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THE IMPORTANCE OF PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS
Performance appraisals are often dreaded by both the employee and the employer. One study showed that 80% of employees were dissatisfied with the performance appraisal system. Many managers also find it an extremely stressful process, so why not just do away with performance appraisals?
Robert Green, CEO of Reward Systems Inc said “Performance management is the single largest contributor to organisational effectiveness. If you ignore performance management, you fail.” Organisations owe it to themselves as well as employees, to view performance appraisals in a serious light and ensure that they provide a platform for the employee to improve and grow.
COMMON REVIEWERS’ MISTAKES:
- Inability to give criticism. Many employees become defensive when receiving criticism, which makes it difficult for managers to provide negative feedback. Be aware of this and aim to give constructive criticism in a sensitive way.
- Personality biases. Focus should be on performance and not personality. Be careful not to rate someone better because they are nice people, or alternatively rate someone less favourable because they have difficult personalities.
- A poor performance review should never be a surprise. Employees should be met with on a regular basis to discuss their progress on goals, overall performance, and any training that may be required. They should know where they stand in relation to their performance.
- Not giving specific feedback. Employees should know what is expected of them. Clearly define expectations and have a means to track or monitor them.
By correctly implementing a performance appraisal system, the organisation’s vision, mission and strategy will be incorporated with that of their employees, and will also, in turn result in growth for the organisation.