Performance Appraisal
Introduction
Performance Appraisal (PA) is also referred to as the employee appraisal, performance review, career development discussion and performance evaluation. PA is common in the modern era where the employees are evaluated on the job performance. PA supports initiatives in career development where the employees are subjected to a number of reviews in stated timeframes. PA involves periodic and systematic processes related to the productivity and the performance of the employees in relation with the goals of the organization on preset criteria.
Main Body
Common aspects considered in PA identify with past accomplishments, organizational citizenship behavior, future improvements, weaknesses and strengths among other variables. Collection of data to be used in PA is conducted through judgmental evaluation, objective production and personnel (Brannick et al., 2007). Most organizations conduct PA on a yearly basis or twice in a year. The trend is changing with globalization and socialization; some of the organizations in the twenty first century are conducting PA on monthly, bi-weekly, weekly basis and once in every three months. It is believed that if PA is used in the right way, it increases the performance of the employees.
Interviews involved in PA are connected to counseling, systems of delivering feedback, developing employees, discussing compensation, conveying compensation, disciplinary decision and work status among other critical issues (Brannick et al., 2007). Performance management systems have incorporated PA in addressing issues relating with the expectations of the employees and on how the employees will meet the expectations aligned to the aims of the organization (Smither, 2008).
Performance management systems have the capabilities of increasing the performance of the employees through aligning and managing all the resources in an organization in facilitating the employees to achieve their best performance. Management of performance is critical in defining the success or failure of an organization (Murphy & Cleveland, 2005). Modern organizations are using PA in setting priorities among the human capital. Applications of PA are attached to performance development, compensation, termination, promotions and test validation among others. PA has benefits as well as drawbacks if used in the wrong motive.
Benefits of PA are attached to facilitating better communication of the employees within an organization. PA is influential in decisions making processes involving the employees; PA facilitate better performance among the employees which also supports better performance of organizations. PA is also used in research such as test validation, PA foster better communication of the stakeholders in organizations, PA enable employees to understand their talents and in choosing better training programs (Smither, 2008). Additional benefits of PA are connected to the advancement of employee personal development through objective feedback among the stakeholders and better administration of salaries and wages. PA is also used in formulating job criteria, setting employee motivation, selecting the best teams in performing complex projects, monitoring and in guiding career development (Brannick et al., 2007).
There are various applications of the PA in organizations, and different firms use PA for many reasons. Diverse reasons are connected to facilitation of better communication, promoting trust in the workplace, setting goals, reinforcement of desired performance, improvement of general performance and defining the training needs of the employees in meeting the strategic objectives of organizations.
Drawbacks of PA are attached to biases, which could result to dissatisfaction of the employees and on legal tussles. Practically, determining the workplace relationship between organizational performance and individual job performance is not easy, since the performance of organizations is determined by a myriad of variables (Murphy & Cleveland, 2005). PA can result to poor performance of the employee if used with biases. PA can deliver results if the PA system fails to correspond with the organizational system and culture (Smither, 2008).
Common drawbacks identify with detrimental in improvement of quality, subjective evaluations, negative perceptions on PA, expensive errors, legal issues, unclear performance goals and derailing of performance based pay and merit based pay. Top management teams in organizations must have first knowledge on the drawbacks attached to the PA, in making sure that the PA facilitates achievement of the strategic objectives within an organization.
Biases in PA are common which result to margin errors. There are several steps used in improving evaluations and in making sure that the data collected is viable and relevant. The first step involves training the stakeholders on the importance of the PA to the organization (Brannick et al., 2007). This is critical in creating acceptance and awareness that the workforce within the organization will have people displaying diverse abilities and skills. The second step is by providing the raters with the feedback; this is critical in fostering openness and in doing away with leniency errors. The third step of minimizing bias involves engaging all the subordinates in the PA processes. Participation of all the employees in the evaluation processes will foster motivation and job satisfaction (Murphy & Cleveland, 2005).
Conclusion
PA has high potential of creating avenues of achieving strategic objectives of organizations. Including employees in the decisions making processes will be influential in reducing opposition of the PA processes; employees will feel part of the organization, and support PA. PA can result to wrong conclusions if biases are allowed to thrive; there are a number of managers and unions against the use of PA. If PA is used for the right purpose and with the inclusiveness of all the stakeholders, organizations are able to attain the desired strategic objectives.
References
Brannick, M., Levine, E. & Morgeson, F. (2007). Job and Work Analysis: Methods, Research, and Applications for Human Resource Management. New York: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Murphy, K. & Cleveland, J. (2005). Understanding Performance Appraisal: Social, Organizational, and Goal-Based Perspectives. New York: SAGE Publications, Inc .
Smither, J. W. (2008). Performance Appraisal: State of the Art in Practice. Richfield, North Carolina: Pfeiffer / Jossey-Bass.
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