managing staff performance for optimum output
DESCRIPTION
MANAGING STAFF PERFORMANCE FOR OPTIMUM OUTPUT. Dr. George K.T. Oduro Workshop for Deans of Faculty, Heads of Department/Deputies/Directors University of Education, Winneba. Held at SMAYAK HOTEL, APAM< JUNCTION, 29 th September 2011. Overview. Review Mission of a University - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
MANAGING STAFF PERFORMANCE FOR OPTIMUM OUTPUT
Dr. George K.T. OduroWorkshop for Deans of Faculty, Heads of Department/Deputies/Directors
University of Education, Winneba. Held at SMAYAK HOTEL, APAM< JUNCTION, 29th September 2011.
Overview
Review Mission of a University Conceptual Issues Focus & Processes of Performance Management Measuring Performance Challenges of managing performance Ways of Enhancing performance management
Sources of Information
Armstrong, M (2003). Human Resource Management Practice. Kogan
Bratton. J & Gold, J (1994): Human Resource Management. Theory & Practice. MacMillan
Oduro, G & Oduro, G (2004). ‘Culture and individual Performance management in University of Cape Coast’. Makerere Journal of Higher Education. 1 (94-106)
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What are Universities
for?
Mission of Universities
MISSION
Generating knowledge
through Research
Extension Services: Apply
knowledge to policy making & Implementation,
Disseminate Knowledge –
Teaching, Seminars,
Conferences
etc
CLASSIFIED FUNCTIONS
04/21/236
Academic(Lecturer/Registrar)
Generate knowledge Share knowledge (teach,
conference,
consultancy etc
Non-Academic(Registry Personnel)
•Create enabling environment for teaching & learning to take place
• Keep the mission of university on track
•
StudentLearn: cognitive, affective & psychomotor
THE BIG QUESTION?
How do/can we ensure that PERFORMANCE of Lecturers, Researchers, Assistant Registrars, Administrators, Drivers, Security Personnel, Drivers etc. is maximized?
CONCEPTUAL ISSUES.
Performance?
► Relates to both behaviours (inputs) and results (outputs). [Brumbach, 1988]
► ‘The accomplishment, execution, carrying out, working out of anything ordered or undertaken’ (The Oxford English Dictionary)
Performance Management?
‘A means of getting better results from the organization, teams and individuals by understanding and managing performance within an agreed framework of planned goals, standards and competence requirements’ (Armstrong, 2003)
FOCUS OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT (PM)
Performance improvement Employee Development (PM not achievable unless there are effective
processes of continuous staff development)
Satisfying the needs of all stakeholders – not just managers
Communication and involvement: creates a climate for continuous dialogue between managers, teams and individuals on objectives and means of achieving them.
Covers all sub-systems of the organisation: (academic, administration, accounts, audit, procurement, transport, security, sanitation etc)
Concerned with what people do (their work); how they do it (their
behaviour) and what they achieve (their results)
KEY FACTS
Performance management: central to institutional and professional development strategies of African (Ghanaian) Public
Universities because of : - pressures emanating from high public expectations (Mittal, 2004)
- need to meet international standards of operation (ibid)
- mushrooming private universities (competitive threat to public
universities) etc A major challenge facing public universities lies in how they could
attract and retain quality staff and effectively utilise their knowledge and skills towards meeting market demands (Oduro & Oduro, 2004, p.107)
PROCESSES OF P. M.
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Measuring Performance
Measures should match performance against agreed targets and standards.
Measures should be objective and observable Measures may relate to achievements in relation to : ○ outputs – e.g. number of project work/dissertation supervised; number of students graduating, number of research work undertaken; publications etc
○ Impact: on policy? Students’ behaviour? Innovation?
○ Reaction: Feedback from other stakeholders
○ Time: response time (e.g. procurement waiting time);
○ Finance: cost effectiveness? Economic value added? etc
Ways of Measuring Staff Performance (Hakala n.d.)
