Is PT Just a Passing Bandwagon?
People are the most important resource for the knowledge era; people are the fundamental determinants of economic growth and productivity. [11] These concepts are not new. But PT is a relatively new and dynamic approach for putting this concept into practice. Human resources and training and development survey results indicate that more and more senior managers are committed to people as their most important resource. [12]
However, there is skepticism regarding people issues in the business sector. Frequently, people-oriented initiatives are viewed as passing bandwagons. They are colorfully and convincingly presented to workers and enthusiastically supported by senior management. Then they are hastily replaced by a different bandwagon initiative when workplace improvements are not quickly achieved. Will PT become a passing bandwagon, like the bandwagons that came to town and left with the circus? Can PT maintain its enthusiastic supporters? Does PT stand up to application in the workplace?
Performance technology is a systematic, comprehensive, and analytical approach. It links many factors together to generate solutions and is well-suited for the people-oriented, team-based, knowledge era. PT is key to explaining why people do what they do.
Teams
The sports arena provides an appropriate analogy to PT. Most sports teams have a long tradition of strategically selecting players and planning competitive plays. Football players, for example, study the strengths and weaknesses of opponents and practice their assignments accordingly . Coaches motivate players to win by giving feedback and encouraging team playing. As Casey Stengel, the legendary manager of baseball's New York Yankees, often remarked, "Finding good players is easy; getting them to play together is the hard part." [13]
Businesses and other organizations, like sports teams, need to recognize the strengths, weaknesses, and interdependencies of their workforce to ensure that workers "play together" effectively in support of business objectives.
Knowledge Era
Today's knowledge era organizations are creating team cultures that are dependent on contributions by all team members . Fisher and Fisher predict that most future work will be mental and team-based. [14] Individuals will bring their specialized knowledge and skills to teams. Teams will often be virtual, and their membership will be constantly shifting as teams members accomplish their task and move on to another assignment. Team members may never physically meet their coworkers.
In this knowledge era, organizations need to value and reward the sharing of information. According to Millman, "Intensely competitive or territorial organizations, in which personnel tend to hoard all information, will achieve less success than those companies in which top management encourages an open , cooperative workplace." [15] Organizations need to encourage information exchange and ensure that employees do not lose power when they share knowledge.
Clearly, the trend towards valuing people and knowledge requires a paradigm shift. PT provides such a methodology. PT can be sustained because people and their knowledge truly are the organization's most valuable resource.
Human Resources Trends
Understanding human resource (HR) trends is critical to analyzing organizations and employees, determining causes of problems, designing interventions, and evaluating results. By studying staffing, training, performance, outsourcing, and various other trends, PT practitioners are able to predict future directions and make better decisions about performance issues. Change interventions are usually difficult to execute and often meet with resistance because people do not understand the underlying rationale.
Human Resource Survey
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and AON Consulting surveyed human resources leadership and jointly published The 1997 Survey of Human Resources Trends Report . [16] Survey responses included more than 1,700 HR professionals across the U.S. More than 60 percent of the survey participants held vice president or director of human resources titles. More than 20 million U.S. workers are employed by the organizations that employ the survey participants.
The SHRM/AON survey summarized many people-oriented trends. Change management and strategic planning initiatives are rapidly increasing in importance. Organizational change efforts involving senior management are making a major contribution to organizational effectiveness. AON Consulting also found that productivity expectations have increased more than quality expectations. [17]
Staffing and Selection
Selection of people is important to successful organizations. Finding desirable candidates is the number one employment challenge, and retaining desirable employees ranks second. [18] Staff turnover is still considered the greatest HR worry. The diminished applicant pool is a concern. Fewer applicants have the necessary knowledge, skills, and positive attitude to work effectively. In other words, job-specific skills are more readily found in job seekers than are desirable work attitudes.
In the applicant pool, negative work attitudes are considered to be a more serious deficiency than work aptitudes and skills by a ratio of 56 percent to 41 percent. As illustrated in Table 2-3, nonmanagement applicants' greatest weaknesses are in (1) dealing with change, (2) problem solving and reasoning, (3) creativity and innovation, (4) communications, (5) basic skills, and (6) interpersonal and team skills. Management applicants' weakest areas are (1) change facilitation, (2) leadership, (3) communications, (4) interpersonal and team skills, and (5) creativity and innovation.
| Nonmanagement | Management |
|---|---|
| Dealing with change | Change facilitation |
| Problem solving and reasoning | Leadership |
| Creativity and innovation | Communications |
| Communications | Interpersonal and team skills |
| Basic skills | Creativity and innovation |
| Interpersonal and team skills |
Well-designed selection procedures increase an organization's hiring success rate and can include validated skills tests, structured applications, and behavioral interviews.
