Developing_a_Performance_Appraisal_System

Each organization has its own goals and values, and its own plan in which to reach those goals. There is one thing that every organization does have in common; the need and desire to attain the goals that they have put into place. There is one thing that seems to ring true for each and every organization, the attainability of any organizations goals rests completely with its personnel. The more prepared and knowledgeable the personnel are the greater chance that the organization will succeed in reaching its goals. Performance appraisal provides an avenue to be able to accomplish this mission. According to "Introduction: performance Appraisal" (2010), “Performance appraisal may be defined as a structured formal interaction between a subordinate and supervisor, that usually takes the form of a periodic interview (annual or semi-annual), in which the work performance of the subordinate is examined and discussed, with a view to identifying weaknesses and strengths as well as opportunities for improvement and skills development.” The employee is able to give his or her opinions and hear the opinions and expectations of the organization. There are many purposes of a performance appraisal system. It is important that each and every employee understands what type of appraisal system that the organization has put into place, why the appraisal system is necessary and how it will benefit the organization as well as the employee in reaching their goals. The purpose of a performance appraisal system can range from everything to providing feedback to an employee, identifying better preforming employees as well as the poorer preforming employees and what to do with each employee to better the organization, determining skill gaps, setting goals and rewarding employee achievements as well as supporting an organizations values and goals. A successful appraisal system can have many positive results while a poor appraisal system can have the opposite effect. A successful performance appraisal system can foster many things, such as effective communication between management and the employee, consistency among the performance of all employees, as well as a clear understanding of what is expected of each employee. There are many elements of a successful, effective performance appraisal system. One element is to set measurable goals for the employee that is in agreement with the goals and values of the organization. This can be achieved by knowing the strengths and weaknesses of each employee and strengthening their weaknesses while simultaneously utilizing their strengths for the benefit of the organization. If it is appropriate to the organization it might be beneficial to set up time lines for achieving the goals. Just setting goals may not provide the employee with a way to achieve those goals. It is important to make sure that you have given each and every employee the tools, resources as well as the training that they will need to successfully achieve those goals. This is when it is important to provide each employee a plan on how they should achieve each goal. There should be regular informal feedback on not only what the employee needs to improve on but their achievements as well. Management should take the time to sit down with each employee and informally discuss their performance and come to an agreement on any future objectives. This will ensure that the employee can stay on track to achieve their goals. After evaluating each employee approximately half way into the year, management can adjust the original plan to help ensure that the employee is still on track. The annual review is used to review achievements and areas that may need improvement. Each employee should be considered for rewards for the achievements that they have had throughout the year. However, while there are benefits of linking rewards to performance, there is a downside as well. If a company uses the reward system in order to motivate employees to perform their job, they may see positive rewards, but what happens if the rewards are no longer offered' The need and want of the employee to do the job to the best of their ability or to go above and beyond may disappear. A well thought out appraisal system can have a positive effect in terms of; morale, letting employees know what the expectations are of a company and whether or not they are meeting or exceeding them, as well as being a tool for an organization to see who would be a candidate for promotion. In order to be successful an organization need to match employee skills with the right position in the company. The performance appraisal system is a wonderful tool for achieving this. Resources: • Introduction:Performance appraisal. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.performance-appraisal.com/intro.htm • Kettner, P. M. (2002). Achieving Excellence in the Management of Human Services Organizations. Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database