3.0 Company Overview

3.1 Company profile

November 28,1996: Grameenphone was offered a cellular license in Bangladesh by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications.

March 26,1997: Grameenphone launched its service on the Independence Day of Bangladesh .

June 1998: Grameenphone started its services in the port city of Chittagong, the second largest city in the country. Cell to cell coverage in the Dhaka-Chittagong corridor also enabled GP to introduce its service in a number of other districts along the way.

1999: Grameenphone has so far been a pioneer in introducing innovative cellular telephone products and services to the market. Earlier in September 1999, it introduced the EASY pre-paid service in the local market. It also introduced the Voice Mail Service (VMS) and the Short Message Service (SMS) and other value-added services.It started its service in the industrial city of Khulna. Once again, a number of other districts came under coverage of Grameenphone because of the cell to cell coverage between Dhaka and Khulna.

2000: Grameenphone started its services in Sylhet, Barisal and Rajshahi, bringing all six divisional headquarters under the coverage of its network. The service in Barisal region was started after the microwave link between Khulna and Chittagong was completed.

August 2003: After six years of operation, Grameenphone has more than one million subscribers.

November 2005: Grameenphone continues to being the largest telecommunication operator of Bangladesh with more than 5 million subscribers.

November 5, 2006: After almost 10 years of operation, Grameenphone has reached over 10 million subscribers on November 5,2006

2007: Grameenphone announces 15 million subscribers on September 20, 2007

Grameenphone is now the leading telecommunications service provider in the country with more than 20 million subscribers as of May 2009.

Grameenphone has been recognized for building a quality network with the widest coverage across the country while offering innovative products and services and committed after-sales service. Presently, there are about 30 million telephone users in the country, of which, a little over one million are fixed-phone users and the rest mobile phone subscribers.

Starting its operations on March 26, 1997, the Independence Day of Bangladesh, Grameenphone has come a long way. It is a joint venture enterprise between Telenor (62%), the largest telecommunications service provider in Norway with mobile phone operations in 12 other countries, and Grameen Telecom Corporation (38%), a non-profit sister concern of the internationally acclaimed micro-credit pioneer Grameen Bank.

Over the years, Grameenphone has always been a pioneer in introducing new products and services in the local market. GP was the first company to introduce GSM technology in Bangladesh when it launched its services in March 1997.The technological know-how and managerial expertise of Telenor has been instrumental in setting up such an international standard mobile phone operation in Bangladesh. Being one of the pioneers in developing the GSM service in Europe, Telenor has also helped to transfer this knowledge to the local employees over the years.

The company has so far invested more than BDT 10,700 crore (USD 1.6 billion) to build the network infrastructure since its inception in 1997. It has invested over BDT 3,100 crore (USD 450 million) during the first three quarters of 2007 while BDT 2,100 crore (USD 310 million) was invested in 2006 alone. Grameenphone is also one the largest taxpayers in the country, having contributed nearly BDT 7000 crore in direct and indirect taxes to the Government Exchequer over the years. Of this amount, over BDT 2000 crore was paid in 2006 alone. Since its inception in March 1997, Grameenphone has built the largest cellular network in the country with over 10,000 base stations in more than 5700 locations. Presently, nearly 98 percent of the country's population is within the coverage area of the Grameenphone network.

Grameenphone was also the first operator to introduce the pre-paid service in September 1999. It established the first 24-hour Call Center, introduced value-added services such as VMS,

SMS, fax and data transmission services, international roaming service, WAP, SMS-based push-pull services, EDGE, personal ring back tone and many other products and services.The entire Grameenphone network is also EDGE/GPRS enabled, allowing access to high-speed Internet and data services from anywhere within the coverage area. There are currently nearly 3 million EDGE/GPRS users in the Grameenphone network.

Grameenphone nearly doubled its subscriber base during the initial years while the growth was much faster during the later years. It ended the inaugural year with 18,000 customers, 30,000 by the end of 1998, 60,000 in 1999, 193,000 in 2000, 471,000 in 2001, 775,000 in 2002, 1.16 million in 2003, 2.4 million in 2004, 5.5 million in 2005, 11.3 million in 2006, and it ended 2007 with 16.5 million customers.

From the very beginning, Grameenphone placed emphasis on providing good after-sales services. In recent years, the focus has been to provide after-sales within a short distance from where the customers live. There are now more than 600 GP Service Desks across the country covering nearly all upazilas of 61 districts. In addition, there are 72 Grameenphone Centers in all the divisional cities and they remain open from 8am-7pm every day including all holidays.

GP has generated direct and indirect employment for a large number of people over the years. The company presently has more than 5,000 full and temporary employees. Another 100,000 people are directly dependent on Grameenphone for their livelihood, working for the Grameenphone dealers, retailers, scratch card outlets, suppliers, vendors, contractors and others. In addition, the Village Phone Program, also started in 1997, provides a good income-earning opportunity to more than 210,000 mostly women Village Phone operators living in rural areas. The Village Phone Program is a unique initiative to provide universal access to telecommunications service in remote, rural areas. Administered by Grameen Telecom Corporation, it enables rural people who normally cannot afford to own a telephone to avail the service while providing the VP operators an opportunity to earn a living.

The Village Phone initiative was given the "GSM in the Community" award at the global GSM Congress held in Cannes, France in February 2000. Grameenphone was also adjudged the Best Joint Venture Enterprise of the Year at the Bangladesh Business Awards in 2002. Grameenphone was presented with the GSM Association's Global Mobile Award for ‘Best use of Mobile for Social and Economic Development' at the 3GSM World Congress held in Singapore, in October 2006, for its Community Information Center (CIC) project, and for its HealthLine Service project at the 3GSM World Congress held in Barcelona, Spain, in February 2007.

3.2 Major components

Grameenphone considers its employees to be one of its most important assets. GP has an extensive employee benefit scheme in place including Gratuity, Provident Fund, Group Insurance, Family Health Insurance, Transportation Facility, Day Care Centre, Children's Education Support, and Higher Education Support for employees, in-house medical support and other initiatives.

The People: The people of Grameen Phone are young, dedicated and energetic. All employees are well educated at home or abroad, with an even distribution of males and females and social groups in Bangladesh. They know in their hearts that Grameen Phone is more than phones. This sense of purpose gives them the dedication and the drive, producing the biggest coverage and subscriber-base in the country. Grameen Phone provides equal employment opportunities and recognizes the talents and energy of its employees.

The Service: Grameen Phone believes in service that leads to good business development. Telephony helps people work together, raising their productivity. This gain in productivity is development, which in turn enables them to afford a telephone service, generating good business. Thus development and business go together.

The Technology: Grameen Phone's Global System for Mobile or GSM technology is the most widely accepted digital system in the world, currently used by over 3 billion people in 219 countries. GSM brings the most advanced developments in cellular technology at a reasonable cost by spurring severe competition among manufacturers and driving down the cost of equipment. Thus, consumers get the best for the least.

3.3 Strategy and Results

Strategy
GrameenPhone's basic strategy is coverage of both urban and rural areas. In contrast to the "island" strategy followed by some companies, which involves connecting isolated islands of urban coverage through transmission links, GrameenPhone builds continuous coverage, cell after cell.
While the intensity of coverage may vary from area to area depending on market conditions, the basic strategy of cell-to-cell coverage is applied throughout GrameenPhone's network.

Result
By bringing electronic connectivity to rural Bangladesh, GrameenPhone is delivering the digital revolution to the doorsteps of the poor and unconnected. By being able to connect to urban areas or even to foreign countries, a whole new world of opportunity is opening up for the villagers in Bangladesh. Grameen Bank borrowers who provide the services are uplifting themselves economically through a new means of income generation while at the same time providing valuable phone service to their fellow villagers. The telephone is a weapon against poverty.

