CHAPTER 12

 THE MANAGERIAL ENVIRONMENT

1. APPRAISALS

1. OBJECTIVES THAT EACH OF THE FOLLOWING HAS IN TERMS OF A PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL

Objectives of the organization:

  • To facilitate the manpower plan
  • To be aware of the broader HR picture in terms of skill levels, potential candidates for promotion
  • To centrally be aware of identified training needs and how they may differ in certain geographical and business areas
  • Quality control

Objectives of an appraiser:

  • To motivate individual members of their team
  • To review, on an ongoing basis, an individual's job performance
  • To be aware of options available for individuals' training needs, career development and provide realistic direction, being aware of the danger or raising expectations. 
  • to be aware of and understand individuals' problems/grievance
  • To seek feedback on their own performance

Objectives of an appraisee 

  • To obtain feedback on their own performance
  • To have the chance to discuss with their appraiser their own aspirations and concerns
  • To agree ways forward in terms of career aspirations, addressing any training needs
  • To look forward to the next appraisal year and understand their own role in the organization, objectives, targets and what they need to do to achieve this

2. changes taking place in performance appraisal

  • A move away from linking appraisal and monetary award
  • Frequency of performance reviews
  • Formality of these performance reviews
  • The organizational importance given to formal appraisal reviews
  • Much more emphasis on the individual being involved in the performance appraisal rather than the appraiser merely telling/delivering the appraisee about what has happened in the past year and what will happen in the future. 

3. reasons why performance appraisal may not be as effective

  • Appraisals being too infrequent
  • Feedback and guidance not ongoing throughout the appraisal year
  • Personal bias on the part of the appraiser
  • The consistency across the business unit/organization
  • The danger of the halo/horns effect
  • Appraisers not trained
  • Appraisers not seeing performance appraisal as being important
  • Insufficient time given to appraisal process
  • The appraisal process not being seen in theory or practice as a two way effect
  • Merely seen as a paper exercise

4. key aspects of an effective appraisal process

  • To recognize people's successes and to recognize good performance
  • To reinforce and set standards of expected levels of performance
  • To identify training and development needs for the appraisee
  • As a communication exercise, to build on the appraiser/appraisee relationship
  • To identify indicators of appraisees future potential and possibly job references
  • To be conducted on a two-way-basis
  • To allow sufficient time for the appraisal process and to agree a time, date and location well in advance
  • To give every opportunity to the appraisee to contribute to the appraisal process
  • To enable formal records of an individual's job performance to be evaluated and kept
  • Consider the objectives of an appraisal from

          the needs of the organization, appraiser and appraisee

  • Should be ongoing
  • Must be seen to be fair

5. aims of an upwards appraisal exercise

  • To provide a range of feedback to line management for self development and as part of an organized training and development plan. 
  • To provide personal feedback to your line manager about their leadership performance
  • To provide honest feedback
  • To provide confidential and anonymous feedback
  • To provide the appraisee with an opportunity to learn from this feedback and to subsequently learn from this experience. 

2. under performance

1. why the situation should be handled promptly

  • The need to have an ongoing productive and hopefully positive relationship with the person
  • Not let this scenario drag on
  • Be aware that the team leaders would be looking at you to see how you handled the situation

2. reasons for underperformance

  • No support being received from line management
  • Workload
  • Feeling unmotivated
  • Further training required
  • Not clear about the role, responsibilities and priorities.
  • This is essentially a counseling situation although sustained underperformance may lead to a disciplinary situation at some point in the future.

3. what to do

  • Rectify the situation as soon as realistically possible
  • Identify very quickly the reason for the current level of under-performance
  • Select a location with privacy to talk
  • To discuss and agree a plan to help the person improve, over time and at a realistic rate
  • Be very clear and specific with person about the levels of performance that are expected to be and as necessary, explain the consequences of not reaching those levels
  • Provide ongoing support, guidance and feedback against the progress made