Review the literature you read in class and address the following:
- What concepts in this class did you find the most interesting and why?
- What are two or three ways applying the methods in class could help improve an organization (use your own place of work if you want)?
- What did you find to be the most valuable part of this class?
Select the "Week 8 Discussion" link above. Then, in the week 8 discussion forum, select "Reply" to add your response to the discussion questions. Students should submit a minimum of three substantive discussion posts including the initial post and two responses to students. Post the initial discussion by Wednesday and all other responses by FRIDAY at NOON, which is the last day/time all work must be submitted in Week 8.
Week 8 Human Resource Psychology summer pu
Hello Professor and classmates,
The differentiation and unity of talent management and performance management have been one of the most intriguing concepts in this course. I believe it is especially illuminating that talent management is concerned with the long-term, i.e., the recruitment of employees, their training and retention, whereas performance management deals with a continuous process of evaluating and enhancing current work-related performance. The comprehension that these processes are complex, but separate, served to emphasize that organizations can realize both short and long-term benefits in the form of improved performance and a developed workforce when the different strategies are aligned (Pomaranik & Kludacz-Alessandri, 2024). I also enjoyed knowing that effective performance management depends on constant feedback and trust, on the manager-employee dialogue, and does not solely rest on rating systems.
Through the techniques learned in the course, there is a substantial opportunity to enhance organizational performance. An example is that structured hiring measures like competency models and standardized interviews would ensure that the qualities in terms of skills and ability are possessed by the employees in their various roles. At my workplace, the employment of such measures would help minimize recruitment mistakes and enhance the overall fit of the employees. Also, it would be rather advantageous to facilitate constant feedback and coaching cycles, which would assist in developing employees, engaging them further, and potentially reducing turnover (O’Connor et al., 2025). Strategic talent planning and workforce analytics can also guide the organization to predictive staffing levels, develop potential leaders, and align individual workforce development to organizational goals, leading to a more efficient and forward-looking organization.
The best thing about this course has been learning about the relevance of the practical aspects of I/O psychology in addressing the real work-related issues (Schneider & Pulakos, 2022). The understanding of how formal systems of hiring, orientation, performance feedback, and development can increase the performance of the individuals and improve the organizational performance has provided me with concrete skills that I can apply immediately. Such knowledge not only enhances processes but also employee engagement, motivation, and retention, which are benefits for an organization over the long term.
References
O’Connor, E. P., Shao, J. J., Ariss, A. A., & Sidani, Y. (2025). Overcoming the “either/or” mindset: Towards an Integrated Talent Management Framework. European Management Review. https://doi.org/10.1111/emre.70002
Pomaranik, W., & Kludacz-Alessandri, M. (2024). Talent management practices and other factors affecting employee performance in the public healthcare sector in poland: an empirical study using structural equation modelling. BMC Health Services Research, 24(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-12169-4
Schneider, B., & Pulakos, E. D. (2022). Expanding the I-O psychology mindset to organizational success. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 15(3), 385–402. https://doi.org/10.1017/iop.2022.27.
Keyara Warren
13 hours ago, at 6:46 PM
NEW
Hello Class and Professor Mendelson,
1.What concepts in this class did you find the most interesting and why?
The idea of performance management really connected with me because it stresses a continuous cycle instead of just a one-time review. Cascio and Aguinis (2025) describe effective performance management as including goal setting, continuous feedback, coaching, and aligning individual performance with the strategic goals of the organization. This perspective is different from the compliance-driven scorecards in my workplace, where AI systems flag calls and rank employees in ways that often feel out of touch with real development. Seeing performance management as a tool for growth rather than punishment helped me realize how organizations can encourage development while still holding individuals accountable.
Related to this was the analysis of talent management reviews, which provided insights into how organizations ensure they have the right people in the right roles at the right times. Strategic workforce planning, succession pipelines, and competency assessments all help build stronger talent systems (Cascio & Aguinis, 2025). In the telecom industry, where turnover is high and frontline agents often face burnout, discovering how talent management can create a more stable and engaged workforce was particularly eye-opening. I started to think about how much more resilient my organization could be if leaders focused on long-term employee development instead of just reactive hiring and short-term solutions.
