A. Putting performance appraisal into
context This article has been written to address a number of questions about
what would happen if the performance appraisal was scrapped. However before I
give you my view on these performance appraisal questions
let me say that unless your organisation believes in performance appraisal then
you should not being using this process. If you do believe in performance appraisal
but it is not working as effectively as it should be then please do also read
this websites article entitled "why conduct a performance appraisal and how". In
putting performance appraisal into context let me say that I believe performance
appraisal is misunderstood. To often it is thought of as the prime or even the
only means of assessing performance and linking individual endeavour to corporate
objectives. This is not the sole role of performance appraisal so my answers to
a number of performance appraisal questions will testify. However in my opinion
the performance appraisal process is the only holistic assessment of corporate,
departmental and individual, developmental progress and needs. But the performance
appraisal process does not stand in isolation of other processes, and the performance
appraisal process does not replace other processes. Instead the performance appraisal
process links to, uses and feeds other regular formal and informal communication
processes. In this way performance appraisal is like a regular health checkup.
Most of us believe that having a periodic health checkup is a good thing but that
does not stop us from having regular medical treatment if required. The performance
appraisal process is simply making an assessment of the heath of the organisation,
organisational units and individuals (both the appraisers performance and the
appraisees). That said not everyone is content with the performance
appraisal process for various reasons and many would like to scrap performance
appraisal but they are unsure about whether this would result in a vacuum. Typical
questions they raise about life without performance appraisal is therefore addressed
in this article.
If you feel that your performance appraisal system has lost
credibility and is beyond surgery but you would still like the benefits of such
a system then re-package your performance appraisal system and give it a new title,
for example "the performance review and development system", (PRD). But
do not press ahead with scrapping or making changes to your performance
appraisal system unless you know what you want, know how to achieve it
and believe that change will be successful, if in doubt get advise. If you do
decide to scrap performance appraisal then do not worry about these questions
below. Nature will take its course and alternate ways to deliver performance appraisal
objectives and benefits will be found. Our performance appraisal services can be supported by online HRD management and elearning click here for a FREE trial license. For a system description see www.hrdonline.co.uk | 
