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Performance Appraisals: Motivating Employees

In: Business and Management

Submitted By lmboland
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Performance Appraisals: Motivating and Encouraging Employees
Performance appraisals are a reality in organizations of every size. They offer an opportunity for managers and employees to take a “time-out” and discuss work matters that may otherwise get ignored. If done correctly they can have a profound effect on an employee’s satisfaction with the job and provoke them to contribute even more. Unfortunately most organizations do not put the time and effort in for the process to be effective (Bouskila-Yam & Kluger, 2011, p. 139). Below we look at one such organization that evaluates their employees but provides little feedback and virtually no one on one time to discuss results. Suggestions will be offered on possible ways to alter the current process so that employee performance is formally reviewed and discussed as it should be. This focused interaction between a manager and their direct report can be a powerful motivator and should not be underestimated (Karimi, Malik & Hussain, 2011, p. 247).
Government contracting organizations work on some of the country’s most sensitive and unique missions, so it may be surprising to learn just how relaxed one such organization is when reviewing its employees. As a member of the Human Resources team at one of the top 5 Government Contracting (GC) companies I have the luxury of having direct line of sight to how and when reviews take place. I was disappointingly aware of the ineffectiveness and inefficiency of our current performance appraisal process prior to completing this research. However, after a formal interview with one of our leaders I now understand that I am not alone and it will take difficult but critical changes to reverse the current perception. At the beginning of each year employees are required to establish measurable goals they will work towards over the next 12 months. These

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