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A Critical Examination of Performance Appraisals: An Organization's Friend or Foe
research proposal on the effects of performance appraisals in employee performance
A Critical Examination of Performance Appraisals: An Organization's Friend or Foe
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Brief Overview of Performance Appraisal Performance Appraisal can be referred to as a method of evaluating your employees. Using this method, the performance of an employee is evaluated in terms of the quality, quantity, cost and time. Performance appraisal can be regarded as a part of career development. According to the modern approach of performance appraisal, it can be regarded as a formal interaction between a superior and a subordinate, usually taking place periodically, during which the performance of the subordinate is discussed with the aim of identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the subordinate. This takes place mainly to help the subordinate enhance his skills and also to analyze the opportunities that are available to the subordinate. As a part of his job, the supervisor is supposed to monitor the progress of the employee from time to time. Performance appraisals are usually spread out over a period of three month, six month and twelve month period. It is the job of the supervisor to provide the employees with feedback and help them improve in any way if needed. Performance appraisals are important from the supervisor’s viewpoint as it makes them paint a picture of the way things are going in the organization. This helps them analyze whether the things are working out below expectations, as expected or at a pace that can be appreciated. This analysis in turn will help the supervisor formulate a list of those employees who need to be rewarded and those who need to be penalized for the way they have been performing. At the end of the process of performance appraisal, the evaluation should be discussed personally with the employee so that even the employee knows what he has to work on and what things ar... ... middle of paper ... ...s. The skill and sensitivity used to handle these often difficult sessions is critical. If the appraisee accepts the negative feedback and resolves to improve, all is well. But if the result is an angry or hurt employee, then the process of correction has failed. The performance of an employee in such cases is unlikely to improve and may deteriorate even further. Appraisers should not confront employees directly with criticism. Rather, they should aim to let the evidence of poor performance emerge "naturally" during the course of the appraisal interview. This is done by way of open-ended questioning techniques that encourage the employee to identify their own performance problems. Sometimes the shock of direct confrontation will result in the employee admitting that they do need to make improvements. But sometimes it will just make their denial of the problem worse.
The performance assessment and appraisal forms are crucial within the performance management system (Aguinis, 2014). However, the appraisal form within the case study provided is designed for the supervisor’s use thus missing one vital factor throughout the entire process, employee participation. Thus, questioning the validity and reliability of the process. This is especially concerning as the bottom 10 per cent of employees are being fired and the top 20 per cent are being rewarded with $5,000.00 based on what their supervisor records on the form without consultation with employees. Thus, supervisors may not provide accurate scores as they do not have to justify their responses (Aguinis,
The appraisal method is when they observe employees job duties that portray certain traits and behaviors and results-based. The appraisal method used should meet the company’s goals and needs. For example, the appraisal method that works best for management system of Maersk Customer Service is results based best management appraisal system for Maersk Customer Service is results-based. The evaluation of employees performance can be measured by how many deliveries were timely, the loyalty of the customer and meeting customers’ demands.
Performance appraisals are used administratively whenever they are the basis for a decision about the employee’s work conditions, including promotions, terminations, and rewards. (Gomez-Mejia, 2012, p.223). Performance appraisals compare work performed against measurable objectives that the employee and supervisor agreed to at the beginning of the appraisal period (smallbusiness.chron.com). If the employee does not meet the objectives as agreed upon, this may have a downstream effect on their salary, chances for advancement, and it could lead to termination. The manager plays a critical role in the administrative process of the performance appraisal. When the manager conducts the performance appraisal, it must be thorough, accurate and performed on a timely basis. In a situation where the employee is terminated due to their appraisal and rating, the business might find itself having to defend its validity.
There is an array of key components and factors involved in making an organization a successful business. One of those elements consists on evaluating employee’s performance; this sole component is critical in determining how effective is the organization’s productivity and which are the necessary steps to ensure proper functioning. “The performance appraisal may be one of the few times during the year where an employee and the reviewer, typically the employee's supervisor, can sit down and have a lengthy face-to-face discussion about all aspects of the job” (Joseph, 2016). Employees’ performance assessment serves as an instrument to gather important information as to which areas of the job description are being performed according to standards
Performance appraisal is a method, which is evaluated by employer or manager to understand the quality of employee’s work. It helps organization to classify employees according to their performances, so the employer can understand the deficient areas that employees need to be trained. By the feedback of appraisal, employer can determine which employee will be promoted, retained, detained, or fired.
