Performance Management

Performance management is a key tool used by organizations to ensure that the goals are met efficiently and effectively. The students at Skidmore College, from the class of 2012, must learn that effective performance management will contribute to an employee's success in their job. This therefore implies that performance management is an ongoing communication process between the organization and the employees with the aim of promoting clear set objectives, expectations and understanding as to the role and the function of the employee in helping the organization meet its goals and objectives. The supervisors within an organization define what optimal work performance is and gives the employee relevant concrete examples which the employee may relate to while doing their job. True performance management works when a partnership exists between the organization and its employees to ensure that the employees perform well. The organization provides the necessary resources and support that an employee would need in order to perform a clean and safe working environment, training and career development, feedback, motivation and proper appraisal and rewards scheme (Van Dooren, 2011).

Performance management within an organization may not necessarily eliminate common management problems and challenges but it will most likely contribute to reducing them and creating an enabling working environment for workers. It is often an ongoing process done consistently and diligently. If enough time is spent by management on performance management, and it is used effectively and properly and shows the significance of building cooperative relationships in the workplace, then performance management may enhance management aspects within an organization in such a way that management is able to reduce the time it spends on getting involved in simple minute organizational aspects. This therefore implies that performance management allows employees the ability to acquire autonomy in conducting their duties, and also reduces errors done on the job (Van Dooren, 2011).

The goal of performance management is to ensure that the organization and its subsystems are working together optimally to ensure higher results desired by the organization are achieved. All of the subsystems within an organization often work together in an organized fashion to ensure that the goals of the organization are achieved. In order to be able to conduct these activities optimally without missing an operation, a plan documenting what is to be done would be essential. A performance management plan is very essential and significant as it defines means and ways to meet the performance targets and also quantifies and gives the performance results a measurable value. It also outlines ways to meet personal and professional goals. The performance management plan is also very crucial for the firm in its future employment.

In a constantly changing economy with various uncertain outcomes it is important that the performance management plans are dynamic. Some of the prominent performance management plans are often developed according to the following criteria: Organizational goals which connect the duties and responsibilities of employees to the outcomes set within the organization. In this type of plan, often, the employee's contribution in attaining the goals of an organization is often measured. Employee motivation, appraisal and a reward plan, which analyzes the interests of the employees and what motivates them, is important to be able to create a plan for appraising their performance, motivating and rewarding them. In this type of plan, an organization must have good rapport with their employees and be able to listen and understand which factors influence the productivity of employees. These personal interests of employees are taken into consideration and aligned with the organizations performance goals and then help in formulating a plan which will assure that this alignment is attained; Job description plan, this is a formal outline of the employees tasks and responsibilities and their quantifiable results which give emphasis to the performance of the task that has been assigned. These help in formulating an organization's performance management plan clearly outlining the results that each task that is to be performed will yield (Bacal 1999). Whichever performance management plan is chosen, the plan must be realistic, motivating and measurable. It should be dynamic and flexible for changing working conditions and should be able to motivate employees.

Performance management is very important both to the employees and to the organization.