EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

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CHAPTER 2 HUMAN RESOURCE PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL AND EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION

INTRODUCTION

From the discussion in chapter 1 it is eminent that the 21st century technological advancements and the current student profile (Generation Y), compels HEIs to adapt to technological development to remain competitive and to use generation-relevant educational tools. The use of e-learning to enhance learning requires academics to be equipped with the necessary skills to act as online learning facilitators. Thus, the e-readiness of academics is imperative in terms of not only technical and social skills, but also to use effective online teaching and learning strategies and to ensure that learning is optimised. However, when academics experience a lack of e-readiness it will influence the effectiveness with which they fulfil this job requirement their online teaching duties. Thus, the need for training and development interventions is eminent.
For academics to be competent in discharging their role as facilitator in the learning environment, in particular using e-learning as a learning tool, their competency to use e-learning needs to be assessed. This study therefore argues that, due to the changed job requirements, and highlighting the importance of the role of the online learning facilitator in e-learning, academics need to be assessed on their e-readiness during performance appraisals. The chapter reviews the literature on human resource performance appraisal to determine its role and place in the e-readiness assessment of academics.
A significant factor that managers should take cognisance of, in terms of employee performance and development, particularly with changing job requirements, is employee motivation. When employees resist change, such as the incorporation of technology in teaching and learning, it might be associated with a lack of motivation. The chapter therefore reviews the scholarly literature on the importance and relevance of employee motivation in the performance of academics pertaining to e-learning.

Human resource performance management

According to Amos (2009:8) performance management can be described as a VWUDWHJ\ WKDW LV VHW LQ WKH FRQWH[W RI DQ RUJDQLVDWLRQ¶V +5 SROLFLHV FXOWXUH DSSURDFK and infrastructure and which relates to all activities of the organisation. Amos (2009:9) further explains that the performance management process entails a continuous cycle of planning, acting, monitoring and reviewing, and again planning to complete the cycle. This cycle links logically with the performance appraisal process (Amos 2009:9). The organisational milieu will dictate the nature of the performance strategy and can differ from organisation to organisation (Amos 2009:8; cf Thomson & Mabey 2001:189±190).
3HUIRUPDQFH  PDQDJHPHQW  FDQ  DOVR  EH  GHILQHG  DV  D  ³VWrategic and integrated approach to delivering sustained success to organisations by improving the performance of the people who work for them and by developing the capabilities of  further defines performance management as an organised process by which organisational performance is enhanced through increasing the performance of individual employees and teams. A pre-decided structure of premeditated goals, standards and competency requirements provides for better results and it focuses employees on doing the correct things through goal clarification and is own and steered by line management (Armstrong 2006b:495). It is thus evident that goals are being set for performance management and that employees are assessed against certain predetermined standards.
Further, in their Strategic human resource planning: guideline and toolkit, 2008, the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) explains that a performance management V\VWHP  VWHPV  IURP  DQ  RUJDQLVDWLRQ¶V  YLVLRQ  DQG  objectives (DPSA 2008:7; DPSA 2002:2±3; cf Thomson & Mabey 2001:189±190; McNamara sa). The performance targets of individuals, against which they will be assessed during a performance appraisal, are therefore set within the framework of organisational objectives and an organisational strategy (Amos 2009:9). Therefore, individual objectives and organisational objectives should be aligned (Armstrong 2006b:496; PSC 2010:x;5; Nickols 2007:12). The mission of the NWU refers to the DLP  RI  SURYLGLQJ  ZRUOG  FODVV  HGXFDWLRQ  WR  VWXGHQWV  DQG  WR  ³educate and empower (them) through innovative and high quality teaching-OHDUQLQJ´
1:8 f). It is thus HYLGHQW  WKDW  WKH  8QLYHUVLW\¶V  PLVVLRQ  VWDWHPHQW  VXSSRUWV  LQQRYDWLYH  PHWKRGs of teaching and learning, of which e-learning is one. As indicated in the previous chapter, with e-learning the focus should be place on enhanced learning and the use of technology in teaching and learning should thus be applied to optimise learning. When academics are skilled and capable to do so, they will contribute to the According to the Toolkit for the management of poor performance in the public service, drafted by the Public Service Commission (PSC), performance management is intended to be a process that assists organisations in instituting a climate that is  favourable to motivating employees towards the development and achievement of high standards of performance (PSC 2007:5), thus emphasising the importance of motivation in employee performance. In this study it is argued that the key human factors of academics will determine how they should ideally be motivated to adapt to the changed job demand and to increase their performance. Section 2.3 elaborates on employee motivation.
Various authors (Landes 2009:28; Deci & Ryan 2000:227; Cardno 1995:118; Resnick 2007; Momberg 2004:36; Rademan & De Vos 2001:54; PSC 2010:x;5; Moller, Ryan & Deci 2006:105±106;110; Armstrong 2006b: 495±529; Armstrong & Baron 1998:568 in Amos 2009:9; Nickols 2007:12±13; Li & Butler 2004:38) indicate that particular aspects are typical of the performance management process and should be practiced and implemented to ensure the success of performance management. They outline the following aspects relating to performance management and performance appraisal: A meaningful rationale and benefits; well-defined processes; aptitude, skills and knowledge; clear goals, expectations and responsibilities; support structures and guidance systems for academics; patience and reinforcement, feedback, career management; objective assessment and legal protection. The importance of practicing and implementing of these aspects are explained in the following paragraphs:

