MANAGEMENT AT WORKPLACES
Aim of the report
In every firm or organization, it is essential to always maintain an eye in the operations happening day in and day out for better performances. Therefore, managers at all levels and their centers need to follow the functions of the organization closely and identify the drawbacks, which might lead to poor performance. This report is aimed at addressing issues linked to performance appraisal and conflict management in Lancashire’s super-fit company, which prides its fourteen spread out branches around the Lancashire area.
Performance appraisal management
To every management structure, a performance appraisal is a useful tool in management because the fate of the organization is mainly based on the performance outcomes of the company records(Bratton and Gold, 2017). Therefore, meeting organization goals is a process that includes employees working together towards successfully achieving their target while serving their customers with diligence and expertise. Performance appraisals are mainly targeted to employees of an organization. The essential functions of this management process are to analyze employees’ efforts towards meeting organizational goals. Also, sending constructive criticism or applaud as feedback based on the performance score of the individual employee and finally recommend approaches that will improve on the weak areas of employees in their performance towards meeting organizational goals and lastly to keep a record of each employees ability to handle tasks for future tasks and compensation purposes(Armstrong, 2002). Also, managers should be abreast with the dynamics of management and apply them in their workplaces
These are critical areas. The solutions should be seen in areas where the center managers organize the appraisal programs that will engage the employees in regular appraisals to be abreast of their performance score. Also, the manager should have an unquestionable understanding of the theories of the assessment. Some of the most compelling ideas that can yield a good performance appraisal plan are the cognitive theory of performance appraisal. Cognitive theory suggests an approach where the managers split the performance of employees into two groups based on their performance(Marchington and Wilkinson, 2002). Good performers make up the talent management group while poor performers make up the performance management group. Based on these divisions, the human resource manager should identify weak areas of each employee and send feedback to individuals on sites to improve future performance. Also, the managers should identify potential employees to fill in management positions shortly. Other factors that encourage and motivate employee performance should be considered among them being remuneration benefits to top performers.
Conflict management
Conflicts in the workplace happen day in day out. Competition can be expensive for the organization because the time spent in the disputes and gossips among employees is equivalent to the time wasted. Time is a crucial consideration as most organizational strategies and goals are set with timelines. Therefore, in every organization, managers should formulate conflict management measures to address any arising conflicts in the organization. For effectiveness in large organizations, there should be an active management expert’s position to handle any disputes arising and handle them with diligence. The conflict management department should also work closely with the human resource department when employee issues raised. Conflicts occur on different grounds of disagreement between colleagues and employers. Disputes are inevitable because of the diverse cultural, age, and social backgrounds of other employees in an organization(Dix and Boyce, 2016). Also, managers should train employees to avoid conflict at any cost by teaching them on conflict management approaches, which includes finding solutions to their existing conflicts without engaging a third party. Training on conflict management will go a long way in reducing disputes in workplaces. Conflict management can be useful if the factors of the two theories are taken into considerations. These theories are traditional theory and contemporary theory. The conventional approach upholds that conflict is a destructive element in the organization and is caused by enemies of performance, and therefore, it should be subdued at all costs (De Dreu et al., 2001). Contemporary theory suggests that conflict is a day to day human behavioral response, and it arises when change is essential. Therefore disputes can be of benefit to the organization.
Conclusion and Recommendations for the company
Like any other organization, Lancashire is no different; some drawbacks are seen in the areas of performance appraisal and conflict management. Therefore, managers should consider making changes in the way performance appraisal is addressed through regular employee assessments to monitor their performance. Also, the employees should receive feedback on their weak areas, and as a response, they should strive to improve. Also, the company should motivate its employees to achieve organizational goals instead of blaming their employees when the company performs poorly.
On matters of conflict management, the company should develop conflict management strategies such as training and hiring conflict management experts to recover time lost in conflicts among employees. Destructive behavior such as lateness should not be tolerated at all costs and should be condemned by administering strict disciplinary measures. The interests of all employees ought to be approached with equality for quality performance.
Reference list
Armstrong, M. (2002). Employee reward. CIPD Publishing.
Bratton, J. and Gold, J. (2017) Human resource management: theory and practice. Palgrave.
Dix, G. and Boyce, G. (2016) “Acas,” in Encyclopedia of Human Resource Management. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited.
De Dreu, C. K. W. et al. (2001) “A theory‐based measure of conflict management strategies in the workplace,” Journal of Organizational Behavior: The International Journal of Industrial, Occupational and Organizational Psychology and Behavior. Wiley Online Library, 22(6), pp. 645–668.
Marchington, M. and Wilkinson, A. (2002) People management and development: Human resource management at work. CIPD Publishing.