communications ethos（ethos社会(或民族等)的精神特质 2. 性格;气质(n)） in the workplace that gives staff a chance to talk about issues and feel valued.
第3辑阅读【TEXT 3 】『part 2』 Setting up an appraisal scheme
Appraisals can be a wonderful opportunity for your staff to focus on their jobs and make plans to develop their unused potential. (0) G They can also be a means of getting the best out of staff, both as individuals, and as team So, if you have decided that an appraisal scheme should be set up in your company, you need to establish some formal procedures and make some decisions before you begin. Even if your company already has a scheme, you need to consider what you want to achieve and how you are going to do this.
First of all, you need to decide on your key objectives and the real purpose of your scheme.(8) D Ideally, this should be to provide a supportive framework that aids staff development. A scheme should never be introduced at a time of redundancies, or simply for profit or competitive edge, because this will create fear and alienate staff. The next step is to decide how the scheme can most successfully be managed. It is essential that all senior staff are committed to the process and willing to make a positive contribution. The person given responsibility for designing the scheme and the
appraisal forms needs to have knowledge of all roles within the organisation. He or she must also be aware of employees' potential needs. (9) A It is important to select a manager who can deal effectively with any suspicions staff may have about appraisals. It should be someone who is trusted and whom staff will turn to if they are concerned about their appointed appraiser or the appraisal interview. The design of the scheme should indicate who will be appraising whom. This needs great tact and sensitivity. First, remember that no manager can effectively appraise more than seven or eight people. It is equally important to remember that, if significant numbers of staff are appraised by someone they dislike, or by a person whose values they do not share, the success of your scheme may be threatened.(10) C Having even one staff member in such a position may affect how others respond to the process. So bear this in mind from the beginning and, if necessary, establish an appeals procedure.
Having decided on your policy and who will appraise which members of staff, you need to communicate this in the simplest possible way. Avoid lengthy documents - few people will read them. (11) E Simply make sure that staff know who will appraise them and why, and what form the interview will take（Take the form of 采取/表现…的形式(v) In the form of 以…的形式(adv)）. Most organisations choose a person's line manager to be the
appraiser. This can be seen as an opportunity or a threat, so be ready
to consider alternatives if necessary.
Once you have established the appraisal process, make sure that appraisal interviews take place at a convenient time, and ideally on neutral ground（On neutral ground站在中立立场=Neutrally(adv)）. It should be borne in mind that some appraisals may involve the disclosure of confidential information. (12) F It is therefore important to decide who will have access to written records of the appraisal. members. These will show the decisions that were taken during the interview and will also indicate any new performance targets that have been agreed. 第3辑阅读【TEXT 4 】『part 2』 Human resource management
It is nearly a century since the car manufacturer Henry Ford said, 'You can destroy my factories and offices, but give me my people and I will build the business right back up again.'(0) G In the light of this statement, it is odd that people management has taken so many years to move up the agenda(提上议程 (v)). But a few business theorists are beginning to argue that managing people well can add more to the bottom line than anything else.
Mike Manzotti, a leading American author in this area, has strong views about the growing importance of human resources in today's business world. (8) B He argues that the role of a skilled, motivated and flexible workforce has become more significant as traditional sources of
competitive advantage diminish. A company with high staff commitment, for example, has an asset that its rivals find hard to copy.
Research in Britain would appear to support this notion. A recent business school survey into the performance of eight multinationals found that people management could be the most decisive factor in a company's performance. Another study indicated the same thing in medium-sized manufacturing firms. (9) A But the findings are inconclusive because of the difficulty of collecting reliable evidence. After all, how can an organisation evaluate the commitment of its staff? For this reason, the researcher George Hessenberg argues that a scientific approach is needed. He feels that when HR professionals suggest changing an organisation's compensation structure (薪酬结构(n))or being more selective in recruiting, they are asking for things that require resources. (10) F He believes, however, that the only way they will gain approval for these potentially expensive initiatives is to have some data that demonstrates positive financial benefits.
Some new approaches are emerging that attempt to do just
that, including the scheme devised by Couze Jordan. The scheme, which covers communication, recruitment, and use of resources, predicts that significant improvements in these areas achieve an increase in shareholder value of up to 30 per cent. Another programme, launched by James Lester, an independent
human resources expert, approaches the problem from a perspective that is designed to appeal to a wide range of managers. (11) E He compares the positive use of human resources to effective fund management, as this is something that senior executives can relate to. Both, he argues, involve appropriate decisions being made about the allocation of resources within a particular budget. Lester's expertise enables him to carry out an organisational audit for his clients to identify which areas of HR are in most need of improvement. This is because there is no point in businesses spending large amounts without knowing if the investment is worthwhile. (12) C For example, a common mistake is to spend a fortune on recruitment to cover up for (掩盖/包庇(v))deficiencies in training. Lester's advice, however, is for companies to think twice before hiring people, since it is vital they assess whether they are getting value for money.