 

3.4 Mission, Vision and Objectives

Mission

Grameen phone Ltd aims at providing reliable, widespread, convenient mobile and cost effective telephone services to the people of Bangladesh irrespective of where they live. Such services will also help Bangladesh keep pace with other countries reducing her existing disparity in telecom services between urban and rural areas.

Objectives

Grameen phone believes in service, a service that leads to good business and development. Telecom helps people work together, raising their productivity. This gain in productivity is development, which in turn enables them to afford a service generating a good business. Thus development and business work together.

Vision

“Grameen phone exists to help customers get the full benefit of communications services in their daily lives. We're here to help". This vision crystallises our customer focus as the cornerstone of everything we do”

 

3.5 Values
The values spell out how GP serve their customers around the country:

 

• Make it easy
• Keep promises
• Be inspiring
• Be respectful

Together the vision and values set a standard for all GP’s work. They make GP stand out, and will increasingly do so in the years to come. To ensure that customers, competitors and industry analysts experience this difference – the GP way of doing things – all employees must take part. They are the one who continuously strive to make the vision and values the foundation for how they meet their customers, how they do business and how they cooperate internally.

By using the vision and values in everything they do, GP build a gradually stronger their very own Culture that will enable better experience sharing and cooperation across company borders. It means communicating more consistently to the customers, whilst at the same time maintaining uncompromising focus on local edge and responsiveness in each market.

3.6 Business units:

Customer service:

Call center

Complaint management

  Online communications

Resource management

Support and development

Djuice

Finance:

 Capital market

Collection network & fraud management

  Financial control

  Financial management

  Supply chain

  Treasury operations

Human resource:

  Administration

  Health safety & environment

  HR development

  HR operations

  Resourcing & employer branding

 

Information technology:

Architecture & service planning

BSS operations management

Corporate portfolio management

Infrastructure management

Service, software development & integration

Strategy, compliance, risk and cost management

Marketing:

Data & VAS

Innovations

Market communication

 Product portfolio management

Research & analysis

Segments

Strategy& planning

Networks:

Architecture & strategy

Fiber lease management

Implementation

Operations

  Planning

  Network quality & performance

  Network advancement

Public relation:

  Corporate communications

  Corporate social responsibility

Regulatory & corporate affairs:

Administration (office, transport, security)

Legal & Compliance

  External Affairs (regulatory & interconnection unit, external relation)

Sales

  Business process management

  Direct sales

  Distribution

  Grameen Phone centers

  Mobile devices

  Regional sales

  Retail channel management

  Trade marketing

Supply chain management:

Local procurement

Foreign procurement

Logistics procurement

Inventory control

  Contract

 

4.0 Overview of Job Responsibility

As I have worked under the report team of transport, the works which I have performed during my internship was mostly in excel sheets which includes preparing database on personal vehicle use and the calculation of their usages bill which are deducted from their next month salary. Find out misuse of the vehicle from the logbook which are mainly used for personal trips though taken as official purpose. Finding out C-track report on vehicle which remain excessively idle during the work time, accident/incident data entry and prepared a complete database on quarterly(July-august) appraisal database of GP vehicle drivers based on two main criteria, one is “Good conduct performance allowance” under which comes-fuel utilization, behavior, rules & regulation, mistakes, appearance and another criteria “Safe driving & maintenance allowance” under which comes- accident/incident, maintenance, cleanliness and driving skill. The tasks which I have done throughout my internship are discussed in details below:

 

4.1 Personal Vehicle Use:

An employee may use official transport for his/her personal purposes. For personal use,

Transport Section will provide the transport after office hours or during holidays subject to availability of transport and driver. Such request must be placed through company internal internet portal. For such uses predefined charges are applicable. In some exceptional cases considering the urgency and need, Head of Administration may authorize personal use on office time depending on the availability of vehicle. Company vehicle (GP or rental) uses for personal reason at any time are not permissible without prior procedural approval of transport section. Personal use of Transport needs approval of Head of Administration or to whom such authority has been delegated. All requests for personal use of transport must be made to the Transport Section through Admin Help Desk/WAP Based Vehicle Requisition System. If transport required for weekend/holiday, transport requisition must be submitted to the Transport Section by 12 P.M on the day preceding weekend/holiday. On emergency need transport section may provide transport on telephone request also. Such use must be regularized by written notification to transport section on next working day.(sample given in appendix).

For personal use of vehicle, employees are charged. The bill is deducted from their next month salary (sample given in appendix)

 

4.2 Find out misuse of vehicle through log book:

 

Logbook is an administrative tool, a record keeping book that Transport Section uses for

constant monitoring and control of vehicle movement, fuel consumption and overtime claim of the drivers and it also work as a proof that if any user/employee take the vehicle showing for official purpose and use it in personal work. Beginning of each month all outsourced drivers deposit their logbook from previous month and take a new log for a new month. As per the company policy each of the drives as well as the user of the GP vehicles are required to be filled in with authentic information and initials. Users fill up the log sheet to record and to verify his movement, whereas drivers puts in information relating to his duty time, refueling, maintenance, odometer reading etc. Transport section issue log-gook for each of the GP and rental vehicles at the beginning of the month. Assigned driver(s) receive these log-books from Transport Section and at the end of the month concern drivers submit the log-books to Transport Section.

4.3 Finding out C-track report on vehicle which remains excessively idle during the work time:

Sometimes it is seen that users/employees take company vehicle for official purpose for long hours though most of the period of that time the vehicle remains unused or it remains excessively idle. Through C-track web report it is possible to locate the vehicle  at any moment and see whether it is properly used or not. Vehicles which are being taken for tour purpose outside Dhaka for couple of days are found like this more often rather than vehicle inside Dhaka.(sample given in appendix)

4.4 Accident/Incident data entry:

The data of accident/incident of the vehicle is also maintained. If any accident or incident occur during the duty period, the concerned authority is informed immediately by the user or driver to take necessary steps like if someone get injured they can immediately being taken care of and also if the vehicle got damaged anyhow they can send quick service from office. A written statement is taken from the driver to justify it further. The date, month, year, vehicle number, driver’s name and his mobile number, user’s name and his mobile number, time , place, whether it is a accident or incident, the type of the accident, whether anyone got injured or not, and finally description of damage is maintained for future record.(sample given in appendix)

4.5Quarterly appraisal of GP drivers:

A quarterly (three months combined) appraisal is done for all GP drivers according to their performance to give them performance bonuses to keep them motivated for their work. They are judged on two basic category-Good conduct performance allowance and the other is Safe driving & maintenance allowance. Under the category good conduct

Performance allowances there are some sub criteria which are-fuel utilization, behavior, rules & regulation, mistakes, appearance and in safe driving & maintenance allowances  category there are some sub criteria like-accident/incident, maintenance, cleanliness,  and driving skill.

To appraise Driver’s performance I have assigned specific numbers against each criteria  so that it can be easier to evaluate them according to their performance rate. The numbers assigned are given below:

Good conduct performance allowance:
Fuel utilization	30
Behavior	20
Rules & regulation	20
Mistakes	10
Appearance	20
Total score	100

 

Safe driving & maintenance allowance:
Accident/Incident	30
Maintenance	20
Cleanliness	20
Driving skill	30
Total score	100

 The average score will be determined by combining both the scores of these two categories of performance. I have decided that the performance will be evaluated in 3 levels. They are Satisfied, dissatisfied and average level.

