the creation of a social media page for alerts serves well in crisis management. The team is to ensure that employees with intentions to resign ought to record the same with the department two months in advance to cater for proper planning and control of the change of guard.
However, cases of sudden loss such as through acts of terror and accidents need for speedy replacement as there is no specific notice given over the same (Grissom, Viano, & Selin, 2016). As such, it calls for proper advance planning in the human resource capacity building and replacement options. Talent in the organization can be lost anytime regarding the prevalent factors leading to turnover among employees. As such, it is proper as an immediate remedy plan for the company to engage in training and development plans among the workers to cushion the effect of loss.
Training existing workers and educating them to match the talents needed for a given position is substantial as the parent culture and shared values of an organization remains intact (Drennan, McConnell & Stark, 2014). In sourcing of employees to fill vacant positions also acts as a motivation factor for the junior employees with the desire for career growth. At the same time, it reduces the costs in orientation and training of new workers whenever filling a vacant position.
Outsourcing of workers on a part-time basis is an important step towards catering for a crisis situation. Employees can be sought and retained on a part-time basis and thereby become handy whenever an opportunity arises. According to Bundy, Pfarrer, Short & Coombs (2017), such persons can replace the gap on a permanent basis as more effort to find other part-timers with relevant skills and qualifications remains underway. The measure aims at minimizing the loss experienced from the time an employee leaves and organization to the period when recruitment and selection comes to an end. Based on the location, travel arrangements should always be in plan to guarantee a safe and speedy delivery of the next talent to fill the gap.
Improved Communication
Recruitment and queuing of potential employees is essential towards succession planning in cases where the employees within the organization do not meet the qualification required for a given post. In this case, the crisis management team needs to work closely with the human resource team in selecting the best candidates. After selection, there is the need to keep close touch with the individuals to keep them updated of the vacancies and ascertain whether they have been engaged in other areas of employment (Pang, Kucukusta & Chan, 2015). The measure is critical as it ensures that the workers are available at the time of need. The number of people in this section has to be vast in nature as the probability of several of them getting active employment remains high.
The team shall receive an addition stipend and privileges apart from their normal salaries for the extra function conducted. The team shall meet from time to time to plan on precautionary measures in talent management and thus do not have to perform the tasks on a daily basis thus justifying the proposition for extra pay depending on the sittings made and the deliberation and performance in line with crisis management (Kim & Fernandez, 2017).
The business world involves several risk factors that ought to be mitigated or solved reactively in a timely manner. Planning for a crisis reduces the risk factors that may damage an organization’s reputation. In doing so, the crisis team shall provide an all-round support in ensuring that no talent gap is available using the four strategies towards retaining and acquiring employees for the organization (Nica, 2016). Mining Co, in its present state would benefit from the crisis team formation and extend the same over the different isolated locations within its business entity.
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