Performance objective

You will demonstrate skills and knowledge required to allocate work and provide informal feedback to employees in the context of managing people performance.

Assessment description

In response to a simulated workplace scenario, you will meet with a peer manager to role- play consultation on acquiring a (human) resource, setting performance expectations and risk management. You will then participate in a second role-play to provide initial, informal feedback to the newly acquired human resource and set performance expectations for ongoing work within your team.

Procedure

1. Review the Australian Hardware simulated business documentation provided to you by your assessor.
2. Review the scenario below.

You are the Hardware and Homewares Manager at the Australian Hardware Wollongong store. One of your customer service and sales representatives is taking a year's absence. A garden products employee, Kim Smith, has been

seconded to you after expressing an interest in the temporary hardware and home products position to her manager.

You will need to meet with Kim's manager to discuss the secondment and Kim's fitness for the role you have in mind.
You have a role description for the position (Appendix 1).

One of the main concerns you have is Kim's ability to transfer the customer service skills practiced and learned in the garden centre, and to learn new homewares-specific product and service knowledge. Probably one of the key determinants of whether the secondment will be a success will be Kim's attitude to acquiring new skills and knowledge and persevering through a period of adjustment to her new work conditions.

After meeting with Kim's manager, you will need to meet with Kim to negotiate a work plan (Appendix 2), including two to three goals and KPIs, consistent with the organisation's operations planning. You are prepared to accept that during a six-month transition period (one performance appraisal period) sales performance may be as much as 20% off target. Currently sales representatives in the hardware and homewares division are expected to generate $10,000 of revenue monthly. Other objectives and KPIs may be drawn from and negotiated on the basis of the role's position description.

Finally, you will need to identify and analyse two to three risks associated with the secondment and record the analyses (Appendix 3).

3. Arrange with your assessor:
a. a time and place to conduct the two role-plays:
i. a consultation with the garden products manager.
ii. a meeting to set performance expectations with the seconded employee.
b. timeframe and format requirements for submitting supporting documentation, as set out in the specifications below.

4. Carry out the role-play with the peer manager. Ensure you:
a. Discuss your expectations for the employee and your needs for filling the position with this resource:
i. Discuss the position description.
ii. Gather a sense of the employee's aptitude.
b. Gather informal feedback to relay to the employee that will allow the employee to start off with a realistic sense of the expectations of the position and how hard they may have to work to close any performance/skills/
knowledge gaps.

5. Carry out the role-play with the seconded employee. Ensure you complete the following:
a. Briefly summarise how performance is measured and performance objectives are set within the organisation.
b. In accordance with those processes, set performance objectives and complete a work plan in consultation with the employee.
c. Discuss general expectations and code of conduct with employee.

6. After role-playing with the manager and employee, identify two to three risks associated with the secondment in accordance with the organisation's risk management plan. Ensure you identify at least one compliance risk.

7. Submit supporting documentation to your assessor in accordance with the agreed timeframe, format and the below specifications.

Specifications

You must:
- participate in two role-plays:
? one with the garden products manager
? one with the seconded employee.
- submit an agreed work plan
- submit a risk management plan.

Your assessor will be looking for demonstration of your ability to:
- consult with relevant stakeholders to identify work requirements, performance standards and agreed performance indicators
- develop work plans and allocate work to achieve outcomes efficiently and within organisational and legal requirements
- provide constructive feedback on performance
- outline how performance is measured and performance objectives are set within the organisation.

Adjustment for distance-based learners
- No changes to the assessment procedure or specifications are required.
- Role-plays may be conducted via video or teleconferencing.
- Documentation may be submitted electronically.
- A follow-up interview may be required (at the discretion of the assessor).