Employee appraisal is a very important component of career development. It involves regular evaluation of the way the employees perform in relation to their respective job titles within an organization (Delpo, 2007). Regular review of the way the employees are performing not only helps the organizations achieve their objectives but it also enables the employees improve their work output and at the same time gain more skills that are likely to help them achieve their specific career development targets. The process of employee performance appraisal has various benefits and this paper therefore, addresses some of the benefits of the process both to the employees and the company. It also focuses on the components of performance appraisal particularly giving attention on the importance of communication and feedback during and after the evaluation.
Effective employee appraisal and feedback help the employees set their own goals. This becomes very important as both the employees and the organization benefit from the function. The employees also become part of the process of production and development of the organization by improving their work output. Through the process, the management is able to identify different sides of the employees as well as their strengths and weaknesses. This is a vital function as it is related to the accomplishment of the organization’s objectives as identifying their level of performance leads to the correct measures being employed (Delpo, 2007). The employees are supposed to work towards achieving the organizations mission and therefore, regular review of their performance is part of the production process because it gives the position of the organization in terms of their work output.
Growing competencies of the employees at the workplace adds value to not only the organization but also to the employees themselves. The organization’s objectives are met through effective employee’s work output which is developed and grown through regular reviews and motivation. It is only through regular appraisal that the level of competency is identified and effective measures to improve developed. This grows the level of work of the output and makes employees valuable assets to any organization. The employees also benefit from various reward systems such as promotion upon depicting high levels of competencies and commitment (Fletcher, 2013). An effective appraisal will boost the morale of the employees and lead to job satisfaction. In order to achieve this, various components are employed. This includes setting job standards and expectation, training staff on how to achieve the set standards and rewarding the employees.
Upon getting a negative feedback, the HR manager should try to identify the underperforming employees and together with them pin point the weak areas and the difference between their goals and the set standards. Without jumping into conclusions, he should get explanation from the employees and together with them draft the conclusion as well as new goals which are realistic (Aamodt, 2012). This should be put on record and a follow up made to ensure that they are achieved. Regular training on new skills should be developed to ensure that the employees are equipped with the best knowledge for the specific job. Good performance should then be followed by a reward as a way of motivating the employees and making them feel appreciated and part of the organization.
Employees’ performance appraisal is an important step towards achieving the organization’s objectives. This is because by doing so the management team is able to identify early the departments or individuals who are underperforming or not meeting their set goals or targets (Fletcher, 2013). This way effective measure is put in place to ensure that the employees’ work output matches the company’s objectives and the goals set are met. Performance appraisal also leads to employees’ development in terms of delivery at the workplace.
References
Aamodt, M. (2012). Industrial/Organizational Psychology: An Applied Approach. Stamford: Cengage Learning
Delpo, A. (2007). The Performance Appraisal Handbook: Legal & Practical Rules for Managers. California: Nolo
Fletcher, C. (2013). Appraisal, Feedback and Development: Making Performance Review Work. London: Routledge.