Satisfied	Full points
Dissatisfied	No points
Average	Half points

If  anyone gets satisfied he will get the full credit to each criteria suppose if someone’s behavior is satisfactory he will get full marks which is 20 points, if  it is dissatisfactory then he will not get any marks which is 0 points, and if it is in average level then he will get half marks which is 10 points. In case of fuel utilization if the rate is below 5 then it will be consider as dissatisfactory performance, if its above 5 and below 5.5 then it is in below average, if in between 5.5-below 6 then its in average level and finally if its more than 6 then it will be consider as satisfactory performance. And to assigning numbers to Accident/Incident issue, I have decided to classify it in 3 levels-Major, moderate and minor. If any driver occur a major accident for his fault he will get 0 points, if the accident is of moderate type he will get 10 points and f the accident is of minor type then he will get 20 points. And if any driver does not occur any accident then automatically he will gets the full credit for this criteria. As mentioned above both the category of performance is being average by combining both marks. If someone get 80 marks in good conduct performance allowance and 80 marks in safe driving & maintenance allowance then his actual points will be (80+70)/2=75 in scale of 100.

From the average points the drivers will be given performance bonuses and allowances apart from their actual salary.

Performance Appraisals

Of Rainbow Employees

5.0 Transport unit

Grameenphone, the leading multinational telecommunication company operating in Bangladesh since 1996 and today Grameenphone is proud service provider of 15 million subscribers with its largest and quality network spread all over the country. At present, including rental vehicles, Grameenphone has over seven hundred vehicles which are assigned at various divisional disposals.

GP fleet management is developed with a view to work in clarifying general operational procedure of transport policy and providing step-by-step directions for setting up, configuring, and managing operations through set framework . Transport Operation provide information to assist particular scenario in order to deal with the problems in line with the expansion of GP fleet. The purpose of this  is to provide the necessary guidance regarding Transport problems so that it can ensure cost effectiveness and cost leadership through better utilization of scarce resource and discarding idle time of vehicle.

It is designed for smooth operational activities of Grameenphone vehicles including company vehicles and rented vehicles. The purpose of this is to provide the overview of Grameenphone Transport and in its development of operating policies and procedures. It works as an effective tool for Grameenphone in managing its growth and provide insights to a particular problem at hand when needed.

The Transport Operations is a dynamic field that changes with time to address contemporary organizational and operational needs.

Transport Support units for Business Operation

Grameenphone maintains a large fleet of vehicles in order to keep pace with the expansion needs of GP operations throughout the country. To carry out the operations efficiently, Grameenphone use both owned and rented vehicles. The Transport Section is internally segmented with three units namely Operations, Administration Maintenance. While Transport Operations work on the forefront in delivering support service but the section is heavily dependent on Administration and Maintenance units for its holistic service delivery.

 

Transport Administration:

In delivering the support service the unit mainly undertakes the responsibilities for administering a large gang of outsourced drivers in regards to their discipline; cleanliness; their compliance to the organization rules and regulations and their delivered service. Transport Administration also takes over the newly selected outsourced drivers and assigns them to Transport Operations as per their operational need. All spare driver remains under the jurisdiction of Transport Administration and these spare drivers are provided to Transport Operations as and when an operational driver goes on leave or departs company. All returning drivers from leave shall also need to report to Transport

Administration. The unit constantly strives to train and develop the drivers enabling them to perform to serve the need of the company safely and securely and in line with code of conduct of Grameenphone. The unit closely works with the Outsourced Staff Management unit of Support and Service Section of the Department relating to drivers sourcing, selection, compensation, withdrawal and documentation. The unit also administers and coordinates the staff pick & drop service; assume responsibilities relating mobile BTS movement; motor vehicle insurance; represent section in dealing with accidents. The unit by default also undertakes all sorts of administrative work, such as sourcing vendors, preparing and executing agreements, raise, execute and resolve purchase requisition of new vehicle and disposing off the old used vehicles.

Transport Maintenance:

Maintenance unit plays a vital role in delivering quality support service from mechanical point of view (i.e.: vehicle are kept mechanically and physically fit to provide uninterrupted service needed for the company operations). To ensure that all company owned vehicles are effectively and efficiently maintained in providing smooth and uninterrupted transport support the unit established an internal workshop where the routine maintenance work are done. While vehicles are maintained at the internal workshop, Grameenphone enjoys the benefit saving service charges, that otherwise would have been paid to external workshop. Moreover, having such workshop facility within the company helps the company to avoid unnecessary costly wastage of time in waiting in line at the external workshop while company would have required additional rental vehicle to meet the short fall pool vehicle to continue providing support to the user. The unit houses a small group of outsource mechanics under the able leadership of a mechanical engineer to run the unit practically with meaningful benefit. The internal workshop mainly takes care of routine servicing, minor repairs, denting & painting work and installation and maintenance of c-track device on the car. The unit also undertakes challenges of A/C Repair, overhauling and other engine related work.

Transport Operations:

The unit takes care of the refueling of the fleet with the help of a network of fuel pump around the country. All fuel purchase (credit or cash) is recorded into internally developed software, popularly known as Vehicle Management System (VMS). Such record keeping help the section to analyze and report trend and also help in identifying pilferage. The unit also procedurally assigns drivers and vehicles in providing smooth support service from Transport Section. The unit provides all sorts of transport support from centrally managed twenty four hours manned and system supported call center, popularly known Rainbow Base.

Transport Support Process & Procedure

Employee in need for transport support raise such requirement through two medium available in Grameen Phone, namely Admin Help Desk and WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) Based Vehicle Requisition System. A GP employee can use the Admin Help Desk from their workstation by accessing internal web portal to raise his/her requirement, while an employees away from workstation can also use their mobile phone to raise their requisition with the help of above mentioned WAP system.

Raising a transport requisition ticket is not a guarantee of getting a vehicle. Depending on the availability of transport, Rainbow base may have to regretfully decline such request. In such cases, employees may use public transportation as per the entitlement stated in the HR Policy. The requirement of transport support may surface for within city movement or long distance movement beyond the city. Upon receiving any transport requisition Rainbow Base assess the availability of vehicle and nature of need. Upon their assessment Operations Head of the Transport Section might raise PR electronically for User Division Approval for vehicle rental.

Raising Requisition Ticket by user: User in need will raise a ticket via Admin Help Desk or WAP Service. Submitting the ticket will result in a mail / pop up at the Rainbow Base end.

· Rainbow Base Action for short term/distance Transport Support Request – Depending on the availability of the vehicle Rainbow Base may either resolve the request by assigning vehicle or may regret for not being able to provide vehicle.

· Feedback on Support Request: Should the base be able to provide vehicle, it informs user via Admin Help Desk / WAP / mail and simultaneously inform the driver assigned. Should the Rainbow Base fails to provide vehicle, it also informs the user via Admin Help Desk / WAP /mail / voice.

· Service completed User Hands over Vehicle to TPT OPS – After the User has completed the journey, the vehicle returns to Transport Operations so that Rainbow Base can assign next duty.

· TPT OPS Re-assign Vehicle – Once the vehicle has returned from completion of duties, the driver is re-assigned for the next job by Rainbow Call Centre.

·Rainbow Base Action for long term/distance Transport Support Request – The base will try to resolve such request using the existing pool. However, if the base fails to meet the need by its pool, it will raise the issue with head of Transport Operations unit head. Depending upon the need and tenure of the request, the unit will undertake on of the two options stated below:

Request for 1 to 7 days assignment:

– Transport Operation raises the requirement through mail for approval from head of transport for rental vehicle

– Upon approval from Transport Head, Transport Operations places the requirement with the vendor (selected through frame agreement).

– Vendor provides predefined standard vehicle

– Transport Operations undertake Quality Assurance (QA) Check and negotiate the price

– Upon successful quality check and negotiation, vendor handover the vehicle to Transport Operations

– Rainbow Base communicates the details to user via Admin Help Desk / WAP /mail.

