Performance Appraisals! What’s the point?

Performance Appraisals are often on the ‘dreaded’ leadership task list. The session where we have to get honest about how our people are going and deliver bad news, at times.  So why wait for the annual review?  Shouldn’t we do appraisals every day, to grow our people and help our Company thrive.

Recently I spoke to four Organisations that don’t do appraisals for these reasons:

• They don’t have the time!
• Too busy
• They don’t see the point
• Nothing will change anyway so why bother?
• I will just move my problem to another department!
• Move the problem person to another department!  Really?

Performance appraisals are critical in assessing ongoing productivity and effectiveness of people, systems, processes and policies.  As a result, they are not in the ‘if I feel like it category.’  That smacks of incompetence, disregard and a bad attitude.

Properly implement and conduct appraisals every day – Don’t save up for the annual dreaded performance appraisal day.