Performance Appraisals

Four topics are considered when discussing performance appraisals. They include, "What is Performance Appraisal", "Identifying Performance Decisions", "Measuring Performance", and "Managing Performance". Through reading this chapter, the goal was to become more effective with the following challenges: (1) Explaining why performance appraisal is important and describing its components, (2) discussing the advantages and disadvantages of different performance rating systems, (3) managing the impact of rating errors and bias on performance appraisals, (4) discussing the potential role of emotion in performance appraisal and how to manage its impact, (5) identifying the major legal requirements for appraisal, and (6) using performance appraisals to manage and develop employee performance.

The first topic, What is Performance Appraisal, explained that performance appraisal is the identification, measurement, and management of human performance in organizations. Appraisal should be a future-oriented activity that provides workers with useful feedback and coaches them to higher levels of performance. Appraisal can be used administratively or developmentally. Personally, performance appraisals stand as a necessity in all companies. If they are conducted, then proper feedback can be assessed and put into action, which will ultimately increase productivity.

The second topic, Identifying Performance Decisions, discussed how performance appraisals begin by identifying the dimensions of performance that determine effective job performance. Job analysis in the mechanism by which performance dimensions should be identified. With identifying performance decisions, it makes the process much more efficient when appraisal is necessary.

The third topic, Measuring Performance, expressed how the methods used to measure employee performance can be classified in two ways: (1) whether the type of judgment called for is relative