Training & Organizational Development 

"Training and education are critical to success, but you cannot
be truly competitive without a human resource system that
has a significant focus on performance improvement"

Source: International Society for Performance Improvement (1999).

Performance Improvement is a systemic approach to achieving measurable results through targeted organizational change efforts. To get the benefit of change as quickly as possible and effectively manage resistance, it is critical to actively consider the human factors involved. The Office of Training and Organizational Development offers consulting services to assist, guide and support leaders and/or teams at UMDNJ involved in large and small scale change.

There are a number of Performance Improvement Models, but they all share the following six key steps which we use to guide our services:

1. Establish desired performance goals that can be measured and that link directly to organizational goals.
2. Decide on the type and level of performance needed to accomplish those goals.
3. Assess current performance and determine gaps.
4. Identify root cause for current performance issues and/or potential obstacles to attaining desired performance.
5. Identify the best interventions that can be used to remove or overcome those obstacles and to close the gap between real and ideal performance.
6. Conduct evaluations regularly to ensure progress towards goals and make necessary adjustments.

All performance improvement models center around an intervention step. An intervention is an activity, process, event or system that is designed to correct the problem or change the situation and improve performance. Group performance improvement interventions fall into two main categories: learning interventions and non-learning interventions. These categories are not mutually exclusive and best results are often achieved through a combination of the two.

• Learning Interventions—A range of actions or events designed to help people acquire new skills and knowledge. Following are examples of learning interventions commonly used:
  
  
  • Group-based learning, On-the-job training (OJT), Experiential learning, Self-paced learning, Feedback systems.


• Non-Learning Interventions—Actions and items not related to learning but still geared toward performance improvement. They can include:
  
  
  • Environmental interventions such as improved process, technology, barrier removal, job definition, organizational structure, role clarity, policies, job aids.
  • Incentives/Consequences/Motivation interventions such as reward and recognition programs.