 

 

Request for more than 7 days assignment:

– Transport Operation raise PR using concern division budget

– Concern divisional business controller give budget clearance either he approves the PR or forward the PR for approval from appropriate authority as per GP authority level

– Upon approval, Transport Operations places the requirement with the vendor (selected through frame agreement)

– Vendor provides predefined standard vehicle

– Transport Operations undertake Quality Assurance Check and negotiate the price

– Upon successful quality check and negotiation, vendor handover the vehicle to Transport Operations

– Rainbow Base communicate the details to user via Admin Help Desk / WAP / mail

OVERVIEW OF TRANSPORT OPERATIONS

Transport Operations work as a wind of the Transport Section and assists the operations of transportation of Grameen Phone following set framework and company rules and regulations. Transport Operations work along with Transport Admin and Transport Maintenance who provide the necessary support for the smooth operations of GP transportation.

Grameen Phone needs to maintain a large pool of company vehicles in order to keep pace with expansion needs of GP operations throughout the country. To carry out the operations efficiently, Grameen Phone maintains both owned and rented vehicles.  At times need of new vehicles comes up for a short period of time, such need Transport Section meet by renting vehicles from outside to avoid unnecessary capital expenditure. 

Furthermore, Grameen Phone provides transport facilities to their employees for their safety and convenience sake, which is popularly known as Employee Pick & Drop Services. Transport Operations ensures the effective administration of this process by the help of Rainbow Base.

The major work areas Transport Operations perform its responsibilities for facilitating operations through a centralized fleet management system include:

• Providing Transport Support for Business Operations
• Fleet management of company owned vehicles,
• Fleet management of rental vehicles,
• Vehicle distribution,
• Fleet refueling,
• Distance management for transport pool and regional offices,
• Render cost effective & user friendly support service,
• Continuous data & trend analysis to constant realignment of strategy,
• Supplier management for fuel pump all over the country,
• Supplier management of rent-a-car fleet
• Effective and Efficient fleet management

What is project Rainbow or Rainbow base:

 

 

As the industry grows competitive, rivalry amongst the mobile operators has become an integral part of the industry and price-wars have become a reality.  During such a phase for any company, ensuring effective and efficient resource utilization becomes more critical than ever before. 

Better utilization of resources strengthens the readiness of the management to cope with these price wars but also can significantly improve the service standards within. In these circumstances, GP found that the transport section could better manage the fleet. This would also enable the department to provide world class support services to the employees; helping them meet their business needs while simultaneously providing cost efficiency and efficient resource utilization of the GP transport fleet.

Operational costs for the transport pool comprise of drivers' salaries, fuel costs, maintenance costs, and costs for rented vehicles.  Even though costs incurred were extremely high, employees were still not completely satisfied with the transport support they were receiving.  A detailed analysis revealed that although the GP fleet remained alarmingly underutilized, the trend for new vehicle purchases and rented vehicles was skyrocketing. 

The transport section struggles to support vehicle needs of the employees from admin and as well from various other divisions.  Under the above circumstances, the transport section unfortunately has had to regret not being able to provide vehicles to users when they were needed.  When these same aggrieved users went on the road and found many vehicles parked idle, naturally they rated transport support poorly. However, due to existing information management style for the GP fleet, the transport section was never fully aware of the number of vehicles sitting idle at any certain point of time. At the same time, they had no jurisdiction over these idle vehicles. 

Often employees from various sections are on the road performing business critical activities and plans, which does not allow them to really focus on petty matters such as vehicle and driver management.  It is vital that another team of employees take care of these matters to ensure safe commuting of the employees.  It is therefore difficult for management to ensure that much needed safety measures, for man and material, can be met.  Alarmingly accident rates are increasing, which is when safety measures and appropriate vehicle management becomes a serious issue. Analysis has revealed that accidents have often been due to speeding, and improper work scheduling (i.e. proper resting of the drivers in between duties).  These trends only increase the possibility for accidents since most of the accidents occur due to fatigue and speeding. 

In this backdrop, with due rational understanding and endorsement by management from various tiers, a comprehensive project has been put in place to bring the transport pool under a central control that is practically manned, trained, well planned, and equipped to deliver expected levels of support service with ease.  Any such project cannot be a success unless employees see the benefits and take ownership.  Project Rainbow must not create barriers for the employees engaged in business critical activities.

By defining emergencies in advance and detailing with how transport support should be made available may help improve the standard support service from the transport section in a crisis situation.  To ensure such efforts succeed and are sustainable, the admin department has procured a high-end fleet management and vehicle tracking system. In addition, a group of spirited call center staff are on board who are now fully operationally trained on the system and have been through customer relationship management training, with the help of CMD, for the needed mindset alignment.

Project implementation will immediately transfer the responsibility of monitoring the speed profile of the fleet, to reduce the safety hazard, through the 24/7 manned fleet management call center.  Only with this feature alone the call center will play a vital role to improve the safety/security of the employees significantly. Often both driver and employees face inconvenience when it comes to locating each other.  The newly evolved system will enable the user to get system generated SMS informing him as and when his/her vehicle enters the allotted meeting point, be it at work or at home.

Drivers and users can be provided with real time assistance including directional guidance from the call center.  The busy operational departments can focus on vital projects without the worry of vehicle and driver management. These efforts shall enable the transport section to unfailingly manage fleet resources, deliver world-class support service to the employees, meet the need of users, and attend to business needs with ease.

The project is named after the Rainbow as the project has seven objectives; and it is believed that as when all objectives are achieved it will usher in a similar kind of mental delight as a Rainbow.  The seven objectives are: Compatible & world-class support service for users; cost Savings; better utilization; enhancement of safety for employee and asset; quick response; greater operational control; minimum down time.  The system is procured from DigiCore a reputed South African company. The system works on the GPS-GSM network and the software provides set of useful features on a digitized map at the call center.  Some of the key features are: Way Point (a virtual gate but can also be used for users to know when and where the vehicle is reporting to their disposal); Time Route Monitoring (call center can ensure that vehicles are taking the specified route to report to the user within the stipulated time); Speed Violation (speed of all vehicles can be controlled, monitored, and when violated, immediate contact can be made to reduce such violation); Area Alarm (an area can be assigned to vehicles, violation of which the call center will be notified by the system); No-go area (A no-go area can be created for the vehicles, violation of which the call center will be notified by system); additionally, vehicles can be monitored if they are switched on or off; which vehicles are available for assignments and in which areas; individual drivers can be identified as they will require a Dallas key to start the vehicle, which enables the system to identify the drivers driving the vehicles. The driver performance bonus can be systemized on the basis of reports generated from the system.  Most interestingly the call center will have the option of immobilizing any vehicles should the situation warrant.

The popular GPS system works with the help of 29 satellites (24 + 5 in reserve).  Each of the GP vehicles will be fitted with a device that will basically be comprised of three major components, namely GPS reader/receiver; GSM Modem; and a processor.  At any given time each of the vehicles fitted with the device can be located with the help of at least four satellites.  The location shall be stored, processed and compressed in the processor to deliver the package over the GSM network by using GPRS technology (SMS as fall back option) which then will be decoded at the server at the call center end laid on a digitized map with a set of user friendly features.

PROJECT RAINBOW & ITS ROLE IN TRANSPORT OPERATIONS

Rainbow Base was established in April 24, 2007 with the purpose of ensuring better management of GP fleet from a central location.  The rainbow base continually strives to ensure world class support service from Transport Section in most coordinated and efficient manner.  To ensure such standard of support, the base is manned 24/7 and work with the help of a world renowned vehicles management system, known as C-track. 