Performance Appraisals are integrative assessment tools which are advantageous to organizational effectiveness. The administrators of the performance appraisals usually are managers or human resource professionals. Making sure the appraisal tool is valid, reliable, standardized, and appropriate for the position is only part of the process. Unfortunately it’s not uncommon for employees to be in the dark regarding their performance, or areas of weakness, if a lack of communication exists. The ability to be proactive with one’s employees is where I feel the success lies. “Research shows that managers with poor communication or interpersonal skills are often the downfall of a company's otherwise sound performance management program (“Setting up a performance management system”, 1999). Communication skills are of high importance when communicating scoring results and giving constructive feedback. When constructive feedback is handled professionally and with empathy, employees build trust and are more eager to improve on areas of weakness. Training, workshops, and shadowing others can help with both weaknesses and strengths. The performance appraisal tool can provide insight into strengths that can be of importance to the organization. Strengths can be honed in on, and often an employee can be an asset within another position or department within the organization.
Finally, the timing of appraisals could be rectified by implementing quarterly performance appraisal instead of annual ones. Having managers meet with employees more frequently may enhance individual performance by giving employees the feedback they need to improve. Also, increased appraisal may result in more accurate evaluations because it is easier to recall specific performance indicators after 3 months versus after 12
Performance management is a process establishing performance standards and appraising employee. Performance appraisal is a critical part of performance management. Some of the method are written essay, critical incidents, graphic rating scales behaviourally anchored rating scales, multiperson comparisons, objectives, and 360-degree appraisals. Graphic rating scales are suitable for Kassim Baba’s operation. This method rates each employee in quantity and quality of work, job knowledge, cooperation, loyalty, attendance, honesty, and initiative.
Performance management requires the willingness and commitment to focus on improving performance at the level of the individual or team every day/ “Cascio, 2015, p. 354). Performance appraisals plays a key role in performance management as it is a judgment and feedback process. Cascio, 2015 states that appraisal serve two purposes which are:
Performance appraisal is perceived by most as a tool to reward or penalize employees for their good or bad work respectively by the end of a year. This notion is a challenge in itself to deal with. The whole exercise becomes dull for both supervisors and their subordinates and they tend to look at it as an additional responsibility which they have to finish. In the end, there is little or no value addition for either the employee or the organization. There are, however, better ways of looking at and conducting performance appraisals. It can give much needed feedback to both performers and laggards to improve upon and if done properly can even boost their motivation. More importantly, they provide a chance to employees to have a say in their goal setting and thus aligning it with the departmental and organizational goals. Also, the process itself has a value in team making.
In classical performance appraisal the performance is measured against the organizational standards. It has many pitfalls like it is based on single evaluator, addresses only formal aspects of the job performance etc.. Supervisor is responsible for the feedback. Even though he takes inputs from others, the final call stays with him.
Although performance is a major objective at top organizations, successfully addressing poor performance is also a key focus. Although many employees feel or dread performance appraisals they are directed to enforce clarity with individual employees day-to-day work-load, performance appraisals develops responsibility while making employees accountable for performance expectations, reinforces future career planning, helps the organization with determining training needs, and provides a stem of documentation for legality purposes. Performance management in detail is much broader than many employers, and employees assume and necessitates so much more. Proficient appraisals should represent a summary of on-going dialogue. Focusing only on an annual performance evaluation leads to misrepresentation of the performance management process in its
Grubb, T. (2007). "Performance Appraisal Reappraised: It's Not All Positive." Journal of Human Resource Education. Vol. 1, (No. 1,): 1-22.
Performance appraisal is also a technique of HRD. The performance interview and the process of the
Banner, D. K., Graber, J. M. (1985). Critical issues in performances appraisal. Journal of Management Development. Issue 4. Pp. 27-35.