Tweet

Performance Appraisals

Guest post by: Dinah Bailey

Article Overview: Ever wonder why some employees strive to do their best while others lack motivation and are just there to receive a paycheque? This is a challenge all companies face and there are solutions, but correcting poor performance requires effort by both employees and management. There are many reasons why employees don't reach their potential.....read the complete article to learn more...

Performance Appraisals

Ever wonder why some employees strive to do their best while others lack motivation and are just there to receive a paycheque? This is a challenge all companies face and there are solutions, but correcting poor performance requires effort by both employees and management. There are many reasonswhyemployees don't reach their potential such as:

• Don't possess the right skill set
• Lack of training and/or coaching
• Not having goals and expectations clearly communicated
• Lack of opportunities for advancement
• Don't understand how their actions make a contribution to the company's goals
• Lack of authority needed to be effective at their job
• Having to contend with poor working conditions

The most effective solution to the above issues is implementing and maintaining a Performance Appraisal program, which allows for timely feedback on an employee's performance. Performance Appraisals allow companies to measure and monitor employee performance based on clearly defined goals and expectations.

Although employee related concerns should be addressed as they occur, Performance Appraisals should be conducted on a regular basis. Companies may choose to facilitate performance reviews with employees quarterly, semi-annually or yearly. The employee's job description is typically used in conjunction with the review, allowing the employee and manager to focus on specific tasks and responsibilities.

There are various methods utilized to conduct performance appraisals. The primary tools are:

• Rating Scale - traditional method where a numeric scale is used to define the employee's skill and ability level from high to low.
• Self-Appraisal - this method requires the employee to conduct a self-reflective review while management does the same. The employee and manager review the results and variations.
• 360 Degree Feedback - this method is also referred to as a multi-source feedback tool as it assesses one's performance from the perspective of management, customers and peers alike. Results are collected and compiled into one confidential report and shared with the employee directly.

The employee's immediate manager should be conducting the review as they are in the best position to assess performance through direct observation.

Effective performance appraisals are part of a larger HR related process, which includes determining compensation levels, training and development, hiring and selection, succession planning and discipline. Unless correctly integrated into the company's system, the appraisal process can be viewed by employees as irrelevant if lacking in feedback and follow up.

Regardless of the method used to evaluate performance, the feedback an employee receives allows for future development and potential growth within the company. It doesn't just look at how close the employee is to a desired result; it serves as a reminder of the parameters the employee needs to perform within, in order to achieve that result.

Still wondering why performance appraisals should be conducted?

1. Determines required training and development.
2. Clearly defines and communicates job expectations.
3. Provides continual feedback and offers opportunity for growth and advancement.
4. Creates a motivational working environment.
5. Removes barriers allowing employees to work harder and smarter.
6. Assesses hiring practises to ensure the right person is in the right job.
7. Determines additional tasks and responsibilities employees can undertake.
8. Shows employees the company cares, which ultimately results in retention.

A motivated employee makes all the difference, regardless of what size organization they work for. Effective Performance Appraisals engage employees at every level of development andshould be based on the company's mission, vision and business objectives.

Related Articles
  TIME FOR BUDGETS BUT NO TIME FOR PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT!
  Are Organizations Utilizing Employee Performance Appraisal Systems optimally?
  Performance Appraisals: Critical Conversations
  No worries mate!
  360 Degree Appraisals

Article Tags: ability level, companies face, conjunction, correcting poor performance, degree feedback, effective solution, employee performance, job description, lack motivation, li li, numeric scale, paycheque, performance appraisal program, performance appraisals, performance reviews, self appraisal, timely feedback, ul class, variations, working conditions