The project recognized that in order to ensure smooth transition from previous system of dual  management  and  multi  ownership  to  present system of centralize controlled  and  user  friendly management of fleet – the initiative needed to be practically equipped with comprehensive tech-based solution with well trained fleet management staff. 

Many GP vehicles remained under utilized while the trend of renting numerous vehicles and procuring new vehicle was shooting up resulting ever increasing capital expenditure and operational cost. To harness such expense, under the auspicious of the management, administration department was assigned to develop and implement a systematical and tech-based control mechanism that could yield better resource utilization, employee satisfaction and service standard through centralized fleet management system. 

The brief objectives of the project were as follows:

• Cost Savings
• Better Utilization 
• Enhancement of safety for employee and asset
• Quick Response
• Greater operational control
• Minimum Down Time
• Compatible & World-class support service for users.

In brief, project intended to track all GP vehicles on real time using system solution that is built on GPRS-GSM network and monitored centrally on Digital Map (Vector Map) with some inbuilt useful and key features which remained interactive with the help of a SIM.

 DETAILED OPERATING PROCEDURE OF RAINBOWBASE

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

System Overview

C-track addresses the need to remotely manage and control your vehicle movement in a cost efficient and effective manner for logistical, security and safety purposes.

A Global Positioning System (GPS) is used to locate the vehicle with great accuracy. C-track’s unique compression then enables up to 26 of these positions and the corresponding status of the vehicle at each position, to be transmitted in one SMS packet to your unique, on-site, base station.

The encrypted communication is done in real time, reporting is by exception and the conduit is the Short Message Service (SMS) facility or GPRS on the digital GSM network. Using GPRS communications, more data can be sent more frequently at a much lower cost. Features are detailed in terms of customer benefits with each alarm having a unique color and for easy recognition. The C-track system is operating on all GSM networks that support SMS and/or the GPRS services.

The Global Positioning System (GPS), is a space-based radio navigation system; consisting of 24 satellites and its ground support infrastructure. It provides accurate three-dimensional positioning, velocity and time, 24 hours a day, everywhere in the world regardless of the prevailing weather. A GPS user receives information from the GPS satellites; therefore the GPS system can serve an unlimited number of users. With distances to 3 satellites known and further knowing the location of the satellite when the signals were sent, the receiver can compute its three – dimensional position. To compute distances, however, the user must have an atomic clock synchronized to the global positioning system. By taking a measurement from an additional satellite, the GPS receiver avoids the need for an atomic clock. The result is that the GPS receiver needs to “see” 4 satellites to compute latitude, longitude, altitude and time.

The SMS service is an optional GSM Network service that allows mobile phone users to send and receive short text messages with their mobile phones. C-track uses SMS messages to establish a communication channel between the base station and its mobiles.

The General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is a new non-voice value added service that allows information to be sent and received across a mobile telephone network. It supplements today's Circuit Switched Data Call and Short Message Service. GPRS is NOT related to GPS (the Global Positioning

System), GPRS gives the user an option to use a packet-based data service.

Rainbow Base was established with the purpose of ensuring better management of GP fleet from a central location. The rainbow base continually strives to ensure world class support service from Transport Section in most coordinated and efficient manner. The solution the base use in providing such support is a world renowned vehicles management system, known as C-track. In brief, base track all GP vehicles on real time, using this system solution that is built on GPRS-GSM network and monitor centrally on Digital Map (VectorMap) with some inbuilt useful and key features which remained interactive with the help of a SIM.

The main objectives of the base are Cost Savings; better utilization of the fleet; enhancement of safety for employee and asset while traveling on company vehicle; quick response in service delivery; greater operational control on the entire fleet; minimum down time of the fleet; compatible & world-class support service for users.

Literature Review

Performance appraisal systems have always played a very important role in human resource management. The performance appraisal is critical mechanisms for organizational control, through which the employees can view, see their past performances and take concrete action for improvement. On the other hand, the performance appraisal also provides substantial information for human resource management to make fair and correct decisions regarding promotions, transfers, compensations, incentives and training programs as well as career management. Specific enterprises typically demand different performance appraisal system tailored to the needs of its functions and processes.

 

Cleveland, Murphy, and Williams (1989) argued that that there is a relationship between organizational characteristics and the uses of a performance appraisal system. Stonich (1984) also argued that performance measurement in an organization should be in tune with its structure and culture. Since the nature of the enterprises in which each industry is engaged varies, its organizational type, business policy, internal and external environment are also usually different. The purpose of this study is to conduct a direct comparative analysis of performance appraisal systems in the service and manufacturing industries.

Performance appraisal systems aim to evaluate the job performance of employees, so that appropriate corrective action and management decisions can be taken. As performance appraisal is part of organizational control, the components of the control system are indispensable in the appraisal system. In general, a basic control system consists of control standards, measurement, and corrective actions (Newman, Warren & McGiIl, 1987). Among these three phases, control standards are based primarily on organizational missions or departmental, goals, which reflects the role a performance appraisal plays in the organization. Measurement is concerned with the actual appraisal process, including the appraiser, appraisal criteria, appraisal methods, and appraisal timing. Corrective actions comprise the feedback processes after the performance appraisal is completed. If there is an evident gap between actual performance and performance standards, appropriate corrective actions should be taken to change the behaviors of the employees concerned.

 

Performance appraisal

Performance appraisal is the process of obtaining, analyzing and recording information about the relative worth of an employee. The focus of the performance appraisal is measuring and improving the actual performance of the employee and also the future potential of the employee. Its aim is to measure what an employee does.

According to Flippo, a prominent personality in the field of Human resources, "performance appraisal is the systematic, periodic and an impartial rating of an employee’s excellence in the matters pertaining to his present job and his potential for a better job." Performance appraisal is a systematic way of reviewing and assessing the performance of an employee during a given period of time and planning for his future.

 It is a powerful tool to calibrate, refine and reward the performance of the employee. It helps to analyze his achievements and evaluate his contribution towards the achievements of the overall organizational goals.

By focusing the attention on performance, performance appraisal goes to the heart of personnel management and reflects the management's interest in the progress of the employees.

Objectives Of Performance appraisal:

• To review the performance of the employees over a given period of time.
• To judge the gap between the actual and the desired performance.
• To help the management in exercising organizational control.
• Helps to strengthen the relationship and communication between superior – subordinates and management – employees.
• To diagnose the strengths and weaknesses of the individuals so as to identify the training and development needs of the future.
• To provide feedback to the employees regarding their past performance.
• Provide information to assist in the other personal decisions in the organization.
• Provide clarity of the expectations and responsibilities of the functions to be performed by the employees.
• To judge the effectiveness of the other human resource functions of the organization such as recruitment, selection, training and development.
• To reduce the grievances of the employees.

Purpose Of Performance Appraisal

Performance Appraisal is being practiced in 90% of the organizations worldwide. Self-appraisal and potential appraisal also form a part of the performance appraisal processes. The performance appraisal of Rainbow call center employees is done for following purposes:

•  To review the performance of the employees over a given period of time.
• To judge the gap between the actual and the desired performance.
• To help the management in exercising organizational control.
• To diagnose the training and development needs of the future.
• Provide information to assist in the HR decisions like promotions, transfers etc.
• Provide clarity of the expectations and responsibilities of the functions to be performed by the employees.
• To judge the effectiveness of the other human resource functions of the organization such as recruitment, selection, training and development.
• To reduce the grievances of the employees.
• Helps to strengthen the relationship and communication between superior – subordinates and management – employees.

