Creating a High-Performance Work Organisation - Business Case and Best Practices

Understanding High-Performance Working (HPW)

Background to Unit – Improving Organisational Performance  

This unit introduces the learner to how organisations can drive sustained organisation performance by creating a high-performance work organisation (HPWO) and involving line managers in the performance management process. The unit assesses the different conceptual frameworks of high-performance working (HPW) and examines its impact on organisational performance, competitive advantage, employee engagement and employee well-being. It provides the learner with the business case for, and the barriers to, HPW as well as the role of people management in improving organisational performance. Furthermore, the unit examines the contribution of the performance management process and shows how the involvement and commitment of line managers, and the use of effective and inclusive collaborative working and communication techniques, can support the building of a high-performance culture that promotes diversity, trust, enthusiasm and commitment and that recognises critical skills, capabilities, experience and performance.

Understand the concept of high-performance working (HPW) and its contribution to creating and sustaining a high-performance work organisation (HPWO).

Understand the contribution of performance management to high levels of performance and the role of line managers in the process.

Know how to create and sustain a community of practice to build a high-performance culture.

Your task (3,900 words)

Your HR Director is to present a report to the executive team that puts forward a positive business case for introducing high performance working practices into the organisation. She has asked you to provide her with an evidence-based written brief. You will need to make reference to academic research and literature in your brief.

In the first section you should briefly address the concepts of HPW and HPWO and provide:

A brief analysisof the concept and components of HPW. E.g. leadership, employee reward, organisation development, etc. ( AC1.1)

A brief evaluationof the link between HPW and sustained organisation performance, employee well-being and competitive advantage. In your evaluation you should address the link between HPW processes and cultural change. (AC 1.2)

An identificationof some of the main barriers to HPW. (AC 1.3)

In the next section of your brief you should address performance management. You should:

Summarisethe main stages of the performance management cycle and the role of development and performance reviews. (AC 2.1)

Give some examplesof different ways of involving line managers in the performance review process.(AC 2.2)

Provide a brief evaluationof the contribution of the performance management process to promoting challenge, building capability and recognising and rewarding talent. You should refer to key principles such as fairness, equity, etc. (AC 2.3)

In the final section of your report you should give a summary of how to create and sustain a culture of HPW and:

Recommendsome of the ways of building trust, enthusiasm and commitment in support of a high-performance culture.(AC 3.1)

Evidence to be produced/required

An evidence-based written brief of approximately 3,900 words in total.

You should relate academic concepts, theories and professional practice to the way organisations operate, in a critical and informed way, and with reference to key texts, articles and other publications and by using organisational examples for illustration.

All reference sources should be acknowledged correctly and a bibliography provided where appropriate (these should be excluded from the word count). Demonstrating evidence of wider reading through appropriate referencing will improve your answer and increase the likelihood of your work achieving a ‘Pass’.