Good performance management cannot be reduced to a "magical form," but instead is a process that provides feedback, accountability, and documentation for performance outcomes. It also helps employees to channel their talents toward organizational goals

• Define the purpose of the job, job duties, and responsibilities.
• Define performance goals with measurable outcomes.
• Define the priority of each job responsibility and goal.
• Define performance standards for key components of the job.
• Hold interim discussions and provide feedback about employee performance, preferably daily, summarized and discussed, at least, quarterly. (Provide positive and constructive feedback.)
• Maintain a record of performance through critical incident reports. (Jot notes about contributions or problems throughout the quarter, in an employee file.)
• Provide the opportunity for broader feedback. Use a 360 degree performance feedback system that incorporates feedback from the employee's peers, customers, and people who may report to him.
• Develop and administer a coaching and improvement plan if the employee is not meeting expectations.

• 0 comments »

Six Sigma - What is Six Sigma

Six Sigma at many organizations simply means a measure of quality that strives for near perfection. Six Sigma is a disciplined, data-driven approach and methodology for eliminating defects (driving towards six standard deviations between the mean and the nearest specification limit) in any process -- from manufacturing to transactional and from product to service.

The statistical representation of Six Sigma describes quantitatively how a process is performing. To achieve Six Sigma, a process must not produce more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities. A Six Sigma defect is defined as anything outside of customer specifications. A Six Sigma opportunity is then the total quantity of chances for a defect. Process sigma can easily be calculated using a Six Sigma calculator .

The fundamental objective of the Six Sigma methodology is the implementation of a measurement-based strategy that focuses on process improvement and variation reduction through the application of Six Sigma improvement projects . This is accomplished through the use of two Six Sigma sub-methodologies: DMAIC and DMADV. The Six Sigma DMAIC process (define, measure, analyze, improve, control) is an improvement system for existing processes falling below specification and looking for incremental improvement. The Six Sigma DMADV process (define, measure, analyze, design, verify) is an improvement system used to develop new processes or products at Six Sigma quality levels. It can also be employed if a current process requires more than just incremental improvement. Both Six Sigma processes are executed by Six Sigma Green Belts and Six Sigma Black Belts , and are overseen by Six Sigma Master Black Belts.

According to the Six Sigma Academy, Black Belts save companies approximately $230,000 per project and can complete four to 6 projects per year. General Electric, one of the most successful companies implementing Six Sigma, has estimated benefits on the order of $10 billion during the first five years of implementation. GE first began Six Sigma in 1995 after Motorola and Allied Signal blazed the Six Sigma trail. Since then, thousands of companies around the world have discovered the far reaching benefits of Six Sigma

• 1 comments »

Human Resources Resume Tips :

The human resources professional is an important part of a successful company. They have a wide variety of responsibilities, including hiring new employees, dealing with labor disputes, and training employees compensation and benefits programs, union and labor relations and many more.They also act as counselors, offering assistance to employees dealing with personal issues, so they need to have a personal touch as well. The human resources resume should reflect the various roles that you can deal with or already have handled so that your understanding of the job is visible.

How can you make your human resources resume Effective?

Your human resources resume should reflect your understanding of how HR policies impact the overall business mission and goals. Highlight the job responsibilities you understand or have already dealt with. For example administer benefits plans, maintain employee relations, ensure legal compliance, etc.

To make your resume stand different, go beyond listing your job functions and show how your services made a real difference to the organisation.Use the following as titles :

HR, HR assistant , HR director, human resources manager, human resources generalist, staffing manager, human resource specialist, HR benefits analyst, recruiter, executive recruiter, benefits coordinator, director of recruiting, compensation analyst, human resources coordinator, personnel representative, personnel supervisor, HRIS analyst, payroll supervisor.

Consider the following areas to examine yourself. This may help you to specify your achievements and understanding of your job.
Initiation / Development of any new HR policy or procedure.
Any notable improvement in employee retention or satisfaction.
Your role in improving employee morale.
Your role in improving the benefits program or launch of new employee benefits.
Any contribution in effective strategies for screening and recruitment.
Role in introduction of any HR systems that enhanced efficiency.
Role in training new or existing staff, number of people trained under you.
Role in organisational development initiatives, such as integrating two organisations after a merger, downsizing or expanding.
Responsibility in any special projects
Participation in any leadership initiatives in favour of positive results

• 1 comments »

What are competencies?

Competencies are those measurable or observable knowledge, skills, abilities and other behaviors critical to success in a key job role or function.
Competencies encompass the more familiar “KSAs” (knowledge, skills and abilities), but are more powerful in that they emphasize a person’s ability to produce an expected outcome. A competency is often a set of related KSAs that work together to produce key outcomes. In other words, excellent performance often cannot be understood only in terms of isolated knowledge, skills, or abilities. Rather, it results from a combination of these attributes working together. The use of competencies allows us to take a more holistic view of performance.


What is a an integrated competency-based HR system?

An integrated competency-based HR system uses a common vocabulary of competencies across HR processes to help provide clarity to managers, employees, and job candidates regarding the skills, traits, etc. that are most important. Competencies identified for success – for a particular position, a group of like positions, or perhaps for an entire organization – are attached to positions and follow them through the HR system and processes. Competencies are used in recruiting, assessment and selection, development, performance management, rewards and compensation, and succession planning.


What are the benefits of using competencies?

By providing a more holistic view of all the important attributes for success in a job, a competency approach will improve the understanding of what it really takes to perform well. Using competencies can create a foundation for high-performance HR management programs to attract, develop and retain the talent needed to succeed.

Competencies = Those measurable or observable knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors critical to success in a key job role or function.

• 0 comments »

Human resource management is a process of bringing people and organizations together so that the goals of each other are met. The role of HR manager is shifting from that of a protector and screener to the role of a planner and change agent. Personnel directors are the new corporate heroes. The name of the game today in business is personnel . Nowadays it is not possible to show a good financial or operating report unless your personnel relations are in order.

Over the years, highly skilled and knowledge based jobs are increasing while low skilled jobs are decreasing. This calls for future skill mapping through proper HRM initiatives.
Indian organizations are also witnessing a change in systems, management cultures and philosophy due to the global alignment of Indian organizations. There is a need for multi skill development. Role of HRM is becoming all the more important.


Some of the recent trends that are being observed are as follows:
The recent quality management standards ISO 9001 and ISO 9004 of 2000 focus more on people centric organizations. Organizations now need to prepare themselves in order to address people centered issues with commitment from the top management, with renewed thrust on HR issues, more particularly on training.

Charles Handy also advocated future organizational models like Shamrock, Federal and Triple I. Such organizational models also refocus on people centric issues and call for redefining the future role of HR professionals.

To leapfrog ahead of competition in this world of uncertainty, organizations have introduced six- sigma practices. Six- sigma uses rigorous analytical tools with leadership from the top and develops a method for sustainable improvement. These practices improve organizational values and helps in creating defect free product or services at minimum cost.

Human resource outsourcing is a new accession that makes a traditional HR department redundant in an organization. Exult, the international pioneer in HR BPO already roped in Bank of America, international players BP Amoco & over the years plan to spread their business to most of the Fortune 500 companies.

With the increase of global job mobility, recruiting competent people is also increasingly becoming difficult, especially in India. Therefore by creating an enabling culture, organizations are also required to work out a retention strategy for the existing skilled manpower.

• 0 comments »