Human Resources 211

3.1 Please Train Me!

No one can argue that we are living in an age of continuous change. Technology alone has changed the way we work and the speed at which it is introduced challenges the skills encompassed in the best of companies. Additionally, as organizations become more agile, current and future leaders must continually upgrade their skillset and learn creative ways to adapt to this ever-changing world. This is where training and development come in.

Watch the following video “The Importance of Training and Development for Employee Performance” to learn about the reasons it makes sense for companies to invest in developing their employees.

https://youtu.be/QbmSmRG29t4

Answer the following:

• Think about your current or previous job. Identify one type of training that you would like (or would have liked) to receive to help you improve your skills or prepare you for advancement.
• If you are (or were) able to get that training, how would it have benefited both you and the organization? Be sure to fully explain your response.

4.1 How’s my performance

One very important responsibility of HR is to put processes and tools in place that managers can use to effectively evaluate employee performance, provide feedback to the employee, and work collaboratively to identify ways to improve performance. It sounds simple, but it is actually a complex process. After all, let’s face it, no one wants to be “evaluated” so the whole experience is often uncomfortable and awkward. Traditional systems focus on formal meetings that take place once or twice a year but that can be ineffective if that is the only time employees are given feedback. Modern workplaces are turning to technology solutions to help resolve this issue and turn the old annual evaluation process into a Continuous Performance Management process.

Watch the following video “What is Continuous Performance Management” to learn about a technology solution designed to improve the performance management process.

https://youtu.be/MTyQAfC2G3c

Answer the following:

• Think about your current or previous job. Explain how your performance was evaluated and communicated to you. Include if it was a formal or informal system.
• Discuss how effective the process was. Was it a positive experience? Did it help you improve your performance?
• Identify one improvement that could be made to the process to better result in true improved performance, include if you think the Continuous Performance Management process discussed in the video might be helpful.

5.1 I need some appreciation

Companies today are expected to develop compensation systems that go beyond the paycheck. Organizations must offer opportunities for employees to be rewarded and appreciated for their contributions and performance. Employees not only want to be paid fairly based on their knowledge, skills, abilities, and overall contributions to the company but they want to feel valued.  They want to know their efforts are recognized and appreciated. They want to know if they put forth that extra effort and exceed their performance goals that there will be an appropriate reward in the end.

Watch the following video “Employee Recognition” to learn a bit more about why employee recognition is important.

‘Going Beyond the Paycheck’ means employers today must do more than pay a fair wage to employees for their work. We must go further. Employees seek out companies where the mission statement matches their own professional goals, and the corporate culture creates a sense of personal belonging.

https://youtu.be/EhE4ECnscBk

Answer the following:

• Think about your current or previous job. List all the ways in which this employer rewards and recognizes employees.
• Share an example of a time that you were recognized or rewarded for your contributions. Discuss how it made you feel and if it motivated you.  If you have never been recognized, explain how that makes you feel and how it might impact you if you were to be rewarded and recognized.
• Identify one improvement the company can make to better reward and recognize employees and explain how it would benefit the organization.