Capital Performance Technology & Improvementâ€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Capital Performance Technology Improvement? Answer: Introduction Human resource management Human resource management is an approach that was discovered in the industrial revolution and has greatly evolved since then. Today, human resource management is considered to be one of the most important functions of an organisation that aims to ensuring proper management of the workforce in order to maximise the performance of a workplace. Human resource management works by fostering a better workplace environment and improving the relations between employers and employees[1]. there are a number of core and nor core functions in human resource management, such as performance management, recruitment and selection, training and development, attracting and retaining employees, employee motivation, etc. that help human resource managers in optimising the performance of the workforce. Performance management Performance management is one of the most important core functions of human resource management which allows human resource managers to work in collaboration with the employees to plan, monitor and analyse the performance levels that the employees demonstrate in an assessment period[2]. Performance management can have a lot of advantages for a business organisation as it helps in assessing the contribution that an employee, a team or a department has made towards the achievement of organisational goals and objectives and also assists human resource managers in fostering a workplace environment that is performance oriented. In the present day business world, business organisations have also come up with an idea of performance appraisals along with performance management, which further helps them in fostering a performance oriented environment and maximising the performance of their workforce. Company background ABC Tech Solutions is an Australian company that provides technical assistance to its clients, which are some of the big multinational firms. The company was started in 1987 and started expanding its business operations in the 1990s. Today, the company has multiple subsidiaries in India, Singapore, China and Vietnam and has an approximate workforce of 149,400 employees that work 24/7 to provide assistance to their clients and solve their queries. The company works through its own call centres where its technical experts attend phone calls and live chats to answer the queries generated by the clients and provide technical assistance to them in case there is something wrong with their systems. ABC Tech Solutions is one of the leading companies in the industry and has been performing exceptionally well but since the last 3 years, new market entrants have started to grab its market share and the company has been losing its competencies. After a thorough research and multiple surveys, it was discovered that the company has been losing its ability to perform better than the employees and satisfy the demands of its clients. Even though the company has a performance management system and a system of performance appraisal in place, the performance levels demonstrated by the employees had still hit an all-time low and the company is now fighting to survive in the market. The management of the company has decided to execute human perfor mance engineering and use human performance technology to achieve an increase in the performance levels of the employees. Therefore, this report aims at discussing certain issues that the management might face while trying to implement human performance technology in the workplace. Importance of performance management at work As discussed above, performance management is one of the most important core functions in human resource management that can have multiple benefits for the employers as well as for the employees. The present day business world is tough and only the fittest business organisations can survive the market competition. In such a scenario, business organisations are highly relying upon their human resources as a means of achieving market competencies and to perform better that the competitors. Therefore, to achieve higher performance on the overall, it is important that the human resource managers implement certain programs that can help their companies in fostering a better workplace environment where the workforce can perform better. The important of performance management at work is discussed below: First of all, employees are an integral and indispensable part of running a business smoothly and it is important from a business point of view to check whether they are fulfilling their job duties and responsibilities in an effective manner. Performance management provides an organisation with a framework to keep a check on how the employees are fulfilling the work that is assigned to them and whether they have performed up to the expectations of the employers or not. Secondly, performance management systems are very important in a business set up as they help an organization in identifying those areas where its workforce lacks competencies. Using performance management continuously helps in revealing those areas where the workforce has performed well as well as those areas where the workforce fails to performance up to the expectations. By assessing the underperformed tasks, human resource managers can identify areas where the employees lack competencies and can arrange appropriate training and development programs that will help the workforce in learning the skills that it lacks so that it can perform better in the future[3]. Thirdly, performance management at workplace can help in establishing a better communication channel between the employees and the employers so that the employers can clearly communicate their expectations to the employees. using performance management systems, human resource managers can provide the workforce with a clarity of strategic goals and organisational expectations and the workforce can then work accordingly to achieve them. Fourthly, performance management systems can have a direct impact on a companys profitability. Using performance management systems, it can become easier for business organisations to keep their workforce