Training and Development
More money and other resources are available for developing and training people. [19] Training budgets have increased by an average of 45 percent in the last three years . However, documenting the value of training with measurable results continues to be the training staff's greatest challenge. As a result, calculating ROI will continue to be a high priority.
Performance Management
Satisfaction with performance management, such as performance appraisal and career development, has greatly increased but still remains a problem. Employees believe annual appraisals are unfair if they are evaluated by only their managers. However, "full-circle" or 360 ° feedback increased employee confidence. Full-circle or 360 ° feedback is a multirater process that includes opinions of managers, peers, customers, as well as a self-appraisal. Currently, these multirater processes are most commonly used for executives, managers, and supervisors. There is growing interest in extending the multirater process to professional, technical, and sales workers.
Career Development
Career development is important for helping employees prepare for future job opportunities. [20] Job markets change rapidly, and it is difficult for people to know how to plan their careers. Career development specialists help people analyze their interests and skills and match their strengths with the desired career. Competency modeling helps people determine the skills needed for particular careers. Competency modeling describes jobs based on the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary and prioritizes each competency relative to potential for job success. Career development specialists also help people create career plans to reach their goals.
Information Technology
Information technology and computer processing are primarily used for managing payroll, maintaining training histories, and tracking job applicants. Computer software will increase employee access to HR information and help managers and employees prepare educational plans as a part of career development and performance management. Computer usage is expected to improve the speed of HR services.
Outsourcing
Outsourcing is common in HR departments, especially in organizations of 3,000 or more employees. Nonstrategic functions, such as wellness programs, reference checking, and benefits and pension administration are the most frequently outsourced. Organizations with 10,000 or more employees are likely to outsource recruiting, pre-employment testing, applicant screening, interviewing, and equal employment opportunity (EEO) tracking as well. In other words, most operational, nonstrategic HR functions are suitable for outsourcing.
International
The human resource function is expected to grow outside the U.S. more than within the U.S. [21] Pre-assignment visits to foreign countries , language training, health and drug screening, and realistic job previews are the most common expatriate HR services.
HR Trends Summary
HR will continue to be critical to organizations, and its value will become more strategic. Heightened concern about knowledge and skills competencies will drive organizations to increase competency modeling, training, and development and to further improve career management. Information technology will facilitate the integration of human resources with other resources within the organization.
Training and Development Trends
Performance technology is broad in scope and includes many factors considered to be part of human resources. One of the most common interventions is training and development. As a result, PT practitioners need to be familiar with training and development trends.
The American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) conducts ongoing benchmarking studies and researches government publications , professional journals, and other research-oriented sources to track training, development, and performance improvement trends. [22] ASTD publishes well-respected research, which has a significant influence on curriculum planning, budgeting, and future directions. ASTD research guides PT practitioners as they set direction, plan interventions, and secure support.
Traditionally, training and development was believed to be the most useful method for performance improvement. Recently, the training field has broadened its approach to link the many aspects of performance. Seasoned trainers are transitioning to performance consultants . [23] In the past, training was often not valued because it focused on information and not on job knowledge and skills transfer. In fact, training unsupported by management is usually of little benefit. Trainers and performance consultants work to ensure that training is supported. [24]
Skills Requirements
Demand for computer and other job-specific skills is increasing. According to a 1993 report from the U.S. Bureau of Census, workplace use of computers has nearly doubled from 25 percent to 46 percent in 15 years. [25] As a result, skill training, in general, is dramatically increasing in importance. "Just to keep even each worker will need to accumulate learning equivalent to 30 credit hours of [higher education] instruction every seven years." [26]
Workforce Diversity
Organizational cultures are becoming more diverse. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that the percentage of women, older workers, and Asian and Hispanic workers will continue to rise until the year 2005. [27] There will be more diverse ideas within organizational cultures and a shifting from traditional organizational norms. For example, benefits and job design may need to be more flexible to allow job sharing for working mothers, elder caregivers, or seniors.
Corporate Restructuring
According to Bassi, Cheney, and Van Buren, businesses will continue to restructure. [28] Continued downsizing, the growth of small businesses, and the lack of job security will all contribute to lower morale and dissatisfaction. This leads to symptoms of stress and anxiety, particularly about career development.
For example, restructuring has led to multiskill jobs with employees taking on tasks previously assigned to several workers. Small businesses tend to have more generalists and fewer specialists. In addition, "virtual" organizations, in which employees do not go to a central, physical location considered "company property," are becoming commonplace. Many employees meet via computer in cyberspace, receive job assignments through e-mail or overnight package express, and submit reports and evidence of work via cyberspace .
