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Are staff appraisals a waste of time?
28th January 2008
An Investors in People survey, reported by the BBC, found that 29% of people felt the experience was a waste of time, while 44% believed their appraiser had been dishonest.
In the BBC article Staff appraisals ‘a waste of time’
Other concerns include managers failing to address issues raised and a lack of continuous feedback during the year.
Investors in People said appraisals were compromised if managers shirked “difficult issues”.
Of those questioned, 41% said they thought appraisals were a useful exercise. But 21% complained that the process was “unfair”, while 23% saw it merely as a “box-ticking” exercise not taken seriously by those concerned.
Scepticism about appraisals is highest in the public sector, particularly in central and local government and the civil service. On the other hand, workers in charities and NGOs are most enchanted with the process.
The research also found that appraisals were far less common in smaller organisations than larger ones.
Ironically, Investors in People are themselves regarded as a total waste of time by many employees. Their survey might have gone on to survey how many workers call the organisation ‘Investors in Paper’.
That’s perhaps a bit harsh. The BBC again:
The organisation, which works to improve workplace relations and staff development, said appraisals could be “enormously beneficial” for motivating staff and making them feel wanted but only if done properly.
“It is a concern that some managers may be letting down their employees by failing to give full and frank feedback,” said the acting UK chief executive. “Employees are not just after honest but also regular feedback throughout the year so there aren’t any big surprises when it comes to the annual review.”
See the hilarious clip of the appraisal at The Office - Keith’s appraisal