Dynamic Performance Management

Performance is managed in every organisation whether formally or informally. Organisations however struggle to demonstrate the extent to which their performance can be directly linked back to that of individual employees largely because of lack of flexibility and dynamism in the existing approaches to performance management. This book starts by tracing the history of performance management with the intention of making the reader understand its evolutionary path and its links with an organisation’s growth cycle. This approach is based on the author’s observation that performance management in organisations lacks dynamism largely because of failure to link the model used with where the organisation is in its growth stages.Performance management has been evolving in line with changing perspectives of the practice of human resources management in organisations which in itself is linked to an organisation’s position in its life cycle. The distinct phases in the evolution of performance management from merit ratings; performance appraisals; management by objectives; results based management; fusion of results based management and management by objectives and the arrival of 360 degrees appraisal; strategic performance management are all demonstrated to be applicable depending on the phase or stage in which an organisation is at. The dynamism element is illustrated to be a result of an organisation being able to exercise strategic flexibility in implementing performance management.The book comprehensively demonstrates the link between dynamic performance management and other key human resources management functions such as recruitment and selection, remuneration and rewards management, training and development and strategic planning. It illustrates that dynamism in performance management comes from establishing a solid base by getting the basic infrastructure right though ensuring that the system is backed by an enabling culture, strategic objectives, job roles, key result areas, key performance indicators, mechanisms for monitoring and measuring, and for managing performance gaps. Key topics covered include: planning for performance management through deriving performance objectives from the organisation’s strategic plan and ensuring their cascading to lower levels; capacitating the organisation to through high performance work systems, a high performance culture and focusing on human resources management bundles that drive performance; performance monitoring, measurement and gap management; paying for performance; managing change associated with high performance culture and legal implications of employee performance appraisal. Given the evolutionary nature of performance management and the increasing dynamism in an average organisation’s environment, the book concludes by looking at anticipated future trends in managing organisational and by implication employee performance.This book is ideal for students, human resources management practitioners intent on stepping up their strategic contribution to organisational performance and for executives who want to have a hands on approach to performance management.

Faith Ntabeni-Bhebe (Ph.D) specialises in research on human capital management, training and development. Performance management is one of her key areas of interest. She is the founder and managing consultant of Enhancement Consultants (www.enhancement-consultants.com).