A study to identify and recommend alternative performance evaluation systems that will better fit within Edy's Grand Ice Cream's company philosophy of the "Grooves"

Abstract

Edy’s Grand Ice Cream currently uses a performance evaluation that is based largely upon the concept of Management by Objectives and Results. Edy’s believes that only by truly “empowering” the individuals who work for them, can they sustain a high level of enthusiasm and personal satisfaction among their employees. They calls this approach their “I Can Make A Difference” philosophy and it is the core of everything they do at Edy's Grand Ice Cream. The company express’s the “I Can Make A Difference” philosophy in 10 tenets or “Grooves” and because of these grooves Edy’s is looking at alternative methods of evaluation that better fit into their “Grooves”. Employees working at the New Berlin, WI office of Edy’s Grand Ice Cream will be surveyed about their attitudes and opinions towards their yearly performance evaluation. They will be requested to complete a twenty-question survey concerning their attitudes and opinions regarding their most recent performance evaluation. This information will then be used to assist the researcher in better understanding Edy’s performance evaluation process. This study will be intended to answer the following research objectives: 1. Determine the attitudes and opinions of the employees at Edy’s Grand Ice Cream toward yearly performance evaluations. 2. Determine current criteria used for evaluating employees for their yearly performance evaluation. 3. Identify a performance evaluation process that fits Edy’s philosophy of the “Grooves”. The research seems to suggest that the employees are for the most part satisfied with the current evaluation process but this does not mean that the process should be left alone. The current system has three main problems: the amount of employees not receiving Grooves training, the lack of employee involvement during the evaluation process, and the overall time spent on the entire evaluation process. These three areas are problems that can be easily corrected and at a minimal cost to the company.