Posted: September 17th, 2017

What a Star—What a Jerk”

What a Star—What a Jerk”
Assessing employees’ achievements and shortcomings—performance evaluation—can be a daunting task for managers and HR professionals. In addition to acknowledging and applauding achievements, performance evaluations force managers and HR professionals to confront employees about problems and issues. This requires a great deal of assertiveness, empathy, and tact, but is ultimately very beneficial to the success of individual employees and organizations as a whole. Conducting performance assessments, communicating their results, and addressing problems as well as acknowledging successes helps employees meet expectations and take responsibility for self-improvement.

In this Discussion, you will examine a case study that involves a performance evaluation and the process of identifying and addressing a problem with an employee. You will assess the actions of the characters in the case study, read expert opinions on those actions, and formulate your own response to the scenario presented in the case study.

To prepare for this Discussion:
• Read Chapter 9 PP, focusing on how performance appraisals are essential to the success and progress of employees within an organization.
• Read Chapter 14 PP and consider the methods of handling employee problems of performance and of behavior.
• Read the case study “What a Star-What a Jerk” in this week’s Resources. Reflect on the information provided in the course text that might relate to this scenario. Consider how you would handle this issue or a similar issue from the standpoint of a manager as well as that of an HR professional.
Post your initial reactions to the case. Then, describe how you, as a manager, would have responded to the situation. Be sure to reference the advice of the four commentators at the end of the article, but formulate your own unique answer. Elaborate on any thoughts you have that may support or refute the commentators’ claims. Finally, use the example from the case study as well as other scenarios you have experienced (in a previous job, in a project group for a class, or in another organization) and comment on the difference between problems of performance and problems of behavior.

Recourses
Staniland, K., Rosen, L., & Wild, J. (2011). Staff support in continuing professional development. Nursing Management, 18(1), 33-37.