SECTION B
[49]
Question 2
Read the case study below and answer all the questions that follow.
Hitting the target and missing the point
Shimaneni, a newly appointed Director of Human Resources, tries to improve on staff appraisals. A
robust system of annual appraisals can contribute to employees feeling engaged and provide a basisfor
staff development. So how does Shimaneni get things wrong? Shimaneni company was proud of its track
record on health and safety and had a comprehensive staff welfare programme in place. As a newly
appointed Director of Human Resources, Shimaneni, was determined to make her mark. One of the
areas she identified for improvement was appraisals. They were supposed to happen every twelve
months but last year only 73% had been completed on time. She knew, from her previous job, that
appraisals were a great way of getting staff engagement and could really help people see how their job
contributed to company performance.
Shimaneni and her team worked hard on getting the numbers up. She pushed line managers to get
appraisal dates in their diaries and pulled staff off other duties to make sure that they attended. Sheset
all managers a target of 90% completion within their teams and was clear that there would be no
excuses accepted for failing. There was a lot of grumbling, but Shimaneni was a forceful character.
At the end of the 12-month period Shimaneni could report to the Board that, this year, 92% of appraisals
had been completed on time. It was a great improvement. When the results of the staff survey came in
three months later, Shimaneni was bitterly disappointed. Levels of satisfaction with the appraisal
process had hardly changed -only 26% reported that the appraisal had been 'useful or very useful'. The
number who replied positively to the statement 'I feel engaged in the business and understand my
contribution' had fallen by 12%. 'Where did I go wrong?' Shimaneni asked herself.
Management and leadership; the Open University
2.1. When the results of the staff survey came in three months later, Mrs. Shimaneni was bitterly
disappointed. Levels of satisfaction with the appraisal process had hardly changed - only 26%
reported that the appraisal had been 'useful or very useful'. Discuss six (6) desirable features
that make appraisal forms particularly effective.
(12)
3