engaged and motivated to perform better. An engaged and motivated workforce will always perform better in terms of sales, innovation, and design and will help the business in becoming more profitable[4]. Fifthly, continuous performance management assessment can provide a detailed account of employee strengths and weaknesses and can help the management in identifying those employees who have the potential to work at higher job positions in the organisations. Thus, performance management will help an organisation in succession planning while it can provide career growth opportunities to the employees. Lastly, a performance management system can offer a management with a greater control over the workforce. With the help of performance management systems and performance appraisal systems, it can become easier for the employers to deal with the employees who are not performing well as they can take necessary actions against low performers on the basis of performance assessment. On the other hand, the management can promote and motivate high performers using yearly performance appraisals[5] Thus, for an organisation that wants to retain its competitive edge and continue to outperform its competitors, a performance management system in the workplace is of utmost important. Human Performance Technology and Human Performance Improvement Human performance technology Human performance technology, also known as HPT, is an approach that aims at improving the competencies and productivity of a workforce using a set of methods and procedures. It is also a strategy that helps in problem solving and identifying opportunities that are related with the performance of individuals. Human performance technology works by using a wide range of interventions from subjects like behavioural psychology, instructional system design, organisational development, human resource management, etc. to achieve its objectives. Using Human performance technology, human resource managers aim at systematic identification and removal of barriers to individual and organisational performance[6]. Human performance improvement Human performance improvement is another concept that is related with human performance technology. It is a systematic process that follows a result based approach to achieve an improvement in the performance levels of individuals, teams, departments and organisations. It helps human resource managers in analysing the success that their efforts have been able to achieve in improving the performance levels of employees[7]. Difference between Human Performance Technology (HPT) and Human Performance Improvement (HPI) Since the time when Tom Gilbert introduced the three terms i.e. Human performance engineering, human performance technology and human performance improvement in 1970s, most of the people have used all three terms interchangeably even though there is a considerable difference amongst the three terms. To understand the difference between the two terms, it is first important to define all the three terms. First of all, engineering is a scientific approach that helps in acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, social and practical knowledge to solve problems. Secondly, technology is the usage and knowledge of tools, techniques, crafts, systems, etc. Lastly, improvement is an act of bringing about a change in something for its betterment. Therefore, Human Resource Engineering is a process that aims at solving complex problems related to individual performance levels by making use of Human Performance Technology so that the end result is Human Performance Improvement, which clearly defines the difference between the three terms[8]. Issues in implementing Human Performance Technology Human resource management is one of the most important functions of an organisation and is also one of the most difficult one. It is always difficult for the managers to deal with the human element in the business and keep them motivated to perform better at all times. The condition that ABC Tech Solutions is facing can also be attributed to the failure of its human resource management to foster a competitive and a performance oriented environment in the workforce, which lead to a decrease in the performance levels of the employees and the company lost its market share to the competitors. For the company to regain its market position and become competitive again, it is important that it implements human resource technology in the workplace so that there can be an increase in the employee performance levels, which will help the company in performing better and becoming competitive once again. Some of the issues that the management might face while trying to implement human resource te chnology in the workplace are discussed below: Measuring the right performance and using the right key performance indicators First of all, to bring about an improvement in the performance of the workforce, it is of utmost important that an organisation is able to assess the right performance levels of the employees using the right performance indicators. It is often said that a dysfunctional performance management system can cause more damage to an organisation than the benefits that a performance management system can have. Using the wrong key performance indicators to assess the performance levels of a workforce can foster a wrong behaviour and the performance levels can drop down exponentially. In the case of ABC Tech Solutions, all the working is done through call centres and the call centres have to operate 24/7 to solve customer queries and issues. In such a business setup, the employees have to be very competitive as they have to solve client issues and queries in real time and as quickly as possible. A failure in an employees ability to provide the right assistance in the minimum possible time can lead to customer grievances and the business of a company can get affected[9]. Further, it is also important for the employees to attend all incoming calls in such a way that the next called is not kept in waiting for too long. Therefore, it can be clearly seen that such a business organisation will have unique key performance indicators and choosing the wrong indicators will foster a negative performance environment. For ABC