Employee appraisals are often a task that is viewed by many
mangers as a despised core that takes away from the everyday running of
business (Gomez- Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy, 2012). Businesses have done a
great deal of research to make employee appraisals fair and create diversity
within companies (Gomez- Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy, 2012). One of the signs of
an impartial performance appraisals is the behavior standards are clearly
defined and the same for all individuals (Gomez- Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy,
2012). Appraisals may also use instruments
to measure productivity, peer evaluation, outcomes, and behaviors (Gomez-
Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy, 2012).
Despite all this research that prevents law suits and promotes fairness
many managers still find the evaluation process of little significance in
improving operation outcomes (Ekici, 2008).
Employees want and deserve feedback on their performance (Gomez-
Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy, 2012). It is
difficult for leaders to hold others accountable for negative behavior, while
continuing to inspiring growth, change, accountability, and inspiring others to reach their potential
(Gomez- Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy, 2012). It is common for mangers to give
very positive performance appraisals, because of the discomfort of evaluating
and dealing with the negative behaviors of others (Gomez- Mejia, Balkin, &
Cardy, 2012). By making appraisals highly positive many leaders falsely believe,
that this may have minimal effects on the everyday running of the organizations
and prevent unneeded conflict within the company (Gomez- Mejia, Balkin, &
Cardy, 2012). The fact of the matter is nothing could be further from the
truth. In actuality, fair, truthful performance appraisals can be used to help
employees to grow to their full potential and provide future dividends for the
companies they work for (Ekici, 2008). If a manager fails to deal with
unproductive behaviors, inspire continue growth within an organization as well
as, promote the vision and beliefs of an organization, they are not performing
the duties for which they are hired, and it may cause dire legal problems for
the company as well as the manager in the future (Ekici, 2008). A growing trend
is to use employee evaluations to dispute the firing of employees and to help
companies that need to downsize (Gomez- Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy, 2012). If a
manager fails to accurately document employee’s improper behavior, from company
standards, it will be difficult for the leader to provide a legal case for the
firing of the employee in the future for continued deviation from company
values (Gomez- Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy, 2012). Giving evaluation that are
not a true evaluation of an employee, is not fair to the person or the company,
the manager is working for.
The hallmark of a effective employee appraisal system, must have:
impute from those being evaluated, gives feedback on performance behaviors, not
personal characteristics, includes ways to improve the a employees performance
by establishing a improvement plan that is relevant to the tasks, knowledge and
skills, that are include in the individuals job description and workable goals,
with a plan to meet those goals in the following year (Ekici, 2008). How can
leaders make the performance appraisals more effective for their company? The
leader takes on the role of a coach, allows the individual to come up with
workable goals that are relevant to the employee’s roles within the
organization, as well as providing guidance, vision, constructive criticism,
and encouragement (Ekici, 2008). The leader must, provide, feedback,
assistance, redirection and encouragement, to the employee several times prior
to the next appraisal for effective mentoring to take place (Ekici, 2008).
Coaching allows the employee to take responsibility for their own
behavior, while tapping into knowledge, vision and guidance of the leader (Contractor,
2013). “For as he thinketh in his heart is he” (Proverbs, 23:7). Coaching also
allows the leader and subordinate to identify and fix situational system
factors that may be causing performance problems (Gomez- Mejia, Balkin, &
Cardy, 2012). Subordinates learn that success is an individual thing and
requires personal responsibility (Contractor, 2013). Employee coaching changes
the evaluation system into a positive way to improve productivity in an
organization (Contractor, 2013). Instructing employees requires that leaders
build strong relationships, with their subordinates, have the ability to
effectively delegate tasks, and allow other to make mistake and grow (Contractor,
2013). A sign of a strong business is the relationship it has with both the
internal and external customer (Contractor, 2013). Coaching creates an
environment that allows the employees of an organization to be actively engaged
in the company, while building future leaders in the organization (Contractor,
2013). The organization can groom employees for future roles, decrease staff
turnover and create, human resource from within the company, creating a better
financial bottom line for the company (Gomez- Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy,
2012).
One of the uses of performance appraisals are companies use them
to decide who to fire during downsizing of a company (Gomez- Mejia, Balkin,
& Cardy, 2012). If research indicates that most managers give appraisals
that are often not a true picture of the employee performance (Ekici, 2008). How
can an organization decide which people to layoff fairly during a down size
(Ekici, 2008)? When an organization is looking to downsize what really is
occurring is the company is trying to increase profits, efficiency and
competiveness (Gandolfi, 2008). Recent research has studied the common practice
of downsizing in business and has concluded in most cases that the long-term
consequences of downsizing, decreases a company’s profit, efficiency and
competiveness (Gandolfi, 2008). Downsizing often occurs during times of
economic distress, in a panic trying to maintain the profitability of a company
(Gandolfi, 2008). The problem occurs when the economic outlook improve, the
company has to spend money to recruit, and orient the top talent, in a booming
economy, this can be costly (Gandolfi, 2008). True leaders do not panic during
times of trouble but, create solutions that are not always the status quo. When leadership finds solutions to keep
employees during rough economic time, loyalty is created (Gandolfi, 2008). Research has concluded that this loyalty
improves productivity and efficiency of employees (Gandolfi, 2008). So during
tough economic times downsizing may not be the most effective method for a
company’s survival (Gandolfi, 2008). Approaches such as hiring freezes,
implementing programs to improve productivity, cutting cost, incentives for
early retirement and job sharing may be more effective for the long-term
financial success of a company (Gandolfi, 2008). Downsizing should be the last
resort and the company should treat it’s employee as valued customers by
including job assistance, resume help, career counseling and the ability to
continue health benefits for several months after downsizing (Gandolfi, 2008). Top businesses are more than profits, they
are cornerstones of society. “Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly,
knowing that you also have a master in Heaven” (Colossians, 4:1).
References
Contractor, S. (2013). Coaching
means engaging employees. Bottom Line, 29(7), 13. Retrieved
from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/1399106683?accountid=12085
Ekici, A. (2008). Employee
performance evaluations. TELEMASP Bulletin, 15(4), 1-6. Retrieved
from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/198040495?accountid=12085
Gandolfi, F. (2008). Reflecting on
downsizing: What have managers learned? S.A.M.Advanced
Management Journal, 73(2), 46-55,3.
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Gomez- Mejia, L. R., Balkin, D. B., & Cardy, R. L.
(2012). Managing Human Resources (7
th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