Performance Improvement
The demand for increased productivity and improved job performance will likely cause a shift away from traditional training or skill development. Future emphasis will be on "learning events" using emerging learning technologies and other training efficiencies. Use of distance learning, such as multimedia software, videoconferencing, and Web-based solutions will increase. Learning will be "just-in-time" and "just enough" because it is readily available on CD-ROM, the Internet, or intranet. Videoconferences give the feeling of face-to-face contact while reducing travel costs and time away from the job. Organizations will become learning organizations in which opportunities for growth are ubiquitous and part of the job. [29]
Results Orientation
Another important trend in training and development is a results orientation. PT practitioners, like training and development specialists, will need to track costs and benefits to prove value. Benchmarking will be useful for establishing standards and making comparisons.
PT as a Profession ”Not Just a Passing Bandwagon
In summary, trend analysis underscores the importance of people to the organization. These same trends emphasize the changing nature of people services. High levels of skills and abilities will be critical for the knowledge era. Both SHRM/AON and ASTD research reports make strong cases that performance technology is not just a passing bandwagon. [30] PT will not "leave town with the next circus train."
PT Within Individual Organizations ”Not Just Another Bandwagon Either
Based on national surveys and research, [31] commitment to people is becoming stronger. However, each organization has a unique culture, processes, products and/or services, and external and internal customers. As a result, generalizations regarding people issues need to be revalidated in each organization.
PT practitioners need to track internal and external performance indicators and to analyze their own data. Data gathering and analysis is difficult because workplace performance outcomes are hard to define and the data are difficult to secure. [32] For example, what should be measured to determine improvements in management leadership? What outcomes should document satisfactory communication? Table 2-4 illustrates sample performance outcome indicators.
| Management Leadership | Communications |
|---|---|
| % employees mentored/coached | % employees submit suggestions |
| % employees complete developmental plan | % employees receive performance appraisal |
| % employees on special assignments | Articles submitted to organizational newsletter |
| %successful improvement projects | Effective process for problem solving |
| Cultural survey results | Cultural survey results |
Demonstrating results through effective reporting communicates the value-added advantage of PT efforts. Communicating results encourages the commitment to not let PT become a passing bandwagon. Readily understood graphs, charts , and explanations help management and employees realize the benefit of people-oriented services.
For instance, in the area of training, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development reported that time spent in training beyond high school leads to increased wages . [33] In addition, the U.S. Department of Labor also found that training attendance leads to increased wages, especially if the training is general because the learning can be transferred from job assignment to job assignment. [34] It is clear that performance technology is not a passing bandwagon within individual organizations either. PT will not be "leaving town" soon, like the bandwagons that used to leave with the circus posters and the big-tent entertainers. However, PT efforts involving training need to be measured both with numbers (quantitatively) and with success stories (qualitatively) to convey value and help employees and management make better decisions.
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Health Alliance Plan (HAP) is a well-respected health maintenance organization associated with Henry Ford Health Systems, based in Detroit, Michigan. It provides primarily employee-based health services to large manufacturing companies, nonprofit organizations, and small companies. HAP's service area focuses on southeastern Michigan, northern Ohio, and greater Flint. The National Committee for Quality Assurance awarded HAP three-year full accreditation status. HAP was rated the number-one plan in the state of Michigan and number 17 nationwide .
Situation
In the 1980s, HAP's Department of Human Resources (HR) was not respected for its contributions to the organization. Executives and employees alike were not familiar with the value added by HR. The Human Resources Effectiveness Report was started as an effort to " shine the light" on the people aspects of the organization. The report was designed to market and educate employees about HR and, as a result, to improve the performance of the workforce.
The effectiveness report was also created to demonstrate that HR initiatives were not just a passing bandwagon , but added permanent value that improved year-after-year By measuring HR services and showing year over year trends, HR developed a closer working relationship with other divisions, such as operations, marketing, financial, information systems, and executive/legal. This enabled other divisions to see how their HR partnership initiatives impact the effectiveness report findings. Each division can now compare its statistics with those of the other divisions. The report portrays an "open book" approach that is designed to support decision making and planning.
Intervention
HR's goals were to gain respect and to encourage partnerships between the other divisions and HR. To accomplish these two goals, Vice President of Human Resources Don Davis decided to initiate an effectiveness report to illustrate HR activities and to demonstrate measurable value. In PT terms, Davis selected organizational communication as the intervention to educate, market, and demonstrate HR's worth. The effectiveness report contained extensive graphics, particularly bar charts, pie charts, and tables, to illustrate relationships among divisions and to show changes from year to year. In addition the report provided information for process improvements, while its openness encouraged suggestions from the divisions, creating a dialogue.