Tech Solutions, assessing the performance gaps will remain an important issue because in such a business set up, it is never easy to identify the skills or competencies that the employees lack. If the management of the company identifies wrong performance gaps, it will keep on working hard to improve those performance gaps but will never be able to achieve the results that it wants. Ultimately, it will end up wasting its time and important resources and might end up losing its entire market share to the competitors. Change management The second and the greatest issue that is a nightmare to all business organisations in the world is related with the management of change. In trying to improve the performance levels of employees using Human Performance Technology, it is obvious that the management will have to introduce certain changes in the workplace so that the inefficient practices can be removed and more efficient practices can take place and assist the workplace in performing better. In the case of ABC Tech Solutions, it can be observed that the performance management system implemented by the company has not been able to foster the right performance environment in the workplace because the employee performance levels have hit an all-time low. The management of the company will have to redesign its performance management system, which can prove to be an issue for the company because the human element in a company will always offer a little or more resistance to change management programs. It is the tendency of human beings to resist any kind of a change as they do not like to get out of their comfort zones. Further, such a major change in the company might cause an unrest in the minds of the employees, who will end up resisting the change due to the fear of the unknown. There can also be rumours in the organisation. Introducing changes in the performance management system and the performance appraisal system can create an alarming situation in the workplace and t he employees might start feeling insecure about their jobs[10]. A change management program can only be successful when the workforce is ready to accept the change and perceives a benefit along with it. On the other hand, it is always difficult to convince the employees for a change program and involving them in it. Thus, introducing workplace changes will also prove to be a challenge in implementing Human Performance Technology for the company. Formulation of performance objectives While implementing human performance technology, it is equally important to formulate the right performance objectives as important is identifying the right performance gaps in the workforce. Formulating wrong performance objectives can make the management reward wrong employee behaviours, which will further complicate the situation for the company. Further, measuring too much can also create more problems for the company as it might foster a feeling a negativity amongst the employees. If the performance objectives formulated by the management are not achievable or practical, it can have a negative impact on employee performance levels because of a decrease in employee morale, motivation levels, job satisfaction levels and because of frustration of not being able to meet the performance objectives[11]. In the case of ABC Tech Solutions, the performance objectives will definitely be in terms of quantitative data, such as time taken to solve client queries, average waiting time, time spend on taking calls, etc. It is important for the management to set the right performance objectives so that it can bridge the gap between actual perforance and the expected performance in an efficient way. Selecting the right intervention As discussed above, human performance technology is a systematic approach that aims at improving the performance of employees using various interventions, such as training and development, job aids, expectation clarifications, team building, incentives, performance measurements, etc. In order to implement Human performance technology to bring about an improvement in the employee performance levels, it is important for the management to select the right intervention that will help it in bridging the identified performance gaps. Failure of an organisation to implement the right intervention for improving employee performance can result in wastage of time and limited resources, which can further make it incompetent. In the case of ABC Tech Solutions, a major issue that the management will face is related with the selection of intervention that will assist it in bringing about an improvement in the performance levels of the employees. The management of the company will have to carry out an extensive research to assess the right performance gaps so that it can select an appropriate intervention that will help it bridging the gap. Performance appraisals and incentives Another issue that the company might face while trying to implement Human performance technology is related with the performance appraisal system and incentives. The company has already been losing its competitiveness in the market and has been experiencing lower profitability as a result of it. In order to implement Human performance technology, the company will have to introduce certain changes in the workplace and implement a new performance management system that would comprise of new performance objectives. In order to achieve an increase in employee performance levels and to motivate the employees to accept a change, the management will have to design appraisal system and offer certain incentives to those employees who will demonstrate a change in their behaviour. The management will have to carefully decide the incentives so that they do not act as an added burden on the finances of the company but are still able to reinforce a change in employee behaviour and motivate them to perform better. Implementation strategy Implementing a human performance technology in an organisation is not an easy task and requires a competent human resource management to achieve success. Some recommendations that can help the management at ABC Tech Solutions in achieving success with its Human Performance Technology implementation are given below: First of all, the management of the company