Hello and welcome to our October issue of Persona.  Our lead article this month is on effective performance management, following the success of our recent employment workshops on this broad topic, held at the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry and at Dunkenhalgh Hotel, Blackburn. Many thanks to all who attended. We also bring you the latest employment law updates, as usual, plus a few top tips on how to handle difficult conversations - something that I know can fill even the most senior managers with dread. Finally, as the nights draw in, we've got a special reader offer this month to keep you thinking positive. The fabulous Phoenicia Hotel in Malta is offering Persona readers great rates and bubbly on arrival - perfect for a winter sun weekend. Plus you never know who you'll spot there - Pierce Brosnan, Rachel Weisz and Brad Pitt have all visited previously! Do please email me your comments at

charlotte@p3pm.co.uk

Effective Performance Management

Effective performance management is a holistic process bringing together many of the elements that make up the successful practice of people management, including, in particular, learning and development. For this very reason, it is complex and capable of being misunderstood, but the mantra is simple: if you can't measure it, you can't manage it.

Unfair dismissal qualifying period and tribunal fees

At the Conservative Party conference on 3 October 2011, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, confirmed that the unfair dismissal qualifying period will rise to two years, and that fees will be introduced to employment tribunal proceedings.
 

All employers and managers would accept that there will be difficult conversations to be had from time to time and, regardless of how experienced you are, there's often a tendency to try and get them over with quickly. However, you'll find following a few simple rules and thinking about how you approach these conversations could have a huge impact on both the delivery and the outcome.

It is imperative that managers communicate difficult issues clearly, so that there are no misunderstandings, and put the message across in a way that is constructive, even though the information may seem negative. Use our guidelines to make the running as smooth as possible... 

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