Performance through focus

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The Old Mutual Investment Group (SA) (OMIGSA) strategy of building a strong performance culture requires a holistic and integrated approach to people management and development.

In an effort to ensure consistency across the group in the area of performance management, a decision was made to purchase the South African developed FarsightPlus Performance Management (FSP) system in 2005. Since then a strong partnership between technology company Fireworkx and OMIGSA has developed, leading to a customised software solution which can be used to measure both people and project performance.

“We take Human Capital development seriously,” says Peter Linley, Head of Investment Research, Omigsa.

“It is always easy to pay lip service to this but we wanted to be serious about our approach. FarsightPlus has enabled the company to capture living performance contracts and saved leg work. It is important people have clarity around evaluations and the subsequent feedback; that the right questions are asked by the right people. FarsightPlus has allowed us that. Employees consequently have confidence in the objective and accurate evaluations and are willing to accept the outcomes leading to the all important and meaningful performance development conversations. Given the multi-faceted nature of work today, the 360 degree system ensures that all areas are covered, reducing the concern that one or two issues are over-weighted. We have confidence in the system.”

Omigsa CEO Thabo Dloti is uncompromising in his commitment to a ‘clear line of sight between individual performance and organisational strategy'. This ‘if you cannot measure it, you cannot manage it' focus ensures that every person understands how they fit into the company as a whole. The availability of a user-friendly, seamless, IT-driven and sophisticated performance management system has raised the performance management game.

“Building a strong performance culture is hard work,” warns Fatima Mohamed, Change Management HR Executive. "CEO commitment, a solid and customised software system and a trusted partnership with the technology service supplier are all crucial to success. The technological solution allows management to focus on the important aspects, providing the data to have valuable performance development conversations."

“The important phase aimed at including the career development and enhancement discussion is the next challenge facing us,” says HR Executive, Julie Leslie. "The customised Personal Development Plan element of the system will facilitate this: having all the information in one place, easily accessible and confidential.”

Jamie Boakes, Senior IT Manager, confirms that “FSP fits with our overall technology strategy. The web-based tool ensures a simplified deployment and an intuitive application that makes use of industry accepted technologies.”

Ernest Harvey highlights Fireworkx's commitment as service and product supplier to achieving the trusted partner relationship: “Frequent and user focused meetings ensure that the regular enhancement releases deliver the customer friendly experiences expected of the system. Gill Gimberg, FSP Consultant, is dedicated to assisting OMIGSA obtain the full benefits of this powerful tool.

"This experience has highlighted how the coming together of HR software, senior management commitment to performance management and a HR department that understands the role of change management, can lead to a high performance company achieving its rightful status. A clear example of Human Resources champions adding value. Author Dave Ulrich would be proud of this achievement.”

Ernest Harvey, strategy and performance management consultant, is a Director of Fireworkx Internet (Pty) Ltd. For further information contact Ernest on +27-21-685-0600 or email him at ernest@fireworkx.com.

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