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APS Performance Management Diagnostic

ToolPeople Management Network

1

Overview of the session

Introduction to the project

An explanation of the Diagnostic

Conclusions – what I have learnt

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Developed from the Strengthening the Performance Framework Project

A joint project originally between the APSC, Australian National University,

University of Canberra,University of New South Wales,

Canberra

Background: Strengthening the Performance Framework project

Ahead of the Game Blueprint for Reform (2010) Performance management and employee engagement

SOSR findings Literature International Comparisons Capability Reviews Primary Data

Why High Performance?

Where is the greatest improvement going to come from?

What is meant by “More with Less”?

Need a real change to occur – change management

State of the Service Reports

Questions 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12

Agencies require employees to have performance agreement

93% 90% 92%

Employees receive formal performance feedback 88% 88% 79%

HOWEVER ….  

Percentage of employees who agreed that most recent performance review would help them improve their performance

51% 50% 48%

Percentage of employees who agreed that their agency deals effectively with underperformance

24% 23% 21%

Performance management has a substantial positive influence on employee engagement…

Job Team Supervisor Agency

No 6.080934 6.06817499999998

6.245565 5.36383599999998

Yes 6.579905 6.551153 6.85301799999998

5.703597

0.50

2.50

4.50

6.50

8.50

Did you receive formal individual performance feedback?

Engagem

ent

Score

(0-1

0)

Job Team Supervisor Agency

Str Agree

7.92550799999999

7.849252 8.47750400000001

7.029803

Agree 7.135795 7.107341 7.543083 6.25665900000001

Nei-ther

6.249285 6.236074 6.463227 5.375921

Dis-agree

5.49248699999999

5.468728 5.453459 4.62210899999998

Str Dis-agree

4.646484 4.572245 4.49255499999998

3.827212

0.502.504.506.508.50

Do you agree that it was useful?

Engagem

ent S

core (

0-1

0)

If we keep doing what we’ve always done,

we’ll keep getting what we always got

Changing the conversation• How do we change a

conversation?• What do you want to

be different?• What might it look like

if it works?

What is High Performance?

‘No consistent standard of value has emerged to serve as a reliable guide for governments

We tend to be able to describe what it is not!

Characteristics ofHigh Performing Organisations

Continuous Learning and Improvement

Vertical and Horizontal System Alignment

Strategic Orientation and individual role/goal clarity

Outcome and Citizen Orientated

Cooperative Partnerships

Capabilities and Competences

High Employment Engagement

Ongoing feedback and management of expectations

Walking the Talk

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Performance Management

… a mechanism that underpins and integrates other management

practices

A Framework for High Performance

Questions for High Performance

Question One: What will it look like if it works?

Question Two: How do we know what to prioritise?

Question Three: What will really motivate you?

Question Four: Why does ‘performance management’ exist

Question Five: How will we know when we are there?

Question Six: Is it likely?

Outcomes so far

Changes to legislation

APS Employment Principles

Core skills: Performance Management Program

Where Now?

Diagnostic Process

Identify the good, build on what’s working

Designed as a circuit breaker to change the conversation

Diagnostic Process

PHASE TASKS

1 Diagnostic preparation (3-4 weeks prior to the Diagnostic Exercise

Review context and current processes. Set up the Pulse. Finalise the questions for particular foci and set up the interviews

2 Diagnostic process (1-2 weeks depends on agency size)Interviews (EL and SES) and focus groups (EL and APS levels) across agreed areas

3 Data analysis (2-3 weeks depends on amount of data to be analysed)Analyse data reflecting each Principle and Foundation element of the High Performance Framework

4 Evaluation and key learnings from Diagnostic process (Workshop and finalise report

Workshop session is arranged with the agency’s Executive Team as part of the report development process.

Questions?

Five Most Important Things I Have Learnt

Need to know why you are doing it

Need to know why you are doing it

Need to know why you are doing it

Need to know why you are doing it

Need to know why you are doing it

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Factors that have a positive influence on

the quality of performance

management…

Factors that have a positive influence on the quality of performance

management…

The extent to which managers see performance management to be a core management activity that contributes to improving whole of organisational performance

The extent to which there is a clear accountability mechanism for performance improvement in the organisation

The capacity of managers to clearly describe high performance in terms of the job and the context

The amount of time (resources) available to managers to do performance management

The quality of the performance management conversation (the quality of what is exchanged between the manager and the employee)

Done well performance management has a range of

positive outcomes…

Performance management has a positive impact on employee engagement

Increases role clarity for all employees

Consistent understanding of expectations and contribution for both managers and employees

A consistent approach to clearly articulating and managing expectations

Provides a focus for improving performance at the individual and organisational level

Builds workforce adaptability through ability to understand and respond to change

Management not HR must drive

Setting it up as core business – people management

Strategically underused

Accountability matters – poor performance is not addressing underperformance

Five Most Important Things I Have Learnt

Performance Management

… a mechanism that underpins and integrates

other management practices

Thank you

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For further details:

Contact:

Damian West, APSCdamian.west@apsc.gov.au

Deborah Blackman, UNSW Canberrad.blackman@adfa.edu.au

Fiona Buick, University of Canberrafiona.buick@canberra.edu.au

Michael O’Donnell, UNSW Canberram.odonnell@adfa.edu.au

http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2275681http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2130232.D