Performance Appraisals in HR Management
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Performance appraisal is not a new item in human resource management. It is a crucial process that aims at reviewing the performance of employees. The process is necessary to determine the hardworking employees and also those that are not performing in their respective departments. Performance evaluations also determine the salary range of the workers and also ascertain the firing of the underperforming ones. However, performance appraisals have come under intense pressure recently. They are sinking fast and are in trouble of coming to an abrupt end. The greatest percentage of managers and employees are currently against the process due to various reasons. Managers especially are very much in resistance to the process.
Time consumption
Most managers consider performance appraisal process to be time-consuming. Managers have to move to each department performing the process. They have to allocate a chance to track what each worker is doing, their current performance, and other performance-affecting factors. They see the process as a burden as the time used during the process could be used in other productive activities. A lot of time is used in filling forms and at the end of it all there is no gain.
High anxiety and stress
The appraisal process presents a time when anxiety and stress levels among managers are very high (Wendy, 2013). The process in many organizations is related to compensation, salary increase, and even firing of employees. The net result increases in anxiety levels not only to the managers but also to the employees. Most businesses and organizations are, therefore, not productive during the period of performance appraisals. Salary issues are a very sensitive subject in any society.
Relationships
Performance appraisals are an important cause of relationship breakdown between managers and their workers. The process results in the recognition of some outstanding individual performances of some workers. Their fellow colleagues sometimes feel the process is unfair since their efforts do not get recognition. They view the process as biased and unjust to others. Such issues bring a lot of tension in the organization, and the net result is overall poor performance that affects the future of the organization.
Cost and efficiency
Performance appraisal process incurs a lot of unnecessary costs to business enterprises. They involve a lot of expenses to organizations and in the end; there is usually little or no gain. When performing a cost-benefit analysis of the process it results in producing higher costs than benefits. Therefore, most managers do not find any advantage of the process. The employees are also negative about the whole process and so the managers to get affected.
Effective managers are those that display several common traits in their leadership positions. One of the essential features of any manager is valuable communication skills. The method through which a manager communicates to the juniors is very crucial in any organization. He/she may foster good/bad relationships in the group. Excellent leadership skills are another trait that active managers should possess (Mason Carpenter, 2009). A good manager should provide direction, instill discipline, and inspire trust, and delegate some duties to the juniors. Adaptability and flexibility are also a significant trait for managers. A manager should quickly adapt to changing circumstances in the business or organizational environment. Flexibility enables the manager to find solutions to a problem at a fast rate and also nurtures creativity/imagination.
Managers who may struggle with evaluation tend to have a distinct profile. A high percentage of them are lazy, inflexible, poor communicators, and suffer from the lack of adequate leadership skills. Performance evaluation process is very cumbersome and results in tension and relationship breakdown in an organization. The manager must, therefore, possess appropriate leadership abilities so as to drive an organization forward during the process.
A successful employee evaluation process is characterized by transparency, allows employee feedback, and should be equal to everyone. Standards should also be applied equally to everyone in the organization. The process should also be used as a development tool for the organization but not one that breaks relationships among the employees. A good manager should prepare adequately for the evaluation process. Prior planning is necessary to avoid disruptions during the process. Prior proper budgeting and allocation of resources are also crucial so as to have a successful process. The manager should ensure that all the above factors are in place before the process begin
Conclusion
Performance evaluation methods present a very critical time in any organization. It is an opportunity to reward the outstanding performers and encourage the underperformers. The process, however, has its consequences if not properly executed. It raises tension and anxiety levels between managers and the employees. Relationships are also bound to suffer during the process hence caution is necessary during the process. Managers should ensure proper planning before the process begins and provide adequate control during the process. Performance appraisal should be meant to foster better relationships in the organization environment. The process should be one of the primary tools for development in business enterprises. Efficient performance appraisal process results in increased productivity and profitability to a business/organization.
References
Kevin R. Murphy, J. N. (1991). Performance Appraisal: An Organizational Perspective (Human resource management series). boston: Allyn & Bacon; 3 edition.
Mason Carpenter, t. b. (2009). Principles of Management. new york: Flat World Knowledge, Inc.
Wendy. (2013, july 9th). 7 Reasons Why I Hate Performance Appraisals. Retrieved february 16th, 2016, from geese: https://7geese.com/7-reasons-why-i-hate-performance-appraisals/
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