A meaningful rationale and benefits

For employees to perform, they need a rationale as for why certain activities/responsibilities are expected of them (Landes 2006:28; Moller et al 2006:105±106;110; Deci & Ryan 2000:227). The importance of providing employees with a rationale is cardinal to employee motivation and ultimately performance, particularly when confronted with a changed job requirement, as is the case with academics at HEIs with the inclusion of technology in teaching and learning.
The rationale should include information on who benefits from the new job demand (Landes 2006:28). First and foremost the academic needs to understand how the new job demand will benefit teaching and learning. Further, the organisation (the HEI) and society (the learners and the future work places) will also benefit from employee development for the new job requirement and the eventual implementation of the new job requirement, e-learning, and should thus also be included in the rationale provided to the employee (Cardno 1995:118; cf Maurer Pierce & Shore 2002:432; Adam 2010). The importance for providing a rationale to employees is thus discussed in sections 2.3.1 and 2.3.2 as part of goal-setting for performance.

Well-defined performance management processes

Landes (2006:28) explains that a well-defined performance management process simplifies the tasks that employees are expected to perform, particularly those tasks they do not perform on a regular basis. Well-defined processes give direction for the sound implementation of the tasks employees are assigned to perform (Resnick 2007). Therefore, these processes are vital, whether they are developed with support from management, or whether employees create them on their own (Landes 2006:28; Resnick 2007). These well-defined processes can also assist academics, to clearly understand the role and purpose of e-learning in teaching and learning, what is expected of them and how it should be accomplished. One can argue that a well-designed process is likely to contribute positively towards employee motivation.

CHAPTER 1: GENERAL INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
1.2 RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY
1.3 STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
1.4 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1.6 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
1.7 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
1.8 STUDY TITLE AND RELATED CONCEPTS CLARIFIED
1.9 LAYOUT OF CHAPTERS
CHAPTER 2: HUMAN RESOURCE PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL AND EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION
2.1 INTRODUCTION
2.2 HUMAN RESOURCE PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL FOR E-READINESS ASSESSMENT
2.3 THE ROLE OF EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION TOWARDS INCREASED PERFORMANCE
2.4 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 3: EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
3.1 INTRODUCTION
3.2 EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
3.3 CAREER MANAGEMENT
3.4 THE ACADEMIC AS ADULT LEARNER
3.6 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 4: KEY HUMAN FACTORS IN E-READINESS
4.1 INTRODUCTION
4.2 KEY HUMAN FACTORS
4.3 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 5: E-READINESS: CRITICAL REQUIREMENT FOR EFFECTIVE ELEARNING IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT
5.1 INTRODUCTION
5.2 THE HIGHER EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT OF THE 21ST CENTURY
5.3 E-READINESS OF ONLINE LEARNING FACILITATORS
5.4 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 6: PROFILING THE NORTH-WEST UNIVERSITY
6.1 INTRODUCTION
6.2 HUMAN RESOURCE PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL AT THE NWU
6.3 EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT AT THE NWU
6.4 THE NWU LEARNER
6.5 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 7: EMPIRICAL RESEARCH: METHODOLOGY AND FINDINGS
7.1 INTRODUCTION
7.2 CHALLENGES EXPERIENCED DURING DATA COLLECTION
7.3 RESEARCH DESIGN
7.4 EMPIRICAL RESEARCH FINDINGS
7.5 SUMMARY AND DEDUCTIONS FROM EMPIRICAL RESULTS
7.6 FRAMEWORK FOR THE E-READINESS ASSESSMENT OF ACADEMICS
7.7 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 8: REFLECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
8.1 INTRODUCTION
8.2 SUMMARY OF CHAPTERS
8.3 PRIMARY FINDINGS OF THE STUDY
8.4 CONCLUSION
8.5 CONTRIBUTION OF THE STUDY
8.6 RECOMMENDATIONS
8.7 FURTHER RESEARCH
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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