Abstract:
Almost every organization, in one way or another, goes through a periodic ritual,
formally or informally, known as performance appraisal. The formal performance
appraisal has been called a tool of management, a control process, an activity and a
critical element in human resources allocation. Uses for performance appraisal have
included equal training and development need assessment, employment opportunity
considerations, promotions, transfer and salary increases. Primarily performance
appraisal has been considered an overall system for controlling an organization.
Performance appraisal has also been called an audit function of an organization regarding
the performance of individuals, groups and entire divisions. The performance appraisal
has been defined as any personnel decision that affects the status of employees regarding
retention, termination, promotion, demotion, transfer, salary increases or decreases, or
admission into a training program.
Appraisals have been cited to range from official, prescribed meetings between an
evaluator and evaluatee to causal, change occasions where an evaluator observed work
activities and indicated his or her assessment with an informal comment. Performance
appraisal can be used to positively affect employee motivation, productivity, efficiency
development, improvement in performance etc.
