One of the hottest new kids on the block in the laptop neighborhood, Fujitsu PC Corporation was founded in 1996. A subsidiary of Fujitsu Limited of Tokyo, the second largest computer manufacturer in the world, they provide notebook computers for the mainstream U.S. market. Their established goal is to become one of the top five vendors in the U.S. market by 1998.

Well on their way to achieving this goal, Fujitsu PC Corporation identified a need within their organization and turned to KnowledgePoint for assistance. They recognized the importance of establishing a solid performance management system to effectively improve performance and, ultimately, have a positive impact on the their overall success.

Situation:
As Fujitsu PC Corporation completed the third quarter of its first year in business, Director of Human Resources Dennis Heller realized a key component for success still needed to be addressed - namely instituting an effective performance management process.

The search to find the right technology to manage their employee review program was launched just six months before reviews were due company-wide. With time being such an important factor, Heller admits there was a temptation to "let it go" and use a traditional paper process while focusing on other priorities. After reviewing Administaff's Performance Now software however, he knew he had found a way to implement the better choice - a comprehensive, technology-assisted evaluation process aimed at creating viable and valuable reviews.

The Search:
Heller had already determined specific needs -from both an HR and a system requirement perspective - prior to beginning the process of evaluating competing software solutions.

Fujitsu's vision for the perfect review process was threefold. First, it would facilitate better communication by creating an environment that increased both the quality and the frequency of employee feedback. Secondly, it must help managers better manage their employees and improve performance. Lastly, with a look to the future, Heller wanted to build a database of skills to help determine the best use of the people and talents within their organization.

On a more specific level, Fujitsu required a system that would provide easy access to all users, reside on their server, enable them to centrally administer and monitor the system and have an automated way to produce ratings, averages and weights. They also wanted to be able to share reviews within a system that supported a self-evaluation process. Due to time constraints, it was essential to deliver a quality process quickly. "Although we are a high-tech company, not every user has the same level of technical skill." To that end, the software chosen would have to be easy to use in addition to all other requirements.

The Solution:
After an extensive comparison of products and services, Heller and Fujitsu decided on Administaff's Performance Now®. With installation taking place just one month before the performance review deadline, there was some concern the system would not be ready and that managers would not be fully effective in using the software. In spite of those concerns, the entire rollout (from installation to finished reviews) was accomplished within thirty days. "In fact," Heller reported, "I had some reviews back to me in just one day!"

When asked why Performance Now was chosen over other software applications, Heller noted first of all that, in addition to being the only package that could meet their requirements, it was very easy to use. "It's very intuitive and has a very logical flow." After a single training session, managers were able to use the software effectively. As a tool, Performance Now overcame the feeling from managers that too much valuable time was being taken up by an ineffectual review process. Taking it a step further, Heller reported his managers really appreciated the software stating it "got me past the blank page."

Another benefit was the software's Intelli-Text technology that generates supporting text based on managers' input. Calling it a tremendous head start, Heller noted it "stimulated managers to consider the evaluation more carefully" and to provide better feedback in ways they might not have thought of otherwise. "The generation of text has led to much more careful thought. The quality of the evaluations are outstanding," he states emphatically.

Conclusion:
In reviewing Fujitsu's performance management process six months later, Heller is pleased with the continuing results. Performance Now is effectively being used throughout the organization with positive response from both management and employees. Based on corporate goals and standards, Fujitsu has chosen six performance competencies as the basis for employee reviews. Using the Employee Log to track day-to-day performance is providing valuable documentation that will be used to support performance evaluations at the end of the review period.

His perception, overall, of the Performance Now software, the success of the implementation process and the ensuing results have reinforced his choice. "I believe Administaff's Performance Now is the best software tool for supporting effective performance management in enterprise situations."