ABSTRACT
In exploring the defining characteristics of the contemporary concept of HRM, as discussed in Chapter 2, the contribution of people management practices towards improved performance at work is proposed as a critical aspiration and goal. Alongside the need to attain high commitment from the workforce has been the competition-driven aim to manage a high-performance work system (Appelbaum et al., 2000). Whilst early considerations of performance management concentrated on performance appraisal of the individual, this basic HR function has been developed to be one part of a system of managing performance in an integrated fashion which links the performance objectives of the organization, the work groups and the individual. As such, the current interpretation and understanding of the term ‘performance management’ may be extended to an all-embracing activity which seeks to align the organization's goals and targets with those of the work team and individual employee (Torrington et al., 2008).
