Competency

Appraise the workforce relations of an organization to ensure optimal performance.

Scenario

You are an HR Business Partner in a large electronics retailer. The VP of HR has recently implemented a new disciplinary process, which focuses more on performance improvement rather than automatic discipline and censure for behavior and performance issues. The VP of HR created a performance matrix to help guide managers to understand what types of disciplinary actions are appropriate for different infractions. The HR Business Partners have been instructed to use the matrix to coach line managers to better assess what type of disciplinary action should be taken for employee issues, with the use of a performance improvement plan whenever possible.

Your internal portfolio, as an HR Business Partner, includes the household machines division, which focuses on sales of washers and dryers, dishwashers, and other large home appliances. The sales manager of this division has requested assistance from HR in handling a performance problem. One of his employees is an innovative and energetic “star performer,” but becomes angry, defensive, and argumentative if the ideas, suggestions, and proposals he makes require changes or is not implemented. The sales manager has spoken to him once, but no changes have been observed. As the HR Business Partner prepare a coaching memo for the sales manager, which outlines which type of discipline the employee should receive as well as a performance improvement plan (PIP) for the employee.

Instructions

Prepare a coaching memo and a performance improvement plan (PIP), using the organization’s new discipline matrix, for the employee that:

• Provides primary issue/overall concern.
• Explains desired and actual performance.
• Demonstrates the impact (the sound business reasons why the problem must be solved).
• Demonstrates the consequences (the logical consequences the employee will face if he fails to correct the situation).
• Provides attribution for credible sources used as an appendix to the PIP.

Resources

Article Databases:

• Business Source Complete via EBSCO
• Business via ProQuest
• ASP: Human Resource Management Online

Guides & FAQs:

• Memo Writing FAQ
• Appendix FAQ
• APA Guide
• Rasmussen’s Answers/FAQs

Grading Rubric

F

F

C

B

A

0

1

2

3

4

Did not Submit

No Pass

Competence

Proficiency

Mastery

Not Submitted

Used unclear verbiage for the primary issue or overall concern for employee.

Provided the primary issue or overall concern for employee, no examples provided.

Provided the primary issue or overall concern for employee using some clear examples.

Clearly and strongly provided the primary issue or overall concern for employee using clear examples in a well-defined coaching memo and PIP.

Not Submitted

Used unclear verbiage of desired performance of employee.

Explained desired and actual performance of employee, no examples provided.

Explained desired and actual performance of employee using some clear examples.

Clearly and strongly explained desired and actual performance of employee using clear examples in a well-defined coaching memo and PIP.

Not Submitted

Used unclear verbiage of the impact of the problem and sound business reasons why the problem must be solved.

Demonstrated the impact of the problem and sound business reasons why the problem must be solved, no examples provided.

Demonstrated the impact of the problem and sound business reasons why the problem must be solved using some clear examples.

Clearly and strongly demonstrated the impact of the problem and sound business reasons why the problem must be solved using clear examples in a well-defined coaching memo and PIP.

Not submitted

Used unclear verbiage of the consequences of the problem; the logical consequences the employee will face if he fails to correct the situation.

Demonstrated the consequences of the problem; the logical consequences the employee will face if he fails to correct the situation, no examples provided.

Demonstrated the consequences of the problem; the logical consequences the employee will face if he fails to correct the situation must be solved using some clear examples.

Clearly and strongly demonstrated the consequences of the problem; the logical consequences the employee will face if he fails to correct the situation using clear examples in a well-defined coaching memo and PIP.