needs to strengthen its performance management system so that it is able to recognize the right performance gaps. The management can also use anonymous employee surveys to collect information from the employees that will be helpful in knowing about the skills or competencies that they lack. Thus, the management will be able to recognize the right performance gaps. Secondly, the management needs to prepare its workforce for a change. The management of the company should create an urgency for change in the workplace by sharing market information and data with the workforce, which will help the workforce in understanding the cause of change. The management of the company should involve the workforce in the change management program and should explain it to them that the change will be beneficial for them as well as for the market reputation of the company[12]. Thirdly, the management of the company should formulate SMART performance objectives. SMART performance objectives are the ones that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-based or Trackable. Formulating SMART goals can provide a better direction to the management and it can work towards the achievement of the right performance gaols that will help it in keeping the employees engaged and motivated[13]. Fourthly, the management of the company should conduct a thorough research before taking a decision about the intervention it would use for improving the workplace performance. It is not always advantageous to use obvious interventions; such as change in performance management plans or offering greater incentives to the employees. Sometimes, incentives like training and development can also prove to be more effective in increasing employee performance. Thus, the management should compare different interventions that it can implement and should chose the intervention that will have the maximum impact on the employee performance levels[14]. Lastly, though incentives and performance appraisals might increase the operational cost of the company but offering incentives to the workforce is of utmost important as it will help the management in reinforcing a change in their behaviour and increase in performance levels. Incentives and performance appraisals can help in motivating the workforce as the act as a system of rewarding and recognising the efforts that the employees are making[15]. Conclusion Implementation of Human Performance Technology is not as easy as it sounds. The concept of Human Performance Technology is complex and only a competent human resource management can pull it off successfully. The issues involved in the implementation of Human Performance Technology are some serious issues as they can have adverse impacts on employee performance levels if they are not properly dealt with. Thus, ABC Tech Solutions should look into the above information and should consider the above recommendations in order to improve the performance of its workforce by successfully implementing Human Performance Technology in the workplace. References Armstrong, M. Taylor, S., 2014. Armstrong's Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. s.l.:Kogan Page Publishers. Armstrong, M., 2009. Armstrong's handbook of performance management: an evidence-based guide to delivering high performance. s.l.:Kogan Page Publishers. Bardot, S., n.d. What are the benefits of a good Performance Management System ?. [Online] Available at: https://compensationinsider.com/what-are-the-benefits-of-a-good-performance-management-system/ [Accessed 17 May 2017]. Cornerstoneondemand, n.d. The Benefits of Performance Management. [Online] Available at: https://www.cornerstoneondemand.com/benefits-performance-management [Accessed 17 May 2017]. Noe, R. A., Hollenbeck, J. R., Gerhart, B. Wright, P. M., 2006. Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. [Online] Available at: https://s3.amazonaws.com/prealliance_oneclass_sample/e5kKbwZMpg.pdf [Accessed 17 May 2017]. Hrispi.org, n.d. WHAT IS HPT?. [Online] Available at: https://www.hrispi.org/what-is-hpt-hampton-roads-ispi [Accessed 17 May 2017]. Theengagementeffect, n.d. What is Human Performance Improvement?. [Online] Available at: https://theengagementeffect.com/our-toolset/additional-tools/human-performance-improvement [Accessed 17 May 2017]. NEWMAN, J. D., 2015. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HPE, HPT AND HPI AND DOES IT MATTER?. [Online] Available at: https://www.humanperformancetools.com/difference-hpe-hpt-hpi-matter/ [Accessed 17 May 2017]. Reddy, K., n.d. S.M.A.R.T Goals: Definition, Importance, Advantages Disadvantages. [Online] Available at: https://content.wisestep.com/smart-goals-definition-importance-advantages-disadvantages/ [Accessed 17 May 2017]. Roberthalf, 2014. Change Management: Tips for Success. [Online] Available at: https://www.roberthalf.com/management-resources/blog/change-management-tips-for-success [Accessed 17 May 2017]. Thiag.com, 2014. 20 Interventions. [Online] Available at: https://www.thiagi.com/archived-games/2014/12/28/20-interventions McQuerrey, L., n.d. Importance of Incentive Plans. [Online] Available at: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-incentive-plans-75495.html [Accessed 17 May 2017]. NEXTLEVELHU, 2015. (Survey Results) The Greatest Current Challenges to Performance Improvement. [Online] Available at: https://hpaweb.org/2015/01/28/greatest-current-challenges-performance-improvement/ [Accessed 17 May 2017]. Rose, M., n.d. Addressing the people problem: Human performance technology. [Online] Available at: https://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/tip/Addressing-the-people-problem-Human-performance-technology [Accessed 17 May 2017]. Pershing, J. A., Lee, J. Cheng, J., 2008. Current status, future trends, and issues in human performance technology, part 2: Models, influential disciplines, and research and development. Performance Improvement, 47(2) [1] (Armstrong Taylor, 2014) [2] (Armstrong, 2009) [3] (Bardot, n.d.) [4] (Cornerstoneondemand, n.d.) [5] (Noe, et al., 2006) [6] (Hrispi.org, n.d.) [7] (Theengagementeffect, n.d.) [8] (NEWMAN, 2015) [9] (NEXTLEVELHU, 2015) [10] (Rose, n.d.) [11] (Pershing, et al., 2008) [12] (Roberthalf, 2014) [13] (Reddy, n.d.) [14] (Thiag.com, 2014) [15] (McQuerrey, n.d.)