1. Training & Performance Appraisals @ MEGA BLOKS Eric Warner

2. Overview Company Profile Interview Subjects Concepts –Training –Performance Appraisals Data Results Conclusion Eric Warner

3. Company Profile $150 million Toy Manufacturer Largest Canadian construction toy manufacturer (HQ in Montreal) Second largest construction toy manufacturer world-wide. Employs about 1000 factory workers and 200 office workers. Eric Warner

4. Interview Subjects Interviews –Chantel Coursol: Director of Personnel –Paul Warner: V.P. Marketing Eric Warner

5. Concepts Training (Chap 6) Performance Appraisals (Chap 8) Eric Warner

6. Inside HROutside HR Chantel Coursol Paul Warner Training Bohlander, Snell and Sherman HR should perform organizational analysis, task analysis, and person analysis before designing training program. We didn’t do so while implementing training in the office. HR doesn’t show it if they do so. Some good training methods for HR to implement include: On the job experiences, seminars and conferences, case studies, management games and behavior modeling. We do have frequent seminars and conferences that employees get involved in where we communicate new policies and listen to new ideas. HR organizes seminars and conferences, which are helpful. Eric Warner

7. Inside HROutside HR Chantel Coursol Paul Warner Training Bohlander, Snell and Sherman HR should evaluate training, like any other HR function to determine it’s effectiveness. We haven’t evaluated supervisor’s individual training programs. HR doesn’t evaluate our training programs, but I evaluate my own. To get employees off to a good start, organizations generally offer a formal orientation program. We are all very friendly at MegaBloks…. There is no established orientation program, but I have my own. Eric Warner

8. Inside HROutside HR Chantel Coursol Paul Warner Training Bohlander, Snell and Sherman As we rely on teams to attain strategic and operational goals, team training can be a very valuable program to implement. We don’t have any formal team training programs, but we always mediate any problems employees have when working in teams. The HR doesn’t go out of their way to provide team training. I make all of my employees work together as a team so each has a part in training the new employees. Training programs should be developed with the organization’s overall goals in mind. We have rigorous training programs for factory workers, but not in the office. We train differently, depending on our specific needs. Eric Warner

9. T.O.P. Eric Warner Team Orientation Program List of vital topics, the expert on each topic, and the amount of time to be taken to cover each. The new employee must contact each person and schedule meetings throughout the week. This way the employee gets a good feel for the company, is informed, and has met with most of the fellow employees they will be dealing with. Everyone in the department works as a team, sharing the responsibility of training. Everyone together offers the knowledge and guidance that is very important to an employee entering a company.

10. RELATED TOPICS Training HR should (but does not in office) perform organizational analysis, task analysis, and person analysis before designing training program. (P. 225) HR doesn’t design a training program, BIG PROBLEM. Company uses OJT training (P. 237) Uses seminars and conferences frequently (P. 247) Warner does a good job in evaluating the training program, by assessing reactions, and asking questions to see how effective it was. (P. 251) Warner uses orientation training, and team orientation training together. He calls it T.O.P.. (P. 254) (P. 258) Eric Warner

11. Inside HROutside HR Chantel Coursol Paul Warner Appraising Performance Bohlander, Snell and Sherman Performance appraisals good for: Give employees opportunity to discuss performance and standards. identifying strengths and weaknesses. recommending a specific program designed to help improve employee performance. Salary recommendations They assess performance to reinforce a positive attitude and correct negative attitudes. They also can affect salaries, hourly rates and bonuses if applicable. They define job responsibilities and create accountability as well as making employees better, more efficient and aiding in career development. Norman Maier described three interview methods, tell-and-sell, Tell-and-Listen, and Problem- Solving We generally use the tell-and-listen approach while conducting interviews I always use the tell- and-listen approach in formal appraisal interviews Eric Warner

12. We ask supervisors for copies of any appraisal documents to make sure all wording is appropriate, and politically correct. We make all employees aware of the laws, and encourage them to consider both personal and company welfare when making these types of decisions. Inside HROutside HR Chantel Coursol Paul Warner Appraising Performance Bohlander, Snell and Sherman All my appraising is reasonable, of course I make sure to cover myself at all times. We have a company attorney who overlooks various activities in the office, such as publications to make sure they comply with the law. But internally, I think we probably overlook some laws. HR should always make sure that all appraising procedures conform with state and federal law. Eric Warner

13. We make sure to address any complaints from employees who have been appraised, and make suggestions to appraisers. We prepare all appraisers with an official Performance Evaluation Form. It is very easy to administer. Inside HROutside HR Chantel Coursol Paul Warner Appraising Performance Bohlander, Snell and Sherman The Performance Evaluation Form given to me is quite helpful. The Guide To Conducting a Successful Performance Evaluation gives the interview the structure it needs. Training appraisers can vastly improve the performance process. Eric Warner

14. Performance appraisal methods can be broadly classified as measuring traits, behaviors, or results. We use Supervisor Appraisals, combined with self-appraisals. Inside HROutside HR Chantel Coursol Paul Warner Appraising Performance Bohlander, Snell and Sherman Some types of appraisals include Manager/Supervisor appraisals, Self-Appraisals, Subordinate Appraisals, peer appraisals, and team appraisals. We use Supervisor Appraisals, combined with self-appraisals. Like any good performance appraisal form, ours sufficiently measures each category Yes all of these, except it does not measure results very well. I use my own system for this. Eric Warner

15. RELATED TOPICS Performance Appraisals Serves both Administrative & Developmental purposes. (P. 320) Not enough attention to laws, (P. 324) Uses Supervisor Appraisal, and Self-Appraisal (P. 326) Clear Appraisal Plan is established on first page of Performance Evaluation Form (P. 330) A Graphic Rating Scale with provision for comments used in Performance Evaluation Form (P. 334-5). KRA’s in evaluation form is an example of MBO (Management by Objectives) (P. 341) Tell & Sell Interviews used (P. 345) Eric Warner

16. TrainingAppraising + - - + + + + - - + + + + + - + + + RESULTS Eric Warner

17. Conclusion HR needs to put work into defining a training procedure in the office. HR has strong Performance Appraisal procedures. The communication between HR and supervisors is good. A strong HR background for all managers is important. Eric Warner