Related Forum Posts
ARTICLE: Performance coaching in the workplace - To create lasting performance change it is necessary to first understand the positive and negative influence that a person’s personal behaviors has on their execution and what impact these have on their ability to achieve success. Only when we fully understand a person’s behavioral patterns and create positive self-managing coaching strategies can we assist a person to create lasting performance change. The vast majority of employers believe coaching can deliver significant benefits to both individuals and organizations. The majority of employers plan to increase the use of coaching over the next few years, according to a new survey by the Institute of Personnel and Development. Nearly nine out of ten interviewed companies expect their managers and supervisors to deliver performance coaching as part of their day-to-day work. In another large industry-wide study it was found that most managers reported that they were confident in their ability to coach. However, the study also showed that the managers’ actual skills levels as coaches were typically poor. As a consequence they were not nearly as effective in their coaching as they believe themselves to be. Often times, they believed that coaching consisted of just providing 1-to-1 instructional feedback to their staff members on what to do in a given situation to perform better. Many recent studies have shown that technical skills only represent at best 20% of the contribution into our performance. The remaining 80% comes from our ability to choose or make a decision, assertiveness, commitment to grow, ability to concentrate, honesty, optimism, persistence, ability to perform well under stress and so on. These traits are commonly called our soft skills or attitude. Few managers understand just how deeply rooted their own behavior patterns are, let alone how to positively change them in other people. Performance coaching is frequently confused with other types of coaching, such as Executive coaching and Life coaching. Performance coaching is a form of Directive coaching. Executive coaching and Life coaching are both forms of Non-directive coaching. Directive coaching is usually more suitable for a manager who sometimes acts as a coach. Performance coaching in the workplace has developed immensely from what it was only 4 years ago. To choose the right coach will make a huge difference. You also better make sure to know what you want. If your coach knows what (s)he is doing – you will get on your way to get it! [i:38tu5pgr]- Peter J Karlsson[/i:38tu5pgr]
These maybe the coldest franchises out there: - Here are the worst 15 performing franchises in regards to having the highest Small Business Administration (SBA) loan failure rates. The list is dotted with sub sandwich shops, fitness centers and car shops. WORST FRANCHISE LOAN FAILURES Failure % 1 OBEE'S SOUP SALAD SUBS 55.56% 2 LADY OF AMERICA 41.94% 3 COUNTRY CLUTTER (BED & BREAKFAST) 41.18% 4 COPY CLUB 36.36% 5 ALL TUNE AND LUBE 35.71% 6 PICKERMAN'S 35.71% 7 PHILLY CONNECTION 35.59% 8 ROLY POLY ROLLED SANDWICHES 34.78% 9 COTTMAN TRANSMISSION 34.48% 10 HAIR COLOR EXPRESS 33.33% 11 LEE MYLES AUTOMOTIVE TRANSMISSIONS 33.33% 12 GODFATHER'S PIZZA 33.33% 13 SMOOTHIE FACTORY 33.33% 14 BLIMPIE 31.39% 15 GOLF U.S.A. (RETAIL GOLF EQUIP.) 30.77% Source: Small Business Administration, SBA Loan Performance Within Franchise Code for the Period of FY 2001 - 2005
Success Strategies - How to get the results you want now? Success Strategies and Action Steps I have used are: The Power of Choice Where you are at this present moment, is exactly perfect from the choices you have made. If you want to be somewhere else, you have to decide clearly what that is (your goal/outcome) and create action steps to achieve this. The Power of Focus The book "The Power of Focus" by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Les Hewitt, is one of my treasures in my Entrepreneur Library. If you focus on what you want versus what you do not want, your conscious and sub-conscious mind will direct attention to this. The movie, What the Bleep, Down the Rabbit Hole, explains this in detail about quantum physics and what we create in our lives. The Power of Commitment This is not about commitment to others. The first step is the commitment, your word, you make to yourself. Accountability and responsibility are additional success strategies and ingredients to creating the success, defined by you, that you want. The commitment to others reflects your integrity, your word and the team you work with. Co-workers, clients, yoru family, friends and community. My Success Acronyn in Success Breakthroughs(c) is: S pecific & self-directed U nlimited opportunities & possibilities C reate powerful outcomes C onsistent measureable results E xperience pwoerful transformation S olution and action-oriented S uccessful habits and outcomes Break Through to Powerful LIfestyle & Performance Choices Moira
HRPreneur - Hi everyone, I am new to the forum and I recently started my own Human Capital (HR) consulting firm called HRPreneur Inc. HRP focuses on making human capital a strategic differentiator for SME's. Below is a summary about HRP; Who We Are: HRP is a Human Capital consulting firm with 30 years of experience that becomes an extension of your company by providing a full array of services to help you create a highly engaged workforce focused on achieving strategic results in order to build a long lasting great company! Mission: HRP provides small and medium sized businesses a Strategic HR Business Partner to increase employee engagement, resulting in cost savings, increased productivity and results at an affordable rate! Vision: To inspire and warrant SME's reach their full competency! Cost Effectiveness: We provide over 30 years of experience at a fraction of the cost at a strategic executive HR business level You will save between 50% to 60% in costs per year on salary, bonus, benefits, training, office space alone We will provide you additional cost efficiencies through our services Services: • Strategic Human Resources Planning • Organizational Redesign • Change Management • Organizational Culture Development • Employee Engagement Programs • Leadership Assessment and Development • Compensation Design • Talent Acquisition • Assimilation and On-Boarding • Performance Management • Talent Management & Succession Planning • Human Resources Due Diligence • Human Resources Audit • Full Service HR Outsourcing


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

The Future of Online Marketing

You Have A Website What Now

Designing Employee-Enhancing Training Programs

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.