News: Performance Management
Appraisal skills training: Maximising performance assessment
16 October 2008
Without adequate appraisal skills training, the process of performance assessment has the potential to be ineffective at best and "extremely damaging to employee morale" at worst, it has been claimed.
Ethical employment specialist Tor Goldfield emphasised that regular appraisals with "clear guidelines" enable leaders to maximise the career progress of stronger employees and gain knowledge about individuals who may not be doing so well.
Ms Goldfield, the director of ethical media relations company Blue Rocket, also alluded to the increased importance of effective appraisal skills amid the current economic climate to ensure workforces are performing at their best and possess a "much-needed competitive edge".
"In smaller organisations, it can sometimes be tempting to allow an employee's role to grow and evolve organically over time, but even this must be carefully managed to ensure they are still delivering against personal and corporate objectives," she told HR Zone.
It is the duty of all ethical bosses to ensure anyone responsible for managing appraisals is trained to tactfully deliver information garnered from colleagues, she added.
Research conducted by training standards body Investors in People last year revealed that almost half of employees felt their boss had been "dishonest" during an appraisal process, further underlining the need for thorough management skills development.