According to a recent survey, the percentage of organizations (out of the total organizations surveyed i.e. 50) using performance appraisal for the various purposes are as shown in the diagram below:

The most significant reasons of using Performance appraisal are:

• Making payroll and compensation decisions – 80%
• Training and development needs – 71%
• Identifying the gaps in desired and actual performance and its cause – 76%
• Deciding future goals and course of action – 42%
• Promotions, demotions and transfers – 49%
• Other purposes – 6% (including job analysis and providing superior support, assistance and counseling)

Approaches to Performance Development

Performance appraisal-Traditional approach

Traditionally, performance appraisal has been used as just a method for determining and justifying the salaries of the employees. Than it began to be used a tool for determining rewards (a rise in the pay) and punishments (a cut in the pay) for the past performance of the employees.
This approach was a past oriented approach which focused only on the past performance of the employees i.e. during a past specified period of time. This approach did not consider the developmental aspects of the employee performance i.e. his training and development needs or career developmental possibilities. The primary concern of the traditional approach is to judge the performance of the organization as a whole by the past performances of its employees. Therefore, this approach is also called as the overall approach. In 1950s the performance appraisal was recognized as a complete system in itself and the Modern Approach to performance appraisal was developed.

 

Traditional Methods of Performance Appraisal:

1. ESSAY APPRAISAL METHOD

This traditional form of appraisal, also known as "Free Form method" involves a description of the performance of an employee by his superior. The description is an evaluation of the performance of any individual based on the facts and often includes examples and evidences to support the information. A major drawback of the method is the inseparability of the bias of the evaluator.

2.  STRAIGHT RANKING METHOD

This is one of the oldest and simplest techniques of performance appraisal. In this method, the appraiser ranks the employees from the best to the poorest on the basis of their overall performance. It is quite useful for a comparative evaluation.

3. PAIRED COMPARISON

A better technique of comparison than the straight ranking method, this method compares each employee with all others in the group, one at a time. After all the comparisons on the basis of the overall comparisons, the employees are given the final rankings.

4.  CRITICAL INCIDENTS METHODS

In this method of Performance appraisal, the evaluator rates the employee on the basis of critical events and how the employee behaved during those incidents. It includes both negative and positive points. The drawback of this method is that the supervisor has to note down the critical incidents and the employee behaviour as and when they occur.

5. FIELD REVIEW

In this method, a senior member of the HR department or a training officer discusses and interviews the supervisors to evaluate and rate their respective subordinates. A major drawback of this method is that it is a very time consuming method. But this method helps to reduce the superiors personal bias.

6. CHECKLIST METHOD

The rater is given a checklist of the descriptions of the behavior of the employees on job. The checklist contains a list of statements on the basis of which the rater describes the on the job performance of the employees.

7. GRAPHIC RATING SCALE

In this method, an employee’s quality and quantity of work is assessed in a graphic scale indicating different degrees of a particular trait. The factors taken into consideration include both the personal characteristics and characteristics related to the on the job performance of the employees. For example a trait like Job Knowledge may be judged on the range of average, above average, outstanding or unsatisfactory.

8. FORCED DISTRIBUTION

To eliminate the element of bias from the rater’s ratings, the evaluator is asked to distribute the employees in some fixed categories of ratings like on a normal distribution curve. The rater chooses the appropriate fit for the categories on his own discretion.

Performance appraisal – Modern approach

The modern approach to performance development has made the performance appraisal process more formal and structured. Now, the performance appraisal is taken as a tool to identify better performing employees from others, employees’ training needs, career development paths, rewards and bonuses and their promotions to the next levels.

Appraisals have become a continuous and periodic activity in the organizations. The results of performance appraisals are used to take various other HR decisions like promotions, demotions, transfers, training and development, reward outcomes. The modern approach to performance appraisals includes a feedback process that helps to strengthen the relationships between superiors and subordinates and improve communication throughout the organization.The modern approach to Performance appraisal is a future oriented approach and is developmental in nature. This recognizes employees as individuals and focuses on their development.

Modern Methods of Performance Appraisal

BEHAVIORALLY ANCHORED RATING SCALES-

Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS) is a relatively new technique which combines the graphic rating scale and critical incidents method. It consists of predetermined critical areas of job performance or sets of behavioral statements describing important job performance qualities as good or bad (for eg. the qualities like inter personal relationships, adaptability and reliability, job knowledge etc). These statements are developed from critical incidents.
In this method, an employee’s actual job behavior is judged against the desired behavior by recording and comparing the behavior with BARS. Developing and practicing BARS requires expert knowledge.

HUMAN RESOURCE ACCOUNTING METHOD:

Human resources are valuable assets for every organization. Human resource accounting method tries to find the relative worth of these assets in the terms of money. In this method the Performance appraisal of the employees is judged in terms of cost and contribution of the employees. The cost of employees include all the expenses incurred on them like their compensation, recruitment and selection costs, induction and training costs etc whereas their contribution includes the total value added (in monetary terms). The difference between the cost and the contribution will be the performance of the employees. Ideally, the contribution of the employees should be greater than the cost incurred on them.

 

360 DEGREE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS:

360 degree feedback, also known as 'multi-rater feedback', is the most comprehensive appraisal where the feedback about the employees’ performance comes from all the sources that come in contact with the employee on his job.

360 degree respondents for an employee can be his/her peers, managers (i.e. superior), subordinates, team members, customers, suppliers/ vendors – anyone who comes into contact with the employee and can provide valuable insights and information or feedback regarding the "on-the-job" performance of the employee.

MANAGEMENT BY OBJECTIVES:

The concept of ‘Management by Objectives’ (MBO) was first given by Peter Drucker in 1954. It can be defined as a process whereby the employees and the superiors come together to identify common goals, the employees set their goals to be achieved, the standards to be taken as the criteria for measurement of their performance and contribution and deciding the course of action to be followed.

The essence of MBO is participative goal setting, choosing course of actions and decision making. An important part of the MBO is the measurement and the comparison of the employee’s actual performance with the standards set. Ideally, when employees themselves have been involved with the goal setting and the choosing the course of action to be followed by them, they are more likely to fulfill their responsibilities.

ASSESSMENT CENTER:

Assessment centre refers to a method to objectively observe and assess the people in action by experts or HR professionals with the help of various assessment tools and instruments. Assessment centers simulate the employee’s on the job environment and facilitate the assessment of their on the job performance.

An assessment centre typically involves the use of methods like social/informal events, tests and exercises, assignments being given to a group of employees to assess their competencies to take higher responsibilities in the future. Generally, employees are given an assignment similar to the job they would be expected to perform if promoted. The trained evaluators observe and evaluate employees as they perform the assigned jobs and are evaluated on job related characteristics.

Here in my report I have decided to follow specific steps to evaluate performance appraisal of Rainbow employees which will be beneficial for the organization to judge the employees better and understand their needs for training and development. Gradually I will be discussion on the performance expectations from the Rainbow call center employees.

 

 

 

Process of Performance Appraisal of Rainbow employees:

Step-1:Job responsibilities of Rainbow call center employees:

1. Hot line availability

2. Lead time of ticket resolving

3. Ticket attendance (resolve%)

4. Call attendance

5. Alarm monitoring

 

Step-2:Develop standards &measurement methods:

ESTABLISHING PERFORMANCE STANDARDS:

The first step in the process of performance appraisal of Rainbow employees is the setting up of the standards which will be used to as the base to compare the actual performance of the employees. This step requires setting the criteria to judge the performance of the employees as successful or unsuccessful and the degrees of their contribution to the organizational goals and objectives. The standards set should be clear, easily understandable and in measurable terms. In case the performance of the employee cannot be measured, great care should be taken to describe the standards. The key performance factors or criteria which I have seen in Rainbow base are:

Agent KPI & Weight for daily Performance

 

COMMUNICATING THE STANDARDS:

After setting these standards, it is the responsibility of the management to communicate the standards to all the employees of the organization. The employees should be informed and the standards should be clearly explained to the employes. This will help them to understand their roles and to know what exactly is expected from them. The standards should also be communicated to the appraisers or the evaluators and if required, the standards can also be modified at this stage itself according to the relevant feedback from the employees or the evaluators.

