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An appeals procedure should be established to enable employees to express disagreement with the appraisal.  This is a critical and often overlooked step.  All employees need to be provided with a mechanism to voice their view of the appraisal process. Employees should be encouraged to provide a written rebuttal which is placed in the employee file along with the original review. Training is key.  Supervisors should be trained to use the appraisal form correctly.  Supervisors should be trained to conduct the appraisal discussion correctly.  This type of training is time well-spent as the success of the process begins and ends with the supervisor. Why Performance Appraisal Systems Aren’t Effective There are many reasons why performance appraisals fail or falter.  Do you see any of these symptoms in your company? Inadequate preparation on the part of the manager Employee not given clear objectives at beginning of performance period Manager may not be able to observe performance or have all the information Performance standards may not be clear Inconsistency in ratings among supervisors or other raters Rating personality vs. performance The halo effect, contrast effect or some other perceptual bias Inappropriate time span (either too short or too long) of evaluation Overemphasis on uncharacteristic performance Inflated ratings because managers do not want to deal with “bad news” Subjective or vague language in written appraisals Organizational politics or personal relationships cloud judgments Manager may not be trained at evaluation or giving feedback No follow up and coaching after the evaluation		Supervisor’s 3-Step Checklist for the Performance Appraisal This checklist can be very helpful for the supervisor preparing and delivering the performance appraisal.  1.  Scheduling: Schedule the review in advance. Ask the employee to prepare for the session by reviewing their performance, job objectives and development goals. Clearly state that this meeting will be the formal annual performance appraisal. 2. Preparing for the Review: Review the performance documentation collected throughout the year. Concentrate on work patterns that have developed vs. isolated incidents. Be prepared to give specific examples of above or below average performance. When performance falls short of expectations, determine what changes need to be made.  If performance meets or exceeds expectations, discuss this and plan how to reinforce it. After the appraisal is written, set it aside for a few days and review it again.  Make revisions. Follow whatever steps are required by your organization’s performance appraisal system. 3. Conducting the Review: Select a private location that is comfortable and free of distractions. Discuss each topic in the appraisal one at a time, considering both strengths and shortcomings.
Lighthouse Consulting Services  3130 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 550, Santa Monica, CA 90403 (310) 453-6556