- Title
- An investigation into the provision of performance feedback in selected Australian workplaces
- Creator
- Nolan, John Anthony
- Resource Type
- thesis
- Date
- 2012
- Description
- Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Description
- Organisations and individuals have continuously expressed concerns about the failure of performance management systems to provide adequate and timely provision of performance feedback to an individual. The emphasis on feedback provision in past managerial research, including within Australia, has been from an organisational level, with most studies sampling human resource professionals and managers. This thesis differs because it aims to contribute to an understanding of the role of performance feedback in an Australian organisational workplace setting from an individual’s perspective. Three organisations were sampled: one from the professional sector (n = 24 interviewees); one from the traditional manufacturing sector (n = 21 interviewees); and one from the finance sector (n = 17 interviewees). A triangulation method was adopted for the study. This consisted of semi-structured interviews, a brief quantitative survey comprising Likert items, and an examination of company documentation. During the semi-structured interviews, data was gathered to ascertain employee understanding of performance feedback, the way in which employees receive performance feedback, and whether employees are satisfied with their performance feedback. Additionally, information on factors that might impede managers from delivering feedback and factors that might impede employees from effectively engaging with the PMS was also gathered. Employee understanding of performance feedback was varied and expressed in terms of exposure to both formal and informal feedback channels. Across the organisations sampled, formal feedback generally equated with the receiving of performance feedback during the scheduled appraisal interview. Informal feedback was seen as the day-to-day comments received by employees. It was mainly described as spontaneous and positive with most performance feedback received from an immediate manager. The majority of interviewees associated feedback with the operations of the PMS, or with informal performance information from management and from (to a lesser degree) other colleagues. General themes derived from the qualitative interviews across the companies included the need for more timely and constructive formal and informal feedback (with the importance of the latter best described by the quote ‘the icing on the cake’) from better trained, emotionally mature managers and supervisors, and in a supportive organisation climate. Conversely, what also emerged was that employees might not have the necessary skills to fully engage in their own performance management. None of the company performance management systems recognised this. In the combined sample of all three organisations (n = 62 interviewees), the first hypothesis that individual satisfaction with performance feedback will be significantly associated with their work satisfaction was supported. The second hypothesis that individual satisfaction with their performance management system will be significantly associated with satisfaction with performance feedback was not supported. The third hypothesis that individual satisfaction with their performance management system will be significantly associated with their work satisfaction was supported. Recommendations for theory and practice include reducing the complexity of PMSs, increasing their effectiveness and ensuring uniform implementation. Management must understand the importance of feedback to appraisees and its role in maintaining a supportive organisational culture. To do so, managers may require certain traits and skills, including emotional maturity and self-esteem, while employees may require training to receive and seek feedback with confidence. It is recognised that the research was relatively small in the number of organisations and participants sampled and the breadth of industries represented. However, it is posited that the study provides the basis for future research into the impact of organisational culture on the effective implementation of a PMS; the legal implications surrounding the provision of feedback; the form of feedback that would best serve contemporary organisations; the management style in the provision of feedback; and the specific effects of individual differences on the delivery and receipt of both formal and informal feedback.
- Subject
- performance feedback; performance management; workplace setting
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/932186
- Identifier
- uon:11279
- Rights
- Copyright 2012 John Anthony Nolan
- Language
- eng
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