MEASURING THE ACTUAL PERFORMANCE:

The most difficult part is measuring the actual performance of the employees that is the work done by the employees during the specified period of time. It is a continuous process which involves monitoring the performance throughout the year or targeted time. This stage requires the careful selection of the appropriate techniques of measurement, taking care that personal bias does not affect the outcome of the process and providing assistance rather than interfering in an employees work.

COMPARING THE ACTUAL WITH THE DESIRED PERFORMANCE:

The actual performance is compared with the desired or the standard performance. The comparison tells the deviations in the performance of the employees from the standards set. The result can show the actual performance being more than the desired performance or, the actual performance being less than the desired performance depicting a negative deviation in the organizational performance. It includes recalling, evaluating and analysis of data related to the employees’ performance.

DISCUSSING RESULTS:

The result of the appraisal is communicated and must be discussed with the employees on one-to-one basis. The focus of this discussion will be communication and listening. The results, the problems and the possible solutions are discussed with the aim of problem solving and reaching consensus. The feedback should be given with a positive attitude as this can have an effect on the employees future performance. The purpose of the meeting should be to solve the problems faced and motivate the employees to perform better.

DECISION MAKING:

The last step of the process is to take decisions which can be taken either to improve the performance of the employees, take the required corrective actions, or the related HR decisions like rewards, promotions, demotions, transfers etc.

Current status of the performance level of Rainbow Base employees:

Call center performance monthly repot of September 2009:

Hot line support: Hotline other info:  

Attempted call- 25743 Ringing no answered-968

Answered calls-22019 In queue-2756

Service level-  86%   Rejected-10454

Total outgoing call-48460

 Login info: Ticket support:

Total login hours- 1762:09:58   Total ticket handled- 12853  

Average login-4:45:54   Resolved-11859

 Active agents-382   Cancelled-1004

  Resolved%-92%

  Average lead time-50:58

 

Agent wise report individually:

	Total	AVG
Hotline attendance:
Attempted calls	1240	73
Answered calls	1160	68
%of call attendance	94%
Outgoing calls	1629	96
Logged in(duration)	87:18:38	05:49:15
Working days	16
Ticket attendance:
Ticket handled	533	33
Cancelled	76	5
Resolved%	84%
Average lead time	0:52:19

 

Here in Grameen phone I have seen that no specific appraisal system in followed to appraise the work of this call center employees so in my report I have decided to recommend the specific 360 degree method to evaluate performance appraisal of Rainbow employees which will be beneficial for the organization to judge the employees better and understand their needs for training and development.

360 DEGREE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS:

360 degree feedback, also known as 'multi-rater feedback', is the most comprehensive appraisal where the feedback about the employees’ performance comes from all the sources that come in contact with the employee on his job.

360 degree respondents for an employee can be his/her peers, managers (i.e. superior), subordinates, team members, customers, suppliers/ vendors – anyone who comes into contact with the employee and can provide valuable insights and information or feedback regarding the "on-the-job" performance of the employee.

360 degree appraisal has four integral components:

1. Self appraisal
2. Superior’s appraisal
3. Subordinate’s appraisal

4. Peer appraisal.

: Self appraisal can give a chance to the employee to look at his/her strengths and weaknesses, his achievements, and judge his own performance.

Superior’s appraisal: It forms the traditional part of the 360 degree performance appraisal where the employees’ responsibilities and actual performance is rated by the superior.

Subordinates appraisal: It gives a chance to judge the employee on the parameters like communication and motivating abilities, superior’s ability to delegate the work, leadership qualities etc.

Peer appraisal: Also known as internal customers, the correct feedback given by peers can help to find employees’ abilities to work in a team, co-operation and sensitivity towards others.

Self assessment is an indispensable part of 360 degree appraisals and therefore 360 degree Performance appraisal have high employee involvement and also have the strongest impact on behavior and performance. It provides a "360-degree review" of the employees’ performance and is considered to be one of the most credible performance appraisal methods.
360 degree performance appraisal will work as a powerful developmental tool for Rainbow employees because when conducted at regular intervals (say yearly) it will help to keep a track of the changes others perceptions about the employees. A 360 degree appraisal is generally found more suitable for the employees as it helps to assess their leadership and managing styles. This technique is being effectively used across the globe for performance appraisals.

Peer-to-Peer Employee Performance Evaluations

Peer-to-peer employee performance evaluations require employees at the same level to review each other. The thinking behind peer-to-peer employee performance evaluations is that nobody knows a worker's ability better than his or her co-workers. While this can be an effective review format for some groups of workers (for example, a team of doctors working on a research project together, where specific content knowledge is required), it can also cause controversy because of the way it affects future group dynamics. When evaluating the use of these types of employee performance evaluations, consider the maturity level of the employees involved and the long-term effects that could result from the source of negative reviews getting back to the team members.

PEER TO PEER APPRAISAL FORM

 

 

		Name of the Organization :
	Please rate your colleague on the following parameters   Rating can be done on 3 basis i.e. 1) Write down “E” if he/she “Exceeds” the quality 2) Write down “A” if he/she is “Acceptable” 3) Write down “N I” if he/she “Needs Improvement”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

o Job Performance and Knowledge

 

 

· Understanding and acceptance of team/department goals and priorities.

· Ability to share in workload and assists others.

· Ability to share credit with the team/department.

· Knowledge and skills to perform team/department activities.

· Quality of work.

· Ability to meet assigned tasks/commitments.

· Handling of responsibility for getting things done.

· Ability to seek and identify new and better ways of doing things

 

 

• Interpersonal

 

 

· Level of accessibility

· Level of approachability on difficult subjects

· Sensitivity to others’ feelings and points of view

· Outlook on the department

· Ability to seek understanding before rendering judgment

· Ability to deal with pressure, conflict and stress positively and appropriately 

· Level of making commitments willingly

· Participation as part of the team/department

 

 

• Communication

 

 

· Written and oral communication

· Level of open information sharing with the team/department

· Ability to communicate important information in a timely manner

· Ability to encourage diversity of opinions

 

 

• Values

 

 

· Level of sharing and commitment to the team’s/department’s values

· Trustworthiness

· Ability to treat other team/department members with respect

· Respect of other’s needs to appropriately balance work and family/personal responsibilities

 

 

• Supervision

 

 

 

Self-Assessment Performance evaluations:

Self-Assessment performance reviews are effective when combined with any of the other three types of performance reviews. With this type of review, employees are asked to rate themselves, often using the same form that a manager will use to review them. Self-assessment performance reviewss help make the employees an active part of the process and provide a vehicle for them to reflect on their own performance prior to the formal review.

Studies have shown that employees are usually harder on themselves in self-assessment performance reviews, than their managers and generally give themselves lower ratings. Having employees do self assessment performance reviews prior to a manager's review can set a positive tone for the meeting, as the manager will often have better things to say than the employee has said about him or herself.

