A benchmarking and best practices study conducted in 1999 by Linkage Inc found that ‘Structuring For Success’ is a key ingredient for successfully implementing and sustaining a performance management system.

The Performance Management e-Toolkit helps you do just that!

Managers and employees need the confidence & competence to set goals, observe performance, give & receive feedback, deliver and digest tough messages (including grievances and disciplinary actions), and to create development plans. However, training cannot replace the need to structure for success.

Structuring for success comes in the form of well thought through and designed performance management e-toolkit of policies, procedures, and paperwork made accessible to all managers and employees via electronic support systems (preferably the company intranet).

The e-Toolkit takes the ‘theory’ and ‘jargon’ out of performance management and contains a comprehensive set of line manager friendly policies, procedures, and paperwork that can be used as training, support and administrative materials to launch and sustain an integrated performance management process and system.

The Performance Management e-Toolkit has been developed in South Africa by South African Legal and HR professionals for small and medium companies to meet the requirements of the key labour acts that stress the importance of fair and developmental people management practices.

A position paper entitled ‘Critical success factors to support the management of performance summarises the theory and best practices associated with well-designed and implemented performance management systems. This 9-page paper quickly gets the reader in touch with the HR and management practices that need to be aligned for performance management as a ‘way of life’ to be sustained in organizations.

Twenty (20) performance management principles are presented in plain English to begin to structure and communicate ‘the rules of the game’ for managers and employees to know that performance management is a business process that links what individuals and teams do on a daily basis with the larger goals, values and cultural practices of the company and the needs of its customers.

A step-by-step implementation guide presents the planning requirements, roll out sequence and time frames to be used to successfully implement and sustain a phased introduction of performance management into the organisation.

Module 4 is a comprehensive guide that brings the use of the policies and procedures to life. All the documentation and user guidelines required to administer and record (for legal purposes) a full cycle of performance management actions are presented in module 4. The following paper-light worksheets, guidelines and instructions are included in the e-Toolkit:

Þ Work unit outputs and job priorities sheet: The structured worksheets and memos help to clarify work expectations between manager, and direct reports vis-à-vis the 'business/strategic plan.

Þ Objective setting worksheet: (Electronic) memos and guides to help mangers and teams to (a) set measurable goals/objectives, and (b) evaluate results against objectives/track results.

Þ The performance development plan: A Performance Development Plan (PDP) is a flexible tool for improving employee performance. It can be used with your strongest performers to identify new ways in which they can contribute, or with employees who are not meeting expectations.

Þ Career development plans: A Career Development Plan (CDP) is a tool to keep individual's skills and interests aligned with organizational needs, and to build employee commitment to the organization.

Þ Recognising Individuals: The following memos and advice outline various ways of recognizing individuals with both formal and informal rewards. They can be used for everything from a quick pat on the back for a job well done, to recognition of individual or group efforts that have made a significant contribution to goals and objectives.

Þ Recognising your team: The following tips and memos help you to recognize team contributions. Recognizing team performance can be done both formally (gift certificates, catered event) or informally (memo). However you decide to do it, the positive feedback you give for team accomplishments can have a real impact on teamwork and future success.

The management of performance does not always go smoothly, and at times poor performance can be become a disciplinary issue. The e-toolkit includes a simple, but legally defensible disciplinary policy supported by a line-manager friendly procedure and paperwork to record the process at all stages. This module has been designed to comply with the Code of Good Practice on Disciplinary Procedures under Schedule 8 of the Industrial Relations Act.

Grievances about appraisal ratings, salary reviews, and management style are not unheard of once an organisaton introduces a formal performance management system and process. The e-toolkit provides both managers and employees with a clear-cut set of policy, procedure and paperwork guidelines for dealing with grievances speedily and equitably (for justice delayed is justice denied).

Reward and recognition is the single most powerful instrument management has with which to change, establish and reinforce performance that supports the achievement of business goals and values. Structuring for success depends on employees understanding what the company’s approach to total reward is to strengthen the connection between employee effort and reward. The e-toolkit provides a comprehensive philosophy and policy that is

Module 8 focuses on the glue that holds the entire Performance Management process together i.e. communicating about performance and development on an ongoing basis. The main elements of a performance and development cycle was described and discussed in unit 1. These are setting goals, giving and receiving feedback on an ongoing basis (formally with appraisals, and informally on a day-to-day basis), development planning, and delivering and digesting tough messages (that may or may not lead to a disciplinary and/or grievance process).

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