Quantity (be careful of too much emphasis – may be at the disadvantage of quality) Quality of work output/ service rendered (failures,
corrections etc) Timeliness: waiting time Cost effectiveness: cost of output Availability: absence affects work output Creativity: Keep track of creative initiatives and
quantify them
Manager Appraisal: top down Self-appraisal Peer appraisal Assessment centre: professional assessors (Quality
Assurance) Full-scale (360-Degree Appraisal): involves feedback from all
stakeholders. (Comprehensive and costly but gives realistic view)
Management by Objectives (MBO): appraisal matched against benchmarked objectives
P.M. Challenges in Universities
The Problem of Multiple Values and co-production Universities provide services with multiple values
characterised by co-producers: E.g. (a) Faculty is required to make its students perform well in
examinations but also has the task of creating enabling environment for stakeholder interaction (multiple values)
(b) Student performance depends on lecturers’ efforts, but also influenced by the attitude of students (co-production)
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The Problem of Cultural-Politics
All human institutions work within micro & macro cultures and politics.
‘’ Those who seek to exert influence, individually or in organizations, are involved in politics. Associations of parents, teachers, students, administrators … form and seek to promote their ideas through political processes’’ (Locke, 1974:3).
‘Culture influences and can be engineered to enhance organizational performance (Mannion et al, 2002).
Cultural Values vrs P.M. principles
Relational Context:
‘Cultural factors tend to pose challenges to management in Ghanaian organizations (Debrah, 2000).
‘Organizations in Africa tend to place greater value on care for employees than profitability or market shares; thus making business objectives secondary to welfare issues (Fashoyin, 2000).
Research Evidence (UCC)
Some HODs tend to compromise performance principles for fear straining relationships (Oduro & Oduro, 2004)
e.g. “The issue of communal living is very important. Sometimes the nature of relationship is such that it becomes difficult to apply the rules as rationally as we have to’’ (An Academic Head)
When something happens to an individual, (bereavement as an example), everybody is expected to rally around him. So as a university, we tend to take on certain practices, which other universities in the West may not see as important (Administrative Head)
External Interventions
Interference from opinion leaders (Chiefs; politicians, pastors etc), e.g. discipline
Partisan & sectional Influence: threat to critical mindedness, shrouds objectivity etc
Internal
Institutional Interest Group: Formal Organisations that have statutory interest articulation tasks. E.g. UTAG, GAUA, TEWU, SRC etc
Power & Authority Struggle
‘’There’s politics wherever any element or groups of elements in a social group attempt to influence or manipulate other elements in a social group to behave in certain ways’’ (Owolabi, 1987:5)
Power the ability to change the behaviour of another (Wo y a, msesa wo hybr)
Authority use of legitimate power normally derived
from law or statutes or tradition or convention.
Power Distance
Acceptance & high respect for authority & power of the bossTitles, status & formality very important
Less acceptance & respect for authority & power of the boss
Titles, status, & formality less important
High Distance vrs Low Distance
Case: Illusion of absolute power – Cape Coast polytechnic situation
Push Factors
Imposition of decisions Stifling communication (ignorance) Resistance to Change Unsecured working environment Selective application of rules Verbal Dirrhoea
Enhancing Performance Management
Create a sense of belonging in all staff Shared vision Staff must be clear of their roles and expected standards Avoid discretionary and selective application of rules Increase request response time (procurement, letter etc) Provide leadership based on Mutual-Trust Provide feedback to staff Support staff to perform – appropriate training, resources etc
Team work is critical in Performance Management
The baobab tree metaphor drives home the fact that knowledge, resources & skills needed for maximizing performance go beyond the capacity of a single effort
Nunya, adidoe, asi mesune o.
[Knowledge is like the baobab
tree, no one person can embrace it]
TheThe Baobab Tree Metaphor Baobab Tree Metaphor
‘
Note!!
Do not only think about performance; think also about supporting staff to perform
Never aim at PLEASING ALL – it is impossible.
The trick is calmness, being well-focused and pursuing fairness and firmness in the performance management process.
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REMEMBER: A manager’s joy lies not only in his/her ability to optimize performance but more importantly his/her ability to balance staff motivation with organisational task accomplishment.
THANK YOU!!!