For example, the report's turnover section contained tables regarding reasons for leaving based on exit interviews of non-exempt and exempt employees. Reasons included family responsibilities, relocation, management, advancement, career change, and salary. [35] Davis stated that before the report managers usually believed that salary was the primary reason for leaving. Armed with actual knowledge about voluntary separations, managers realized that there are many reasons. Due to exit interview findings, HR now collaborates with divisions to create career opportunities and the flexibility to accommodate family responsibilities.
Results
Overall, the people-oriented improvements were remarkable , and they cut across the divisions. For example:
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Separations and new hires went down.
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Promotions went up.
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Recruitment advertisement costs were cut. [36]
In addition, the effectiveness report provided comparisons of HAP's data with Saratoga Institute's national trend data for both the health care and insurance industries. [37] Comparative benchmark data improved confidence and strengthened decisionmaking. [38]
Davis believes that HR's favorable score on the employee (internal customer) satisfaction survey of 87 percent is a strong indicator of success for the effectiveness report. In addition, HR has been able to redefine its role from functional administrator to collaborative partner.
Lessons Learned
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The report is considered by many to be an example of HR best practice.
Eastern Michigan University/Arbor Group and the City of Detroit honored HAP's Department of Human Resources with two separate awards for excellence based on their effectiveness report.
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Published information can be a valued asset.
HAP's HR experienced increased respect by preparing and distributing the annual Human Resources Effectiveness Report.
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Findings enabled HR to collaborate as consultants and partners to the other divisions. The tables, charts, and graphs serve as useful comparisons for planning and decision-making.
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The report narrative, such as exit interview summaries, helped managers understand better why HAP people do what they do.
The HAP case study was based on an interview with Don Davis, Vice President of Human Resources, Health Alliance Plan (HAP) on November 23, 1998. Case study written by Darlene Van Tiem, Ph.D. Used with permission.
| |
| |
| Intervention Data | Value to Organization | |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention | Data Source | Measurement and Analysis of Data |
| Appraisal 360 ° feedback, educational objective | ||
| Career Development Inventories, counseling | ||
| Coaching On-the-job, formal mentoring program | ||
| Culture Change Labor relations, grievances, culture survey | ||
| Compensation Benefits, medical and family leaves , retirement plans | ||
| Documentation References, guidelines, pocket guides | ||
| Environment Accommodations for diversity | ||
| Engineering Working conditions, on-the-job injuries | ||
| Health/Wellness Employee assistance, unemployment | ||
| Information Systems Human resources information systems, call centers, exit interviews | ||
| Job Aids Reminders, notices, directories, kiosks | ||
| Job/Work Design Suggestion plan, incentive program | ||
| Leadership Succession plans | ||
| Organizational Design Benchmarking | ||
| Electronic Performance Support Computer help | ||
| Reengineering Automating, telecommuting | ||
| Staffing Promotions, transfers, new hires, separations | ||
| Supervision Absences, tardiness, disciplinary actions | ||
| Team-building Outdoor adventure | ||
| Training and Education Tuition assistance | ||
| Other Awards and recognition, litigation avoidance | ||
ISPI 2000 Permission granted for unlimited duplication for noncommercial use.
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[11] Drucker, 1993; Carnevale, 1983
[12] AON Consulting, 1997; ASTD, 1998 and 1997a
[13] Millman, 1997
[14] Fisher and Fisher, 1998
[15] Millman, 1997
[16] AON Consulting, 1997
[17] AON Consulting, 1997, p. 7
[18] AON Consulting, 1997
[19] AON Consulting, 1997
[20] AON Consulting, 1997
[21] AON Consulting, 1997
[22] Bassi, Cheney, and Van Buren, 1997
[23] Robinson and Robinson, 1995
[24] Brethower and Smalley, 1998
[25] Bassi, Cheney, and Van Buren, 1997
[26] Dolence and Norris, 1995
[27] Bassi, Cheney, and Van Buren, 1997
[28] Bassi, Cheney, and Van Buren, 1997
[29] Danford, 1996
[30] Brethower, 1997a; Brethower, 2000, p. 474
[31] AON, 1997; ASTD, 1998 and 1997a
[32] ASTD, 1997b
[33] OCED, 1997
[34] Veum, 1996
[35] Health Alliance Plan, 1998, pp. 42 “44
[36] Health Alliance Plan, 1998, pp. 8 “11
[37] Fitz-enz, 1991
[38] Health Alliance Plan, 1998, p. 30
EAN: 2147483647
Pages: 98