Comparing strategies: performance management in action

Effective performance management (PM) is vital if organisations wish to be efficient and effective and sustain and improve their competitiveness in the current difficult operating environment. A key requirement of this process is the need to initiate actions and strategies which generate, support and sustain employee engagement because without the wholesale commitment of the workforce organisational performance is likely to suffer. Consequently organisations are constantly reviewing and overhauling their approaches in order to deal with workforce issues and improve employee engagement. **Ginsters**, the food company & winner of the 2008 World Leisure Innovation Award, and **Nampak**, overall winner of the 2010 CIPD People Management Award, are no exceptions. However, although their aim i.e. to increase workforce engagement, was the same the two companies recently adopted very different approaches to resolve their individual difficulties.
With reference to core texts dealing with personnel resourcing and development theories, the Ginsters and Nampak articles (* see refs below) plus other relevant articles and materials relating to organisational practice undertake the tasks outlined below:

Prepare a comprehensive, well researched and referenced essay (1,500 words approx) which compares, contrasts and assesses the effectiveness of the approaches used by Ginsters and Nampak to increase motivation and enhance employee performance and engagement amongst the whole workforce. Discuss which approach, in your view, is likely to have the most long term impact for the company and its employees.

***Task 2 Personal Reflection*** (500) words —
As the work in this module has emphasised, employers not only require employees with specific skills, expertise and knowledge within their chosen specialist field but also a range of generic attributes and abilities which enable them to integrate and operate effectively in the workplace.