Case For Module 4: You Have Been The Human Resources Manager ✓ Solved

Case For Module 4 You have been the human resources mana

You have been the human resources manager for Human Solutions Software for six months. These first six months have been difficult at times, with you needing to develop your credibility with the people who work for HSS. There have been some major changes at HSS since you became the human resources manager. A West Coast branch office, which has 25 new employees, has been set up for HSS in Portland, Oregon; and the former chief of operations has moved to Portland to head that new office. HSS has also received a major contract with a German firm.

That contract is being managed from the main office in Maryland now, but a European branch office will be opened in the next few months. The German contract has led to the hiring of an additional six employees at HSS headquarters, with four of those employees planning to move to Europe when the branch office opens there. HSS has also received several new contracts, mostly with private firms, that have led to an additional expansion of 18 more employees at the HSS headquarters. This means that HSS has expanded from 65 employees, when you first started as the human resources manager, to 114 employees now.

As human resources manager, you have hired a consultant who has conducted job analyses for all the present positions at HSS. The founders at HSS have finally begun work on a strategic plan for the organization and see you as one of the lead people in developing that plan. You have also set up standardized recruiting and staffing procedures that have been used to hire many of the new employees at HSS.

The hardest part of your job has been convincing several of the founders that these changes were needed. The demands of the organizations that HSS contracts with, and several threatened lawsuits by potential or former employees, have helped you to get these changes approved by the board. Recently, you have been putting pressure on the board to hire two human resources generalists to help you in your tasks. You have justified this expense by the money that the organization can save by avoiding lawsuits, by doing more training internally, and by being more efficient in recruiting and staffing positions.

Two months ago, you submitted a plan for reorganizing HSS based on the job analyses. This structure included a traditional board of directors (made up of the five founders), a president/CEO, five vice presidents (finance, operations, marketing, technical services, and human resources). This morning you found out that, with a few minor revisions, your plan has been accepted. You will be the new vice president of human resources with the two human resource generalist positions being approved also. The founders have also given you the responsibility to supervise the five personnel who administer and provide quality control for contracts that HSS has.

While you are excited about your new position and the success of HSS, you are aware of all the work that is ahead of you now. You see HSS as an organization that must be led into being a more mature organization, with more established employee policies. One of the first things that you plan to have your new HR generalists do is to work on organizing all of the employee policies at HSS into an employee handbook. You also feel a need to update and review the benefits policies for employees.

Performance Appraisal System for Software Developers

As the new vice president of human resources at Human Solutions Software (HSS), implementing a formal performance appraisal system is crucial for enhancing team dynamics and individual contributions among software developers. In this context, I recommend three effective alternatives for measuring the performance of software developers working in teams: Management by Objectives (MBO), the 360-Degree Feedback model, and a Hybrid Appraisal System.

1. Management by Objectives (MBO)

MBO involves setting specific, measurable objectives collaboratively between the supervisor and the employees. The primary goal is to align individual objectives with organizational goals, promoting accountability and performance tracking.

• Pros:
  • Encourages employee involvement and ownership of their objectives.
  • Clear benchmarks for evaluating performance, thus enhancing objectivity.
  • Focuses on outcomes rather than activities, promoting efficiency.
• Cons:
  • Setting the right objectives can be challenging and time-consuming.
  • Overemphasis on quantifiable goals may neglect important qualitative aspects.
  • Requires continuous monitoring and feedback, which may not always be feasible.

2. 360-Degree Feedback

The 360-degree feedback method gathers performance data from various stakeholders, including peers, subordinates, and supervisors, allowing for a comprehensive view of an employee's performance.

• Pros:
  • Provides diverse perspectives, helping identify strengths and development areas.
  • Mitigates biases by incorporating multiple feedback sources.
  • Fosters a culture of open communication and collaboration.
• Cons:
  • Can be time-consuming to implement and analyze.
  • Risk of feedback being influenced by personal relationships rather than performance.
  • May create conflict or anxiety if not handled delicately.

3. Hybrid Appraisal System

The hybrid system combines quantitative metrics (like project completion rates) with qualitative evaluations (like peer reviews), offering a balanced assessment of individual and team performance.

• Pros:
  • Addresses both individual contributions and team dynamics.
  • Enhances employee morale by recognizing collaborative efforts.
  • Facilitates a more rounded understanding of performance beyond numbers.
• Cons:
  • Complexity in managing and interpreting various data sources.
  • Potential for confusion over which elements are most important in appraisals.
  • Requirement for consistent communication to ensure understanding.

Information Gathering and Validity

To develop the new appraisal system, essential information must be gathered, including job descriptions, performance metrics, employee feedback, and examples of past performance. This data collection should focus on specific job-related competencies crucial for software development at HSS.

To ensure job-related validity, performance criteria must be aligned with the actual job responsibilities and expectations of software developers. This can be achieved by involving employees in the design of the evaluation criteria, thereby enhancing buy-in and relevance to their roles.

To mitigate the risk of rater errors, specific training on evaluation methods, biases, and the importance of objective feedback must be provided to all raters. Standardized scoring systems should be employed, and an appeals process should be established, allowing employees to contests evaluations they perceive as unfair.

Conclusion

Implementing these performance appraisal alternatives will contribute to more effective and adaptive performance management at HSS. By combining different assessment methods, gathering relevant job-related information, and ensuring fairness in ratings, HSS can foster a culture of continuous improvement and accountability.

References

• Aguinis, H. (2013). Performance Management. Pearson.
• Bohlander, G., & Snape, E. (2013). Managing Human Resources. Cengage Learning.
• Dutra, J. S. (2013). Employee Performance Management. Springer.
• Kirkpatrick, D. L., & Kirkpatrick, J. D. (2016). Evaluating Training Programs: The Four Levels. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
• Marrelli, A. F., & Aresty, L. (2015). Enhancing Human Resources with Strategic Performance Management. HR Development Press.
• Pulakos, E. D. (2009). Performance Management: A New Approach for Driving Business Results. Wiley-Blackwell.
• Roberts, G. E. (2016). Performance Appraisal in the Public Sector. Public Administration Review.
• Rosenberg, R. (2015). Attaining Workplace Effectiveness through 360-Degree Feedback. Business Expert Press.
• Smith, C. (2017). The Art of Performance Appraisals. Personnel Review.