A Discussion of the Orthodox and Radical Critiques of

Performance appraisal is an important issue in human resource management and has a significant effect in the performance of an organisation. It is the system of evaluating the performance of employees regarding the accomplishment of their responsibilities and determining their potential to grow and develop. Bias in the evaluation process can affect the accuracy and appropriateness of the performance appraisal. Bias is a serious issue because it affects the ability to make appropriate decisions about the promotion of employees. A performance appraisal system that works to the disadvantage of members of a group can also pose legal issues.

A performance appraisal is a key element in organization and can be one of the greatest tools used to record employee production. Organizations can establish their goals and objectivities, while involving the employees in the process. Conducting a performance appraisal increases productivity and morale and can prove to be effective in performance production.

An appraisal is one of the most commonly used methods of formal assessment and is used to evaluate and assess the performance of an employee against agreed targets and objectives, with the aim of improving employee performance. Where an employee has been able to achieve their targets, the appraisal can be used to recognise successes. This often helps to increase an employee’s confidence and motivation and can lead to better organisational performance. Many organisations will use the outcomes of an appraisal to identify potential candidates for promotions or even an increase in pay. At the same time, an appraisal meeting may include discussions on underperformance, identifying why this has occurred and how this can be avoided in the future.

Performance appraisal is a method which is increasingly used to evaluate employees to determine the degree to which they are performing effectively and encourage them to direct their energies towards organizational performance. Although the appraisal is being practiced, there are criticisms made against the system which generally arise from within the Orthodox and radical management frame work.

Although performance cannot be judge alone with 360-degree assessment, it provides a commentary aspect that will assist an organization in Leadership Development and Succession Planning. Including the 360-degree appraisal in the performance management process will provide a broader perspective about an employee’s performance and detail to annual appraisal. In addition, the technique facilitates greater self-development for an employee. Moreover, it enables an employee to compare his or her self- evaluation about performance with the perceptions of others.

Development of a performance appraisal system that is effective in a human service organization is of benefit for the organization and the employees. For a performance appraisal system to be effective, the system has to be strategic, designed to fit the specific needs of the organization, non-discriminatory, non-bias, with correct implementation and administration. Many different components, must to be incorporated to make this type of system beneficial for all who use it, and all who are evaluated by the system.

The performance appraisals process is flawed in many ways. Lack of preparation, time, training, and professionalism are a few examples of how the system is flawed. The individual completing the application often has many tasks that supersedes taking the appropriate time necessary to accurately keep notations of an employee's performance throughout the year. The lack of time leads to an employee receiving a performance review on the most recent accounts of his or her job performance instead of his or her performance throughout the entire year. Lack of professionalism can also hurt the appraisal process. An employee should be rated by his or her job duties instead of the personal opinion or feelings the manager or supervisor completing the form. All

159). The evaluation process provides employees the opportunity to give a self-appraisal. Through these appraisals, an employee could justify a salary increase. It is also the time to discuss future plans, goals, aspirations, and career growth. Together with Laura, an employee would decide on goals and objectives for the next review period (Southwell, 2015, Unit 4). In the article “A Discourse Analytical Perspective on the Professionalization of the Performance Appraisal Interview,” the authors discuss how performance appraisal interviews between managers and their employees can resemble a therapy or counseling session (Van De Mieroop & Vrolix, 2014, p. 160). “Performance appraisal, in general, and performance appraisal interviews, in particular, were once rather basic communication processes, but nowadays institutions and organizations increasingly invest resources in them and this results in a growing professionalization of this genre” (Van De Mieroop & Vrolix, 2014, p.

Cook, S., & Macaulay, S. (2007). How an integrated approach to performance appraisal and the

Although Performance Management evolved from performance appraisals few decades ago, most literature still intensely focuses on performance appraisals when addressing performance management.

Performance appraisals generally involve two-way communications which is not embraced by Chinese culture as the large power distance found in China indicated that to challenge authority of superiors is not considered appropriate for subordinates (Huo 1995). Therefore when conducting a performance appraisal in China it is expected that the evaluated will be more subjective. A straight forward form of appraisal would be better received and employee participation should not be forced.

Performance Management Within the Workplace The basis of the mainstream of performance appraisals within the modern workplace is one person (a manager or executive) rating one more, an intrinsically individual process. There are distinction such as 360 degree appraisals that include the judgment of others such as clientele and peers/colleagues in the process but it is the action of one person transitory judgment upon another that is subjective in nature and the root cause of many of the problems encountered in the research associated with performance appraisals. Performance appraisals are of importance to the organisation, as they often provide the only measure of an individual's contribution and

“Performance appraisals can enhance employee performance as well as advance the mission and goals of an organization. There are many advantages of performance appraisals if they are applied fairly, consistently and objectively. Performance appraisals not applied fairly can be counterproductive and even destructive to

In a typical and effective process of performance management, as demonstrated in Figure 2.1, performance appraisal is not the only but a vital element because it is the activity which evaluate the outcome of the work, recognize the achievement and weaknesses and give employees and managers a straightforward result on these(Armstrong, 2009, Hutchinson, 2013). From a modern perspective, performance appraisal covers more areas not only on what have been achieved but also on the attitude and contribution of the operator (Hutchinson, 2013), which enhance the functions of identifying training needs.

Isaacs (2014) contends that qualitative research is useful when the research focuses on complex issues such as human behavior and felt needs. The goal of qualitative research is therefore to help understand social phenomena with the help of views and experiences of all the participants. This qualitative study will examine the significance of performance appraisal ratings and feedback on employee behavior. The research focus is on data obtained from interview participants about their experiences during performance appraisals. Because of time constraints, this research will focus on previous research done in this manner and discuss their results. Performance Appraisals can be