Five Pitfalls and Solutions of Performance Management in a Selected South African University during Covid-19

Abstract

This paper aims to establish the pitfalls of performance management (PM) in a selected South African Higher Education Institution (HEI) during the Covid-19 pandemic and suggest a strategic way forward. It adopted a quick review of documents in the South African HEI to identify the pitfalls. Rigid performance planning and poor timing of feedback in uncertain times, weak performance feedback culture, the performance process of accountability with lip service to employee growth and development, misperceptions of HR as the center of PM in disruptive times and lack of compassionate leadership to drive performance are the five pitfalls of PM. The identified pitfalls expose the cardinal weaknesses and offer an opportunity to transform PM in the selected South African HEI by embedding agility, integrating coaching and building a performance feedback culture. It is recommended that the South African HEI adopt a non-linear and fluid PM process, centralizing ongoing conversations and coaching for performance, employee development and organizational success. A framework for agile, continuous PM, which provides the wayward in a South African HEI, is proposed.