Employee Performance Reviews Essay

Performance evaluations, when implemented properly, act as a tool for improving employee productivity, team performance and individual development. They can serve to raise self-esteem, increase motivation, strengthen relationships and foster ongoing communication and commitment (Simpson, 2001). I feel that these reviews play a critical role in the workplace and should remain a part of standard operating procedures, however many are beginning to disagree.

Performance reviews have often been considered a necessary evil of working in the corporate world. They provide a set of standards by which employees can be measured, for use in deciding who gets promoted, who gets the bonus, and who gets put on the dreaded performance improvement plan. Employee evaluations have been used for centuries, across all business sectors…but are they truly improving performance? In the article, The Push Against Performance Reviews, Vauhini Vara posits that performance reviews have outlived their usefulness.

In this paper, I will discuss how to develop and how to recommend and implement an effective performance evaluation process. To begin, I will define what should be evaluated in a performance evaluation. I will than discuss and compare the relative value of common sets of evaluation criteria. Next, I will explain how it can be advantageous to have supervisors, peers and subordinates all participate in the evaluation process. Also, I will explain how it can also be disadvantageous to have supervisors; peers and subordinates to all participate in the evaluation process. Then I will compare and contrast common performance evaluation methods. I will also give examples of errors and biases that commonly

The annual performance review process has been a festering thorn in managers sides for years. Most managers have gone out of their way to avoid them. On many occasions, both managers and subordinates have felt that performance evaluations were nothing but a huge waste of time. According to Little, the biggest problem with the performance evaluation process is that managers haven not been properly trained to conduct annual reviews (2013). Performance levels and feedback should be constantly documented and briefed to employees throughout the year. This will help reduce unwanted stress and prevent subordinates from being surprised by an unexpected rating at the end the reporting period. The purpose of this paper is to explain some of the reasons why managers despise performance evaluations. It will also address some of the pitfalls of poor preparation during the evaluation process. Finally, ways to improve the performance evaluation process will be discussed so that everyone benefits in the end. Now that you know the topic of discussion for today, let us take a look at some of the reasons why managers dislike performance evaluation process.

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

Periodic performance assessments provide specific metrics that pertain to the job roles and responsibilities for each employee. By allowing the performance assessment process to be a joint effort between an employee and its organization will allow employees to be accountable for their standards of performance within the organization. The key to achieving the most success from a performance assessment is to insure that it is inclusive, as well as comprehensive. A periodic performance assessment needs to cover daily duties, potential changes in responsibility and any foreshadowing milestones that may occur between the current assessment and the next performance assessment. Ideally each performance assessment will build on goals and achievements. As well as inherently build an employee performance portfolio for the life of the employees while working in the organization.

“Performance appraisals can enhance employee performance as well as advance the mission and goals of an organization. There are many advantages of performance appraisals if they are applied fairly, consistently and objectively. Performance appraisals not applied fairly can be counterproductive and even destructive to

Performance evaluations are important parts of all employees and managers tools to ensure positive actions are rewarded while negative actions can be evaluated and fixed to decrease problems in the future. Performance evaluations benefit supervisors and employees by identifying how to bring out the employees best attributes for the company (Hamlett, nd.). Evaluations provide a look at how a worker is doing compared to earlier reviews of their skill, knowledge, initiative and participation in the company’s vision (Hamlett, nd.). Introducing performance review evaluations is important to most organizations for the success of their organization and the advancement of its employees. Performance evaluations provide a way for managers and supervisors to manage the performance of an organization and the people who make of the human resources of the organization (McCarroll, nd.). When implementing a new system, it is important to understand the process must be realistic, challenging, yet attainable for performance expectations and standards to be successful for employees and the organization (McCarroll, nd.). Balanced scorecards are utilized in performance evaluations to essentially provide a way for organizations to align their strategic plans with day to day operations (Balanced Scorecard Institute, 2015). Balanced scorecards look at traditional financial measures, which are past events and long-term investments like

In addition to the need to recognise that individual factors and individual relations within the workforce are important to an employee's sense of well-being and self-esteem, it is important to ensure that employee evaluations are not (a) rare, only once or twice a year, and (b) are not one-way questions set by the management for the employee, but instead the process is a regular, continuous review (both with individuals and teams) as to how the employees feel about the work the team is doing, whether they have proposals for changes and improvements in either the workplace environment, or the processes and products of the work, and whether they have ambitions in the organisation that are not being

The execution performance management requires the participation of numerous players (Managers, supervisors, and subordinates). For the system to succeed and accepted, clear understanding about the system is needed for effective implementation. Supervision and explanation of performance appraisal system is very crucial element for performance. ‘‘Merely developing a model of the strategy does not ensure the strategy will be successful.’’ Othman (2008, p. 261). Clarifying goals and supervising regularly help to develop people, improve performance, and satisfaction. Therefore, Supervision and explanation is appropriate for all employees regardless of how well or poorly they perform.

“Performance appraisal encroaches upon ‘one of the most emotionally charged activities in business life – the assessment of a man’s contribution and ability” (Narcisse & Harcourt, 2008, p. 1152; Thompson & Dalton, 1970, p. 150). The performance management process is a tool organizations use to align the mission and strategic goals with the employee’s expectations. Furthermore, the process can groom employees to perform at their optimum potential (Schanie & Kemper, 2008). There are six primary components of the performance management process that intertwine with each other; without one the system is not whole.

As stated earlier, performance appraisals are an important part of performance management. By itself, it’s not performance management but one of the tools used in managing performance. Common anecdotes tend to state that organisations that conduct performance appraisals have performance management systems which are false. Performance management is broad in the sense that it is a congruence of activities which involve the management of individuals and groups to achieve high levels of organisational performance. Performance appraisals on the other hand are operational activities concerned with the individual and their performance and development. Feedback and data received from performance appraisal activities feed into other elements of performance management to develop a consistent performance language and a high performance culture, but in itself can never be performance management (Risher, 2003).

Performance management methods, such as reviews, can allow the employer to discover what motivates their employees. Be it wage increase, bonuses, or praise, motivation is essential in keeping employee morale high. Review also allows for evaluation of the employee’s KSAOC’s to reveal any shortcomings in critical skill areas; this may reveal a need for a change in employee recruitment methods or the addition of training programs.

Reviews carried out will assess how managers react and work in implementing performance management, reviews will show how the managers implement the performance management system, and

Performance ratings are essential in light of the fact that they illuminate precisely what management anticipates from their employee 's. Ratings additionally furnishes managers with the adaptability to appoint workers assignment or obligations not recorded under that representative’s position depiction. Ratings when utilized legitimately can help as a part of enhancing the everyday operations of a business and in addition to accomplish company objectives. This two-day training workshop is fundamental for mangers to learn how to successfully deliver one-on-one performance reviews to employees.