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Utley Food Market

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Submitted By ashton07
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Utley Food Markets

Total Rewards

November 30, 2011

Utley Foods were founded by Lawrence Utley in St. Louis shortly after the Depression. It started as one store and move into a chain of stores totaling 86 supermarkets from Missouri to Illinois. In 1948, the stores were owned by one of Mr. Utley’s descendants and went public while the family gradually moved out of leadership roles. However, the company is now mainly unionized, with virtually all nonexempt employees and approximately 15 percent of the exempt employees unionized. Between the union and management is where pay raises for union employees are across the board. Nonunion employees generally receive across the board increases. The poor seems to feel unjustified by always being the ones with poor ratings. To justify the dissatisfaction, they receive a larger than average raise. (“Utley Food Markets”, n.d.) In this paper we will discuss whether the new Utley management would like to establish a pay-for-performance system, what does this mean to the Utley management? In this paper we will see what changes will have to be made in the way the system operates now. We will discuss how might these changes be implemented? Finally, we will discuss which of the nonmonetary changes will help motivate better performance.
Utley management wants to establish a pay-for-performance system, what does this mean for Utley management? A pay-for-performance program requires a compatible organizational situation if it is to succeed. Paying for performance is not ordinarily as complete a wage structure as paying basically for the job or possibly competencies can be. Paying for performance is integrated within or added to wage structures primarily based upon performance criteria. A pay performance-based system to meet its objectives, a well-designed and properly administered performance management system must exist. Performance is appraised on the basis of direct measurement of each employee’s output or results. Supervisors are trained in the concepts and the process involved in appraising performance. Measures or criteria used as objective and quantitative as possible, to minimize the potential for varying interpretations by different reviewers. Objective performance standards are established for various levels of employee performance when practical. The relative importance (weight) of each of the performance criteria is established. When practical, employees are involved in the determination of performance criteria, standards, and weights to ensure greater acceptance of the program. Performance criteria, standards, and weights are communicated to the employee at the beginning of the appraisal period, and periodically reviewed and updated for timeliness, relevance, and utility. The appraisal is written, and discussed by the employee and supervisor. Finally, the appraisal process is audited routinely and frequently, to identify and eliminate potential problems. (Wiley, 2007) The main point is that pay-for-performance is not a solution for all motivation and performance problems in organizations. It can be very effective where the requirements of expectancy theory can be met. But in many circumstances its application is likely to lead to frustration and other problems within the organization. What changes will have to be made in the way the system operates now?
The system currently operates through employee performances being rated by supervising employees. Employees are not told the results of this appraisal and it is generally believed that the question is only used to determine promotability. Employees have no opportunity to respond to poor rating and, in fact, don’t even know when ratings are poor. The end result is suspicion and mistrust. (“Utley Food Markets”, n.d.) Pay for performance systems use bonus money as a motivating factor for employees to go above and beyond what's normally expected of them. In this type of system, bonus money is only released to employees if certain department or company-wide goals are met regarding production and quality.
How might these changes be implemented? Companies that are interested in implementing a pay for performance system often contact a professional compensation consulting firm to assist with the project. Compensation consultants work closely with company leaders to analyze the business's goals and budget. Approaches to Implementing Pay for Performance:
Using competencies to evaluate employee performance,
Translating employee performance ratings into pay increases and awards,
Considering current salary in making performance-based pay decisions,
Managing costs of the pay for performance system,
Providing information to employees about the results of performance appraisal and pay decisions. (Human Capital, 2004) To successfully transform themselves, high-performing organizations have found that they must fundamentally change their cultures so that they are more results-oriented, customer-focused, and collaborative in nature, and have recognized that an effective performance management system can help them drive internal change and achieve desired results. (Human Capital, 2004)

Which of the nonmonetary changes will help motivate better performance? The best nonmonetary change is the treatment of employees. Understanding the importance of getting to know your employees, communication with employees, and fairness and respect towards employees will be addressed. Focuses on developing employees in a small business take the company to new heights. The role of performance appraisal will be presented, along with involving your employees in the planning and running of the business. Rewarding employees in small business can help them to better perform because there is something to look forward to a job well done. Specifically, the use of non-monetary rewards such as recognition and other rewards that employees' value should not be overlooked. Giving work schedules that can be flexible and how small business can gain and retain valuable employees while using flexible work schedules is the most important factor of motivation. (The use of non-monetary motivators in small business, 2008)
Conclusion
This paper talks about how Utley was a family owned business and become a privately owned business. The Utley Company wanted to implement a pay-for-performance system for employee performance. They have had numerous complaints of how unfair their current system was. The company thought that if the used another type of grading scale for raises and performances, it would seem fair to all employees. By using this system they were able to see how the change affected the new system, how they implemented the changes, and what helped to motivate better performance. In this paper we discussed whether the new Utley management would like to establish a pay-for-performance system, what does this mean to the Utley management? In this paper we have seen what changes will have to be made in the way the system operates now. We have discussed how might these changes be implemented? Finally, we discussed which of the nonmonetary changes will help motivate better performance.

References
Wiley, J. & Sons (2007). The World at Work Handbook of Compensation, Benefits&Total rewards. Holbroken, NJ: Copywrite Clearance Center.
Utley Food Markets. N.A., n.d. Retrieved from: http://blackboard.strayer.edu. Retrieved on November 23, 2011
Fox Lawson & Associates: a division of Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc. Compensation and Human Resources Specialists. Retrieved from http://www.foxlawson.com/pay-for-performance-system.cfm. Retrieved on November 29, 2011.
U.S. General Accounting Office, Results-Oriented Cultures: Creating a Clear Linkage between Individual Performance and Organizational Success, GAO-03-488 (Washington, D.C.: Mar. 14, 2003).
Human Capital United States General Accounting Office. January 2004. Retrieved from http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d0483.pdf. Retrieved on November 28, 2011.

The use of non-monetary motivators in small business, Jack L. Howard, 2008. Retrieved from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1TOL/is_13/ai_n32144762/. Retrived on November 27, 2011.

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