Examples of Performance Management in Practice

The Royal Mail was once regarded as an example of how not to manage employee absence. Absence was at an all time high, and productivity and profits were at serious risk. Here we examine how Royal Mail’s turned things around by adopting a radical new approach to the management of absence.

Orange is one of the best known names in the UK mobile phones market. To stay at the forefront of the highly competitive telecoms sector, Orange needed to ensure that its performance management system allowed employees to deliver high performance. This article outlines how Orange revamped its performance management approach with the help of MAX, a bespoke performance management tool.

Cathay Pacific Airlines introduced a new performance management system which acted as the catalyst for the creation of a continuous improvement culture; the holy grail of performance management. Following a need to improve standards of customer service, this article investigates how Cathay Pacific revised its key competencies and developed a new set of values and behaviours that better embodied its motto of ‘Service Straight from the Heart’.

Back pain and musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are a leading cause of long-term absence. This good practice example examines how Centrica has developed a comprehensive back care programme which has helped rehabilitate employees back to work and prevent new cases developing through education and enhanced employee wellness initiatives.

How the Victoria and Albert Museum has used 360-degree feedback as a tool to support employee performance and development.

A case history that looks at how Volkswagen used performance management as a part of its expansion programme.

The success of Selfridges & Co’s programme of corporate renewal is an illustration of the impact of people management practices on performance.

Following a benchmarking exercise in 1994, Abbey Life Assurance transformed their performance management process, introducing a competence framework and addressing many issues including job evaluation and the link to pay. This article examines what they did.