The perceived impact and effectiveness of performance management practice and its ethical considerations

This paper explores if performance management (PM) can be made more effective if increased attention is paid to its ethical considerations and responsibilities within the workplace. Data was gathered in the public and private sector and a number of studies, in the main, from Ireland and the UK. They establish the level of PM effectiveness and ways of optimising it through the use of effective evaluation systems. Results further suggest that these organisational codes of conduct need to be more explicit in terms of what constitutes errant behaviour and that stakeholders such as trade unions need to be more closely involved. Such codes also need to be culturally sympathetic rather than “one size fits all” models which can be favoured due to the high prevalence internationally of multi-national corporations (MNCs) PM systems or processes.