They rarely seem to achieve much. So what is the point of appraisals, asks Catherine Quinn in today's Guardian.
When run properly, that is
- with ample opportunity for feedback,
- a focus on practical steps to help towards better performance
- and a visible commitment from the line manager to your development and job progression
appraisals can be a very useful tool for companies of all sizes and complexions.
And, as this article says, it's important to make sure that both the employee and the manager know what's going to happen before, during and after the appraisal, and what their responsibilities are. Remember, as an employee you have a responsiblity to manage your career, it's not just up to your line manager to sort out. And line managers, don't use appraisal as an chance to get all your complaints about your employee off your chest in one go - you should be giving your team feedback on a regular basis. There should be no surprises at appraisal time.
Finally, 360 Degree Feedback, done well, can be a powerful additional to the appraisal process, providing as it does a number of points of view and observations that pure line manager feedback just can't do.