Title: Using Performance Management to Manage Police Teams: A Useful Partner or an Ambush
Abstract: This study aims to contribute to a better understanding of how performance management can be effectively implemented in police teams. Because of the service nature of police tasks, and the importance of safety conditions, police forces are more oriented to a team-structure to organize work. To manage teams, most organizations, such as police forces (Coutts & Frank, 2003), make use of performance management systems. Performance management refers to the continuous process of identifying and developing the performance of individuals and teams and align these performances with the organization’s strategic objectives (Aguinis & Pierce, 2008). When implemented in teams, performance management should make all team members accountable and motivate them to have a stake in team performance (Denisi & Smith, 2014).
However, literature is in doubt about the effectiveness of performance management on team performance. Whereas some scholars consider performance management to be useless for teams (Mendibil & Macbryde, 2003), others consider performance management as a competitive advantage (Aguinis, Gottfredson & Joo, 2013). Because empirical findings are lacking, this debate remains unsolved. In accordance to the call of Aguinis and Pierce (2008), we focus on team dynamics in relation to performance management and empirically test how performance management can affect team performance.
Our theoretical model builds upon the well-known team effectiveness framework of McGrath (1964), which was modified by Mathieu et al. (2008) to the inputs-mediators-outcomes model. Performance management is considered as an input in teams, affecting team processes and emergent states, defined as team dynamics turning team input into beneficial team outcomes, in this case team performance.
First of all, performance management is examined in the light of Bowen and Ostroff (2004)’s conceptualization of HRM system strength. More specifically, we argue that when performance management is high on distinctiveness, consistency and consensus, i.e. the strength of performance management, team members will be more likely to develop shared perception of the purpose and intention of performance management, resulting in higher team performance.
In addition, we propose that the relationship between performance management and team performance can be explained by team mediators such as team emergent states and processes (Mathieu et al., 2008). We explicitly focus on social well-being as a type of a team emergent state. Social well-being refers to the well-being of team members based on the quality of interactions in their team, such as feeling accepted by and perceived reciprocity towards other team members (Grant, Christianson & Price, 2007). Building on the relational model of Gittell et al. (2010), we argue that performance management strength can affect the quality of interactions in teams. It is through the effect of performance management on team members’ social well-being that an effect on team performance can be established (Van de Voorde, Paauwe & Veldhoven, 2012).
A multisource cross-sectional study is conducted at the Belgium Police Force to test this model. We developed questionnaires for both team members and leaders both in French and Dutch. Data collection will be finalized in the middle of May. So far, the sample consists of 1428 team members and 215 team leaders.
Because data collection is still ongoing, we are not able to test the model yet.
The study provides insights into the effect of performance management on team effectiveness and help team-structured organizations to implement performance management more effectively. We expect to find evidence that the strength of performance management positively affects team performance, through the mediating effect of social well-being. Whereas theoretical suggestions argue the usefulness of performance management in teams, empirical research is lacking. Empirical evidence is of great interest for team-structured organizations that invest time in performance management. Further implications and limitations will be discussed.
Publication Year: 2017
Publication Date: 2017-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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