THE OHIO BCI – CASE STUDY
The Bureau of Criminal Investigation, known as BCI,
(a part of the Ohio Attorney’s Generals Office)
is the state’s official
investigative, criminal history record keeping, and
crime lab
oratory
serving the criminal justice community and protecting Ohio families.
The mission of the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation is to serve the law enforcement community and protect the citizens of Ohio by providing accurate criminal records, reliable laboratory services and comprehensive investigative assistance.
The London-based bureau – with regional offices in Athens, Bowling Green, Cambridge, Richfield
, Springfield
and Youngstown – stands ready to aid local law enforcement agencies at a moment’s notice. Using state-of-the-art technology, its team of special agents, forensic scientists, criminal-intelligence analysts and other technical professionals offers a methodical level of expertise that is unmatched and, to those requesting assistance, invaluable. BCI is dedicated to cooperation, integrity and professionalism, regardless of the task or the hour of the call for help. Bureau investigators and scientists strive to serve without bias and to adhere to the highest of professional and ethical standards, with all endeavors performed in the spirit of mutual trust and respect. BCI pledges to provide quality, efficient and courteous service to each requesting agency
BCI’s
mission statement captures the
dedication to
the highest
criminal justice standards
, delivering superior service and
protecting the
.
BCI
is committed to conducting
governmental
operations
with ethical standards and asks its
requesting agencies
to conduct themselves in the same manner.
Given this commitment to maintaining high operating and ethical standards, there is no “sugar coating†employee performance and job satisfaction.
Every successful
organization
understands that employee retention is strongly tied to the employees feeling that they are an
integral part of the
organization
and that their work is appreciated and rewarded.
BCI
understood that the best way to exe cute their mission statement, have employees both understand and implement the
bureau’s
underlying priorities and values, was through their employee evaluation performance system.
BCI
saw the need for a precise, automated talent and employee appraisal system as the panacea for maximizing the human assets. The truth was that it took a merger of the t
hree
branches of the
organization (investigations, identification, and laboratory and seven office locations throughout Ohio)
into one unit to surface this issue.
One part of the
bureau
was doing employee evaluations using 1960’s technology: hard copy forms and personnel files. The other part was using a computer-based system, but the software was antiquated.
BCI
head of HR
was
tasked with the responsibility of taking HR data from
seven
locations (600 employees) and creating one integrated process.
According to
the
HR Director, “When employees feel they have gotten a thorough and accurate review, it boosts their morale.†This was the foundation of their new appraisal system
comprehensive, unbiased, and precise measurements of employee performance would serve as the viable feedback employees both wanted and needed to establish and obtain specific quantifiable objectives. Employees, according to motivation literature, who know what are expected of them, perform at a higher level with greater job satisfaction. Happy workers lead to higher retention, and retention is the name of the game for superior performance, industry leadership, and expansion.
BCI
used a traditional appraisal system where annual evaluations were conducted, with no comparison to prior years. They wanted a new system that would be online, use one standardized form, allow managers to have access and input periodic updates of the employee’s performance from remote locations, and allow for signoffs. In
the
old system, a few
individuals London, Ohio
would have access to the system. However, we have managers in
Columbus with
London
subordinates. It is important that they can share the same forms across the board.
With agents who
are on the road a lot or are working out of home offices, so having them be able to access this is
significant. HR
did have concerns and drew up a list of fac tors the system had to incorporate.
Primarily
HR
didn’t want to end up with a system that is so complicated that the managers wouldn’t use it, and therefore the new software system would be simple, flexible, save time, and allow for developing variations of the
bureau’s
core competencies. The new software had to structure and formalize the appraisal process while allowing for customization of the firm’s competencies and staff/managers’ suggested modifications. Once the software was selected, 50 managers
would receive
fast-track training with annual appraisals immediately commencing.
HR
had high praise for the system, indicating that: It allows
BCI
to standardize competencies across job classifications, add signature and comment sections to
assure the process is more
interactive, and increase accessibility for remote managers.
Organizing and automating the appraisal process results in performance appraisals that are
more accurate and fairer
. This is important because, after all, an employee appraisal is a legal document.
HR was
enamored with the new system because it allowed them to connect employee training and development needs with employee performance.
BCI HR
can go into the evaluations and more easily monitor employees’ skills development, see what training individuals need, and check the due dates for training and renewal. That makes it much easier for
BCI
to keep track.
T
he new system has achieved its primary objective of connecting employees’ personal objectives with employee goals. The feedback has been really positive, from both managers and employees as well. Some staff said this was the best appraisal they’ve had
. Many have
felt the evaluations
are
fair and realistic, and supervisors ha
ve
the scope to provide more
relevant and legitimate comments than they could before. Rather than clicking on canned comments, they were accurately reviewing the employee.
Analysis:
The BCI case offers a potential solution for organizations to provide more accurate performance evaluations for employees. By going to a year-round model of which information can be uploaded at any time by managers, the opportunity for feedback to be provided increases and managing performance can be an ongoing part of job evaluation.
The use of an electronic monitoring system may also provide a more accurate appraisal. Managers now do not have to wait until one certain period in the calendar year to provide feedback and may make notes regularly to help their employees improve in their positions.
Another tension that can be addressed is how organizational procedures change when mergers, acquisitions, or departmental mergers occur. HR departments have the responsibility to design an easy-to-understand and implement system for all employees, including performance appraisals. If done correctly, this can improve both organizational effectiveness and performance and productivity.
Questions:
1. What is performance management and what is the driving force behind BCI’s performance management approach?
2. What is performance appraisal and what are the key features BCI wanted in their new appraisal system?
3. What is the performance appraisal process and how does BCI’s new appraisal system incorporate those processes?
4. How did the question of performance accuracy affect the development of BCI’s automated appraisal system?
5. Why did BCI redesign their performance appraisal system?
6. What does BCI evaluate when they conduct employee appraisals and why are they using that approach?
7. Who is assessing training performance at BCI?
8. What trends in performance appraisal are affecting BCI’s appraisal system?
Please read the article and answer the questions
