In your previous assignment, you assumed the role of a performance management consultant hired by the CEO of Twilio SendGrid to develop a new performance management system. In the face of leadership skepticism about the value of adopting a new system, you identified several key factors in your organizational SWOT analysis and aligned this organizational analysis to your HR SWOT analysis, to ensure that HR processes align with company goals and objectives. In this assignment, continuing as the performance management consultant, you will take the next step: reviewing Twilio SendGrid’s performance appraisal system.
Case Scenario
The Twilio SendGrid CEO and top leadership have requested that you continue as the consultant expert on the performance management system implementation process. As part of this process, you have determined that the next step is to review the performance appraisal system. From your conversations with various managers and employees, you have heard that employees are unsure how the appraisal system aligns with their job responsibilities or how it benefits the overall organization.
Recently, you identified several factors in your organizational SWOT analysis and aligned this to your HR SWOT analysis. After discussing the results with the CEO, he has decided that the call center should be the first division for performance review since customer complaints about slow response times and inadequate support have increased.
Based on your observations, the call center takes calls from customers who are having problems with Twilio SendGrid’s cloud-based services. Call center employees must first verify that the problem is not one the customer can easily handle (such as plug-ins). Then, if the problem is not resolved over the phone or in an online chat, the employees arrange for service technicians to visit the customer. Performance management of call center employees focuses on productivity: how quickly they can complete the call and move on to the next caller.
Currently, a basic Performance Review Form [PDF] Download Performance Review Form [PDF]is utilized to evaluate an employee’s performance. However, only about 7 percent of the supervisors complete the form, communicate briefly with the employee, and send the signed form to human resources. The forms are rarely used for promotion or pay raise decisions. Given this, not much emphasis is placed on the timely completion of the employee performance appraisal.
Instructions
In a 1-2 page report to the CEO, complete your responses to Parts 1, 2, and 3 of your review of Twilio SendGrid’s performance appraisal system.
Part 1: Improvements
Write a two-paragraph report in which you summarize the following:
Evaluate three strengths and three weaknesses of the current appraisal system.
Recommend at least three specific improvements to develop a better system that aligns with the organization’s culture.
Part 2: Rating Method
Several methods can be used for performance appraisal. These include trait (graphic rating scale, essays), behavioral (BARS, critical-incident ratings), and results methods (MBO). Based upon your evaluation of the current appraisal system, use 1-2 paragraphs to complete the following:
Describe one appraisal rating method appropriate for the organization.
Use your SWOT analysis to identify a method that best aligns with the organization’s mission, goals, and culture.
Identify three ways this method will help improve employee job performance at Twilio SendGrid’s call center.
Part 3: Rating Instruments
In 1-2 paragraphs, complete the following:
Analyze how Twilio SendGrid can ensure that its rating instruments are relevant.
Consider the alignment to your SWOT analysis findings.
