How Does HR Really Fit into Performance Planning? Seeking Insights and Clarifications

Understanding Performance Planning in Performance Management

As per my understanding, performance planning is the first step in Performance Management. The steps in performance planning are:

1. Setting up the Mission and Vision - Done by top management
2. Setting up Organisational Goals/Objectives - Done by top management
3. Setting up Individual Objectives/KRAs - Done by the reporting Manager and Reportee

The Role of HR in Performance Planning

The role of HR is to:

• Train individuals on what a KRA and KPI are
• Act as a guide for them while they set up the KRAs for the employees in their departments or for themselves
• Work as a coordinator to get the KRAs and KPIs fixed on time
• Provide inputs at the time of performance assessment based on the set KRAs

Kindly let me know if HR plays any role that is different from my understanding. An early response is appreciated, please.

Regards

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Considerations for HR in Performance Management

Here are 2-3 things you need to consider for HR in performance management:

- Many times, certain measures of performance escape the attention of the department's manager. Therefore, have we measured everything? This question is quite important.

- There are many performance measures for every department. However, deciding on the degree of importance is also crucial. To determine the degree, you may attach weights to the Key Result Areas (KRAs). However, this task is to be completed by the manager. HR's responsibility is to ensure whether this has been done or not.

- The next important aspect is that every KRA should be SMART, i.e., Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound. Sometimes, managers create KRAs like "maintain relations among staff members." This is not a KRA at all. If a manager formulates a KRA in this way, HR should send it back for correction.

You have not mentioned anything about the performance appraisal meeting. Therefore, I would prefer not to comment on that.

Regards,
Dinesh V Divekar

Thank you for your reply. So, is my understanding of HR's role in performance planning clear?

HR's Role in Performance Planning

HR serves as a guide on how to write KRAs or SMART KRAs, acts as a coordinator to ensure KRAs are set on time, and functions as a checking authority to ensure that the KRAs are aligned with the mission, vision, and organizational goals.

Regards,
Riya Sharma
HR Trainer