 

Name of the Organization :

SELF APPRAISAL FORM

1 2 3 4 5

Virtually never Virtually always

 

 

 

o Self Awareness

 

 

· I am aware of the physical reaction (twinges, aches, sudden   changes) that signal a “gut reaction”

· I take a break or use another active methods of increasing  energy when I sense that my energy level is getting low

· I take time every day for quiet reflection

· I can usually identify the emotion I am feeling at any given   moment

· I am clear about my own goal and values

 

 

• Motivation

 

 

 

· I have several important things in my life that I am enthusiastic  about, and I let it show

· Others usually feel inspired and encouraged after talking to me

· I try to find the positive in any given situation

· I can keep going on big projects, despite obstacles

· I believe the work I do day-to-day has meaning   and value to  society

 

• Self Confidence

 

 

• Self Control

 

 

· I let go of problem, anger, or hurt from past and I can  move beyond these

· I “open up” with people appropriately, not too much but   enough so that I don’t come across as cold and distant

· I refrain from making up my mind on issues and  expressing my opinion until I have all the facts

· I neither bury my anger nor let it explode on others

· I am good at managing my mood, and I seldom bring negative emotions to work

 

• Self Competency

 

Subordinate performance evaluations:

Subordinate performance evaluations tend to be one of the most common and most effective methods, because they involve the assessment of an employee by its subordinate. Down to top employee performance evaluations are most useful when given by an employee's immediate subordinate – someone who works with that employee everyday and knows his or her strengths and weaknesses. The Down-Top employee performance evaluation becomes less effective when given by a Human Resources manager who has only second-hand knowledge of an employee's performance.

SUBORDINATE APPRAISAL FORM

Name of the Organization :

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please rate your senior on the following parameters.

 

Rating can be done on 5 basis i.e.

§  Write down “N” for “Never”

§  Write down “S E” for “Seldom”

§  Write down “S O” for “Sometimes”

§  Write down “U” for “Usually”

§  Write down “A” for “Always”

 

• LEADERSHIP

 

Does the manager:

 

· Set an example for others to follow?

· Take risks and experiment where appropriate?

• ORAL COMMUNICATION

 

Does the manager:

 

· Provide information critical to successful job performance?

· Provide constructive criticism? Choose the right time to deliver messages?

· Sense others' moods?

• TEAMWORK & COORDINATION OF TEAM EFFORTS

 

Does the manager:

 

· Treat all group members equally?

· Encourage group problem-solving?

· Share credit with all team members?

· Hold effective team meetings?

• QUALITY

 

Does the manager:

 

· Set a good example by constantly trying to improve?

· Provide training opportunities?

· Have a good sense of the City's customers and their needs?

 

 

• PLANNING

Does the manager:

 

§  Ask for help in planning?

§  Set realistic, attainable objectives?

§  Follow through with plans?

§  Celebrate accomplishments?

 

• DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY

Does the manager:

Superior Performance Evaluations:

Superior performance evaluation tend to be the most common and most effective, because they involve the assessment of an employee by a direct manager. Top-down employee performance evaluations are most useful when given by an employee's immediate supervisor – someone who works with that employee everyday and knows his or her strengths and weaknesses. The top-down employee performance evaluation becomes less effective when given by a Human Resources manager who has only second-hand knowledge of an employee's performance.

One offshoot of top-down employee performance evaluations are "matrix" employee performance evaluations, where multiple managers rate the same employee. This is a good choice when the employee works for multiple managers, or engages in various fixed-time length projects

SUPERIOR APPRAISAL FORM

Job Title _____________________________________________

Employee Name ______________________________ Employee ID ___________________

Supervisor Name ___________________________ Title _____________________________

Department Name ____________________________________________________________

Period Covered: from ___________ to __________ Evaluation Date ___________________

Purpose of review :_________________________    Other (Specify) _____________________

 

Please rate your Subordinate on the following parameters

 

1 2 3 4 5

Best   Needs

Improvement

 

 

Departments 1   2   3   4   5

Customer Service

 

Attendance/Punctuality

 

Ability to get along with Co-workers

 

Ability to get along with Colleagues

 

Time management

 

reporting and administration

 

communication skills

 

delegation skills

 

IT/equipment/machinery skills

 

meeting deadlines/commitments

 

Creativity

 

 

problem-solving and decision-making

 

Team-working and developing others

 

energy, determination and work-rate

 

steadiness under pressure

 

leadership and integrity

 

adaptability, flexibility, and mobility

 

 

 

 

 

The questionnaire is prepared for these 4 types of appraisal. For self appraisal the criteria are self awareness, motivation, self confidence, self control, and self competency. For peer appraisal the criteria’s are job performance and knowledge, interpersonal, communication, values, and supervision. Subordinates criteria were leadership, oral communication, team work & coordination of team efforts and finally for superior appraisal the criteria’s are

Customer service, attendance/punctuality, ability to go along with co-workers/ colleagues, time management, reporting & administration, communication skills, delegation skills, IT/equipment/machinery skill, meeting deadlines/commitments, creativity, problem-solving & decision making, team-working & developing others, energy determination & work rate, steadiness under pressure, leadership & integrity, adaptability, flexibility & mobility. Through this questionnaire survey combined the performance of the Rainbow employees. After doing the questionnaire survey of the performance of the employees I have come up with some findings and solutions to that which are given in the conclusion part.

Conclusion

Summary of findings

1) Difficult to find standards

In order to appraising staff, standards or requirements should be pre-determined. But there is a lack of common standards which are relevant and realistic. Besides, there is a lack of accurate measurement of employees’ performance.

2. Negative Attitude and Reaction

There is a reaction against formal appraisals because of a manager’s tendency to lead to routine form-filling. They think it is just a formality.

To most employees there in Rainbow, appraisal is artificial and unnecessary that adversely affects the good relationship with their superiors. They treat it as a control device so they are unwilling to participate and give informative response.

 

3. Lack of senior management commitment to appraisal

Appraisal forms may be filled and reports may also be prepared, but the promises or follow-up actions are often neglected or ignored by senior management their in Grameen Phone. They are also reluctant to improve the appraisal system.

Recommendations:

1. Training

Training can help to overcome many of the subjectivity and bias problems. Training given to appraisers will assist in developing an awareness of and thus considerations of those problems, as well as how to best handle the appraisal interview to drive optimum mutual satisfaction and benefits. Acceptable, relevant and realistic standards can possibly be developed.

2. Simple Design

The design of the method and procedure to be adopted should, while achieving its purpose, be as simple as possible. Often the confidence of those required to operate the scheme is undermined because the opinions or expertise given by the personnel department may be seen as irrelevant and unrealistic in the eyes of appraisers. The problem may be reduced by participation in the scheme’s preparation and planning.

3. Education and Participation

If the commitment of all staff is to be maintained, this must be established early on by involving as many staff in the planning of the scheme as possible. Often this will also require the involvement of top level supervisors. The scheme must also be seen to be applied to all staff, irrespective of status to ensure equity and acceptance.

4. Show Management Commitment

Management must be serious in handling appraisal results. Employees who feel unfairly treated should be allowed the opportunity to state their case or appeal. Follow-up action, once promised, should be implemented or an explanation should be given for failure to do so.

 

In conclusion, performance management is one of the principle tools executives, line managers, and employees are able to use to achieve their collective goals. So, human resources professionals today, who think strategically and acquire systems thinking, and who have a healthy respect and attitude with regard to all aspects of managing the performance of an organization and its employees, will become or continue to be very highly valued leaders within their organizations.

 

Reference books:

 

1) Armstrong, M. & Baron, A. (2005). Managing Performance: Performance Management in Action. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, London.

2) Cleveland, J., Murphy, K. & Wiliams, R. (1989). “Multiple Uses of Performance Appraisal: Prevalence and Correlates”, Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 74, pp.130-135.

3) Noe, R. A., Hollenbeck, J. R., Gerhart, B. & Wright, P. M. (2006). Human Resource Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage, 5^th Edition, McGraw-Hill, Irwin.

 

Company Website

Date of browsing	Time	Web address
25/11/09	12am-2pm	www.grameenphone.com
05/12/09	9pm-10:30pm	www.grameenphone.com

 

Other Web link:

1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Performance_appraisal

2) http://iso9k1.home.att.net/pa/performance_appraisal.html