How Can I Engage Reluctant Employees in Goal Setting Under Tight Deadlines?

Dear All,

Greetings! Seeking advice.

I'm working as a Business Analyst, and the concentration of my concern is more into HR/OD Interventions. I joined the organization just a week before and am new to the consulting industry.

This is my first client assignment, and I have been deputed to an organization (Manufacturing/Assembling Unit) that has been operating without an HR Department for the past 25 years, with all decision-making and other powers vested in the management.

We conducted an initial OCTAPASE study and discovered that employees have been satisfied with what the organization has been providing them. In fact, 60% of the employees here have been tenured (more than 15 years on average). Currently, we are in the process of implementing a Performance Management System (PMS) so that employees understand what is expected of them and can perform accordingly to meet both their individual and company objectives.

My concern is that I have been given this assignment halfway through, and I am to proceed with what has already been partially done by another person. Goals have not been set for nearly a quarter of the employee strength. While it has only been two days since I started visiting the plant, employees are somewhat reluctant to sit with me and discuss their goals for the year, as they are busy with various tasks. I am confident that building rapport with the employees can be achieved, although it may take time, considering the previous individual had a different approach and took 3 - 4 months to build rapport after the contract was signed. I am a little concerned about the time constraints I am facing, as I have specific designated timelines as a consultant. The immediate need for me is to bring the employees together, convey that I am working for their betterment, actively involve them in the goal-setting exercise, and ensure we complete this exercise before the deadline.

Is there any advice you can provide me in this regard?

Regards,

Jayesh Mukundan

Steps to Implement a Performance Management System

1. Prepare detailed or brief questions and circulate them. Try to get feedback or collect them through an online confidential survey.
2. Study the input data and prepare the reports.
3. Discuss with top management for further details if required.

Regards,
B. Amratha

FY'11 Goal Setting Process



This is an important first step in your FY11 performance management process and provides you and your manager with the opportunity to establish an important basis on which your performance will be assessed at both mid-year and year-end. During goal setting, team members will documentboth performance goals and the learning and development plan.Managers are expected to have a discussion with their respective team members on the documented goals and approve / suggest modifications.
Setting measurable and achievable goals is a core component of our developmental culture. It is one way you can take charge of your career and point yourself in the right direction — both professionally and personally. Effective goal setting can help set the stage for a successful fiscal year and it provides a tangible framework around which to discuss and document your goals, as well as action plans to achieve them.
Key dates to help you plan

Dec 6th – Dec 10th, 2010

• Managers along with their team members develop individual & team goals and target for the year 2011

• Documentation to be provided to HR ( in a format facilitated)
Dec 13th -– Dec 17, 2010
• Managers along with their team members develop individual & team goals and target for the year 2011

• Documentation to be provided to HR ( in a format facilitated)
Dec 20th – Dec 24th, 2010
• Managers along with their team members develop individual & team goals and target for the year 2011

• Documentation to be provided to HR ( in a format facilitated)
Sales Team
Dec 27th – Dec 31st 2010
• Managers along with their team members develop individual & team goals and target for the year 2011

• Documentation to be provided to HR ( in a format facilitated)
Support Team



Types of Goals

The goal setting process focuses on two types of goals:
1. Performance goals -- Three to five performance goals that align with the Corpus' vision, strategic choices, values, and the strategic priorities and goals of your service area.
2. Learning and DevelopmentPlan -- Three to five development goals based on your competency profile. All professionals are encouraged to design learning plans that support achievement of development priorities and their managers are required to endorse the same.
Both types of goals should also incorporate the developmental feedback you received during the FY10 year-end review process.
Your Goals should be SMART

S – Specific - A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal.
M – Measurable - If you can't measure it, you can't manage it. Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal you set. When you measure your progress, you stay on track.
A – Attainable - When you identify goals that are most important to you, you begin to figure out ways you can make them come true.
R – Realistic - To be realistic, a goal must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work.
T – Timely - A goal should be grounded within a time frame. With no time frame tied to it there's no sense of urgency and hence we would take it cool. The purpose is lost.
Goal setting is an ideal opportunity to revisit your current career-life choices and determine if you would want to make any changes for the upcoming fiscal year.
Thank you

Hi Jayesh,

Firstly, for implementing a PMS system, kindly ensure that job descriptions (JDs) of all employees are available. Secondly, if JDs are not available, then prepare them. Subsequently, design goal sheets where you need to define Key Result Areas (KRAs) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs); these will serve as the goal setting for individuals.

Afterward, you can proceed to team goal setting, and only then can you implement the PMS.

Regards,
Anal

Dear Jay,

From your description of the situation, I would suggest the following actions:

1. Conduct a training session on 'Cultivating the Right Attitude'. During the session, highlight the importance of setting goals, an effective performance management system, and the need for participation of employees in goal-setting and PMS, as these would be their primary performance concerns.

2. Thereafter, send out a notice for the meeting for goal-setting and PMS.

In this sequence, you would have hopefully set the stage for willing and active participation by employees.

Best of Luck!

Regards, Col S K Lalvani, Veteran
Email: lalvani.nucleus@gmail.com
Phone: 9011550898

Please create KRA/KPA based on the set goals in consultation with the department head or director. Call a meeting to explain and ensure agreement by all, so that later on, nobody can complain. Setting goals is futile unless you have a feedback/monitoring and measuring system in place. Involvement of all is important.

Permeshwer
Email: permeshwernth@gmail.com