CAT / FIA FBT Syllabus D. Leading And Managing Individuals And Teams - Performance Appraisal Process - Notes ^{4 / 7}

The process of performance appraisal usually entails:

1. identifying the criteria for assessment – perhaps based on job analysis, job requirements, performance standards and person specification

2. assessing competence

3. manager preparing an appraisal report – sometimes both appraiser and appraisee prepare a report and they are then compared. 

   Assessments must be related to meaningful performance criteria and a common standard so that comparisons can be made between individuals

4. manager interviewing the jobholder for an exchange of views about the appraisal report

5. identifying and agreeing future goals and targets for improvement, solutions to problems

6. manager’s own superior reviewing the assessment to establish the fairness of the procedure

7. agreeing, preparing and implementing action points, plans to achieve improvements, e.g. training needs

8. following up – giving the results of the appraisal, monitoring the progress of the action plan, carrying out agreed actions on training, promotion and so on and giving regular feedback.

While many people view the performance appraisal process as beginning after 6 months or 12 months of employment and view it as a review of how the employee has performed for the previous period, a successful performance management process begins during the hiring process.

It continues as an ongoing cycle from recruitment, through selection, induction/orientation, and goal setting and on to performance appraisal and evaluation.

This process occurs in 3 stages with the following components:

1. Review and comparison – consists of the individual being assessed and analysed in terms of objectives, tasks, workflows and results achieved.

2. Management by objectives – managers agree certain objectives with their subordinates and then review the results achieved.  

   It is based on the idea that if subordinates know their objectives they are more likely to reach them.

3. The task-centred method – relates to what the subordinate is doing and how they do it.  

   It avoids the more formal approach to staff appraisal and adopts a continual assessment approach.