Developing a performance culture in a unionised environment.

Brief

Client: An Australian utility company that was previously a government department.

Size: Over 5,000 employees.

Challenge: To assist in developing a performance culture in a unionised environment.

Aims of the Program:

1. Skill a critical mass of executives and senior managers in performance management and coaching.

2. Cost effectively down-line the training program, to middle managers and team leaders.

3. Implement an effective methodology to reinforce the learning over time.

Deliverables

The training provider delivered a two module (Performance Management and Effective Coaching) development program to 60 executives and senior managers. Each module comprised a two day application based workshop, three individual coaching tutorials and one small group tutorial.

Each participant was required, as a minimum, to work on the skills of feedback, confronting performance issues, conducting effective performance review discussions and coaching. The training provider's professional coaches, engaged participants in rigorous practice of the required skills, to ensure that they developed competency and confidence in managing and coaching for performance.

To cost effectively down-line the program, the training provider designed a blended training program. To reduce the face to face workshop time, an interactive CBT program was developed to introduce the theory and skills of performance management and coaching, to middle management and team leader participants.

The CBT incorporated testing to ensure comprehension. Professional coaches then conducted individual and small group practice and application coaching sessions to ensure that participants attained competence in the skills.

To reinforce the learning over time, the organisation was able to purchase, as required, additional individual coaching sessions for participants that needed them. Alternatively small group coaching sessions targeted at common specific skill application areas, such as performance reviews, could be purchased. Finally, the organisation could purchase additional CBT seats to enable participants to refresh and test their understanding and application of the learning.

Outcomes

1. A critical mass of managers developed both the skills and the confidence, to fairly and objectively deal with performance issues, and provide development for their people. Union representatives were far less involved in grievances than prior to the program.

2. The use of blended training cost effectively down-lined the program to all managers and team leaders, enabling a consistent approach to performance management and coaching to be adopted across the organisation. This assisted the development of a performance culture.

3. Through the post program services offered by the training provider, the organisation was able to cost effectively reinforce and institutionalise the learning, at both an individual and group level.