Performance Appraisals

 

Performance Appraisals in the Workplace: Use, Types, Criticisms

What Is a Performance Appraisal?

The term “performance appraisal” refers to the regular review of an employee’s job performance and overall contribution to a company. Also known as an annual review, employee appraisal, performance review or evaluation, a performance appraisal evaluates an employee’s skills, achievements, and growth, or lack thereof.(Adam , et al., 2023)

Companies use performance appraisals to give employees big-picture feedback on their work and to justify pay increases and bonuses, as well as termination decisions. They can be conducted at any given time but tend to be annual, semiannual, or quarterly.(Adam , et al., 2023)

Types of Performance Appraisals

• Self-assessment: Individuals rate their job performance and behavior.
• Peer assessment: An individual’s work group or co-workers rate their performance.
• 360-degree feedback assessment: Includes input from an individual, supervisor, and peers.
• Negotiated appraisal: This newer trend utilizes a mediator and attempts to moderate the adversarial nature of performance evaluations by allowing the subject to present first. It also focuses on what the individual is doing right before any criticism is given. This structure tends to be useful during conflicts between subordinates and supervisor.(Adam , et al., 2023)

Why Employees Dislike Performance Appraisals(Pregitzer & Roberts, 2007)

Performance appraisal is a yearly rite of passage in organizations that triggers dread and apprehension in the most experienced, battle-hardened manager. Employees on the receiving end of appraisals do not always look forward to them. In fact, research and practice demonstrate that employees enjoy performance appraisal about as much as a trip to the dentist, but at least the dentist gives them something for the pain! Consider the reasons why employees dislike performance appraisals.(Pregitzer & Roberts, 2007)

Most Serious Performance Appraisal Problems(Sullivan, 2011)

1 Don’t assess actual performance — most of the assessment that managers complete focuses on “the person,” including characterizations of their personal “traits” (i.e. commitment), knowledge (i.e. technical knowledge) or behaviours (i.e. attendance). While these factors may contribute to performance, they are not measures of actual output. If you want to assess the person, call it “person appraisal.” Performance is output quality, volume, dollar value, and responsiveness.(Sullivan, 2011)

2. Infrequent feedback – if the primary goal of the process is to identify and resolve performance issues, executing the process annually is silly. A quality assessment/control program anywhere else in the business would operate in real time. At the very minimum, formal feedback needs to be given quarterly, like the GE process.(Sullivan, 2011)

3. Non-data-based assessment — most processes rely 100% on the memory of those completing the assessment because pre-populating the forms with data to inform decisions would be too difficult (cynicism). In addition, most assessment criteria are “fuzzy” and subjective.(Sullivan, 2011)

4. Lack of effectiveness metrics — many accept that the goals of the process are to recognize results, provide feedback to address weaknesses, determine training needs, and to identify poor performers. Unfortunately, rarely do process owners ever measure their processes’ contribution to attaining any of these goals. Instead, the most common measure relating to performance appraisal is the percentage completed.(Sullivan, 2011)

5.  Lack of accountability – managers are not measured or held accountable for providing accurate feedback. While they may be chastised for completing them late, there is no penalty for doing a half-assed job or making mistakes on them, which is incredibly common. One firm attempting to remove a troublesome employee found that the manager had rated the individual the highest within the department and awarded them employee of the year.(Sullivan, 2011)

conclusion 

The main purpose of employee development is performance appraisal, giving employees big-picture feedback on their work and justifying pay raises and bonuses, performance reviews or appraisals, or creating employee evaluations through additional training and increased responsibilities or employee development, as well as identifying ways for the employee to improve and advance in his career. 

References 

A. H., H. E. & P. Y., 2023. Performance Appraisals in the Workplace: Use, Types, Criticisms. [Online] 
Available at: https://www.investopedia.com/what-is-a-performance-appraisal-4586834
[Accessed 18 8 2023].

. P. . M. & R. G., 2007. Why Employees Dislike Performance Appraisals. [Online] 
Available at: https://www.regent.edu/journal/regent-global-business-review/why-employees-dislike-performance-appraisals/
[Accessed 18 8 2023].

S. D. J., 2011. The Top 50 Problems With Performance Appraisals. [Online] 
Available at: https://www.tlnt.com/articles/the-top-50-problems-with-performance-appraisals
[Accessed 8 18 2023].