Performance Appraisals

A performance appraisal is the process of assessing worker performance in comparison to certain predetermined organizational standards. Appraisals not only help employees understand how they are doing but they also help the worker's supervisor along with the organization as a whole. Often, performance appraisals are linked to pay increases and promotions. But they also provide feedback on ones performance, help recognize weakness and strengths, and help one to reach the desired goals of the organization or their own individual goals. For the supervisor, performance appraisals provide information that is valid for pay increases, promotions, demotions, and firings along with feedback for an employee.

Performance appraisals are also used to encourage interaction between workers and supervisors. As one might think, there are many different kinds of performance appraisals that an organization can decide to use. The first thing that an organization must decide is whether they want to do what is called an objective or a subjective performance appraisal.

An objective performance appraisal is when you measure quantifiable aspects of job performance. An example would be the number of units produced. A subjective performance appraisal is when some knowledgeable individual rates or critiques your work. Once you decide if an objective or subjective performance appraisal is good for your organization, you then have to decide what type is right for you. There are many different ways you can go about deciding and of course many different types to choose from. The links below point towards sites that can help you find more information about performance appraisals and some examples of different types of performance appraisals to choose from.

Employee Relations Bullet of the Month			This link talks about the performance appraisal process and gives an example of how performance appraisals are not always accurate.

Consulting Firm			This link describes the needs, the solutions and the results of having the best performance appraisal for your company.

Revising			This link offers tips on revising appraisal policies that might already have been created.

Performance Management			This link contains a chapter from the book entitled Performance Management-Why doesn't it Work? It talks about performance management and what is is supposed to accomplish.