2.What are two or three ways applying the methods in class could help improve an organization (use your own place of work if you want)?
There are multiple ways to use the methods from this course to enhance organizational performance. I will highlight three that are particularly applicable to my workplace.
First, structured feedback interventions can enhance both morale and performance. Research by Kluger and DeNisi (1996) on Feedback Intervention Theory shows that feedback is most effective when it focuses on the task and encourages learning rather than personal criticism. In my telecom company, feedback is often limited to numeric scorecards or flagged call reviews, which can leave employees feeling discouraged. Moving to a model where supervisors provide developmental feedback linked to specific behaviors while also recognizing strengths, could boost both motivation and performance.
Second, adopting evidence-based appraisal methods would improve fairness. DeNisi and Murphy (2017) point out that performance appraisal systems have evolved over the past century from subjective rankings to more systematic approaches like 360-degree feedback, behaviorally anchored rating scales, and management by objectives. If my organization implemented these methods, employees would likely see the system as more just and constructive, reducing the sense of randomness that often surrounds evaluations.
Third, aligning talent management reviews with workforce planning could stabilize staffing. Instead of just reacting to high turnover, leaders could proactively identify high-potential employees, provide targeted development opportunities, and create internal mobility pathways. Cascio and Aguinis (2025) emphasize that effective talent systems anticipate future organizational needs and prepare employees accordingly. For my telecom company, this could mean lowering costly recruitment and training cycles by retaining employees longer through career development and mentoring initiatives.
3.What did you find to be the most valuable part of this class?
The most crucial element of this class has been its foundation in evidence-based practice. Rather than relying on assumptions or anecdotal experiences, I have learned how Industrial-Organizational psychologists systematically assess which HR strategies are effective and under what conditions. This has prompted me to reevaluate my own workplace experiences in a more constructive way. For instance, what I once thought were arbitrary managerial decisions now appear to be a gap between research-based best practices and their actual implementation. Understanding this distinction has provided me with a framework to focus on solutions rather than just frustrations.
Another significant takeaway has been the focus on employee experience as essential to organizational success. Frazier et al. (2017) reveal in their meta-analysis of psychological safety that when employees feel secure enough to take risks, ask questions, and acknowledge mistakes, organizational learning and performance improve significantly. This is directly related to what we studied about performance management and talent systems. If organizations only emphasize compliance and output metrics, they may hinder the very behaviors—innovation, collaboration, and initiative—that are crucial for long-term success. For my organization, promoting psychological safety could lead to lower turnover and a healthier culture where employees feel supported rather than monitored.
Performance management and talent management reviews were the most captivating and useful concepts from this course because they linked theory to the actual challenges I face in the telecommunications field. Utilizing structured feedback, just appraisal systems, and forward-thinking talent management could greatly boost organizational effectiveness. Ultimately, the most significant takeaway from the course has been understanding how evidence-based strategies in human resource psychology can impact both organizations and the individuals within them. This perspective equips me with enhanced academic knowledge and practical tools to drive change in my workplace. This course by far has been my favorite since beginning my journey to obtain my I/O degree as I hope to move into the human resources department at my current company.
References
Cascio, W., & Aguinis, H. (2025). Applied psychology in talent management (9th Edition). SAGE Publications, Inc.
DeNisi, A. S., & Murphy, K. R. (2017). Performance appraisal and performance management: 100 years of progress? The Journal of Applied Psychology, 102(3), 421–433. https://0620rhvd1-mp02-y-https-doi-org.prx-keiser.lirn.net/10.1037/apl0000085
Frazier, M. L., Fainshmidt, S., Klinger, R. L., Pezeshkan, A., & Vracheva, V. (2016). Psychological Safety: A Meta‐Analytic Review and Extension. Personnel Psychology, 70, 113–165. https://0620rhvd1-mp02-y-https-doi-org.prx-keiser.lirn.net/10.1111/peps.12183