Performance Management Plan – John Miller Scenario

C235 Performance Appraisal Task Scenario

You are the human resource manager of a midsize accounting firm. Mary Smith, a new accounting director within the firm, is concerned about how to coach an underperforming manager named John Miller, whom she oversees. A recent performance appraisal of John revealed that there were several areas that needed improvement. Mary is unsure of her next steps with John, and she has asked you to create a three-month performance management plan for him.

Performance Management Plan For John Miller

Importance of setting performance expectations

The setting of employee performance expectations is a major component of successfully guiding an organization and fostering a culture of accountability. Expectations should ideally be set by managers a month after hiring an employee to outline their anticipations during their stint at the organization. Employee expectations are directly linked to job description. It summaries job performance, workplace demeanor and also accords new employees a unique chance to seek clarity. In essence, performance expectations are particularly fundamental in making certain that both employee and manager are on the same page to avert the possibility of the emergence of misunderstandings. Furthermore, it establishes a baseline of measurement that can be applied to gauge the performance of each employee. The act of setting employee expectations also creates a unique opportunity for managers to communicate directly with team members, which improves the quality of their relationship. They also embolden employees to adopt a carefree attitude at the workplace owing to the fact that they are operating within the stipulated structure and guidelines.

The process of setting employee expectations

Setting employee expectations is a methodical process which follows specific steps to guarantee success during implementation. It typically begins with the alignment of an employee’s goals with organizational objectives, ethics, and culture. This stage is characterized by direct communication between employees and managers do elucidate the formers role in an organization’s grand scheme. It is particularly crucial to simplify the performance expectation as a way of making certain that both parties are acutely aware of the stipulated terms. They process of setting employee expectations should also rely on gaps which currently exist among teams to direct their expectations. Sit-downs typically present a unique opportunity to discuss set standards with employees before writing them down. This is then followed by coming to a mutual agreement between a manager and employees before striking a commitment.

Areas of Improvement

Essential Tasks Outlined in the Job Description	Area in Performance Appraisal Requiring Improvement
To review and homogenize procedures with the aim of bolstering efficiency while bolstering expedite workflow.	Meeting company, state, and federal time limits.
Performance supervisory responsibilities as outlined in the firm’s policies and applicable federal regulations.	The performance of supervisory responsibilities in adherence to company policies and applicable federal regulations.

Steps for Areas of Improvement

John is currently engaged on a three-month performance management plan by the firm after an evaluation revealed signs indicative of underperformance and a dereliction of duties. The aforementioned plan will also incorporate a compressive progress assessment plan on a monthly basis to gauge his ability to attain the goals outlined within his plan. It is noteworthy to acknowledge that John’s capability to maintain a competent and efficient team is largely impaired and in need of extensive improvements. The current level of incompetence and inefficiency witnessed within his team may explain the absence of monthly ledger reconciliation deadlines and payments slated for suppliers. Improvement from this current state will involve the standardization of prevailing procedures within the department with the main aim of executing a schedule program which will play a major role in making certain that set targets are met. Furthermore, absenteeism is an emerging problem plaguing John’s department and has been taken to the extremes within the past few months. As the head of the department, John needs to reaffirm his commitment to making sure that the emerging absenteeism culture is deracinated and reduced to an acceptable level. Another major reason why improvements are necessary when reviewing the current state of affairs is in the fact that a preemptive approach is required when approaching key firm policies. For instance, a proactive approach is required when applying the company’s sick leave policy especially since it is an important area to focus on when endeavoring to reduce malingering and absenteeism within John’s department.

Additionally, John has been accused of providing preferential treatment to some of his employees which currently doesn’t sit well with some team members. Favoritism is a major issue plaguing the contemporary workplace environment and linked to the development of poor relationships among employees and reduced productivity (Cardy, 2016). It is also worth noting that favoritism is unacceptable as per the company’s policy and regarded as a form of unfair treatment which cannot be tolerated. It is incumbent upon John as the head of the department to address this issue head-on and institute necessary changes to avert the possibility of dealing with an unmotivated workforce as a direct result of his actions. John will also be expected to demonstrate an improvement in his ability to fairly allocate workloads and an equitable distribution of workloads. This will only be achieved through the provision of a resource list by the Director of Human Resource with the aim of bolstering John’s efforts to effect necessary changes within his department. This will also create a unique opportunity turn to other executives for guidance. The leadership training seminar will provide John to gather necessary skills which will be essential in imparting important skills which will allow him to make improvements within his department. An increase in budgetary allocations will, therefore, prove useful in allowing John to realize his objective while still benefitting from key lessons picked from the policy review training

Evaluation of Progress

The Human Resource and Accounting directors will serve as an important element in the evaluation of progress. They will play a major role in reviewing John’s new-found ability to maintain a competent and efficient team by scoring his performance using a 3-point scale.

The application of this all-encompassing scale will address the levels of determination, efficacy, and timeliness among subordinate staff within John’s department. An evaluation of the progress made after training will determine the level of improvement made based on a 2-point scoring criteria proving objectives have been met. A monthly review will be essential in the assessment of each objective especially in relation to the resources provided. The evaluation of progress will particularly be important in identifying areas which still require additional resources in the necessary improvements to be made.

Outcomes demonstrating success

Several outcomes will demonstrate John’s success in the aforementioned areas requiring improvement. One of the most reliable outcomes demonstrating John’s success will be in his ability to develop a comprehensive plan for the standardization of procedures. In it, he should demonstrate a deep understanding of the functioning of the new schedule system whose primary purpose will be to prevent late payments and deadline anomalies. John’s ability to organize meetings with team members to discuss absenteeism and its effect on productivity will also demonstrate success. A drop in the absentee rate will also be a clear indication of a successful outcome which is bound to introduce cumulative gains for the company. Additionally, John’s reassurance to sellers regarding timely payments and the meeting of ledger reconciliation deadlines will reveal a great deal of progress.

Consequences for Non-compliance

Non-compliance with the company’s employee expectations will be revealed by a score of either 0 or 1. This will be a clear indication of John’s continued failure to implement necessary changes as proposed in the performance management plan. A practical response to this overt manifestation of non-compliance will be in placing relieving John of his duties and placing him on a one month unpaid administrative leave. This will provide John with an exceptional opportunity to reflect on his overall conduct and work towards making much-needed changes. John’s compulsory unpaid leave will then be followed by a meeting with the Human Resource and Accounting directors to discuss missed targets and a second chance to make the required adjustments. Failure to meet the same objectives after a second attempt will result in a meeting with the committee of directors to discuss John’s future. The committee will then determine whether he requires additional resources, should be relegated to an accountant or fired.

Final meeting

Success in meeting the targets outlined in the plan will result in final meeting between John and both directors (HR and Accounting). It will serve as a penultimate plan for improvement while focusing on the fundamental nature of the success of John’s department to the organization. This meeting will discuss the fruitful conclusion of the performance improvement plan and its impact on the company. Outcomes and commendable efforts will be highlighted during this meeting to embolden John within his current position.

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