Improving the effectiveness of manager feedback programme in IBM

Abstract

This report speaks about the ways to improve the effectiveness of Manager Feedback Program in IBM. Manager Feedback Program is a systematic way for employees to give feedback to employees about the people management capabilities of the managers. This feedback form consists of 10 questions on various people management aspects of the managers. Certain questions have unanimously got relatively higher percentage of unfavorable ratings. These areas are managers ability to give clear performance feedback, trust building capacity of the manager, capability of manager to shape his/her team members' career in IBM and effective two way communication for all the India business units of IBM global service division. In order to deal with the people management issues and to improve the effectiveness of Manager Feedback Program, an analysis is carried on with the help of following methodology namely search on IBM global campus sites, discussions with guide, questionnaire to randomly selected managers and one to one discussions with randomly selected managers. Based on the results of the analysis, inferences are obtained with respect to the size of the team in IBM, the kind of training program for IBM employees and managers, the allotment of welfare funds for people management activities, separation of project and people manager roles, eligibility criterion for an employee to give feedback to manager, and mechanism to handle inept people managers. Based on the inferences and findings recommendations and suggestions are provided at the end of the report.