MANY BIG COMPANIES , INTORDUCES “APPRAISALS FORM’.AS A SINCERE ATTEMPT TO KNOW ABOUT COMPANY “WORKING STYLE “  AND FEELINGS OF EMPLOYEES TOWARDS COMPANY(WHERE THEY ARE WORKING ) ”UNFORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT NON-PROFESSIONAL , LESS EDUCATED , NON EXPERIENCED MANAGERS LIMITATED WITH MOCKERY AND DERSION .BECAUSE SUCH MANGERS BECAME MANAGERS BY DEFAULT OR BY” CERTAIN INFLUENTIAL RECOMMENDATIONS” , NOT UNDER ANY TEST OR COMPETITON.

PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS AREN’T FUN , BUT A VERY SERIOUS DOCUMENT WHICH MAY TAKE COMPANY ON HEAVEN , OR HELL. BUT MANAGERS  PRATCISED AS FUN . “APPRAISLAS FORM “ IS A TOOL TO ASSES , EVALUATE THE PERFORMANCE OF EMPLOYEES AT AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL. , WHILE PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY TO EMPLOYEE TO OBJECT , COMPLAIN , CRITICISE , PINPOINT ANY LACUNA IN   COMPANY POLICY OR INFRINGING EMPLOYEES BENEFITS . UNFORTUNATE ENOUGH ( SPECIALLY IN GULF)  MAJORITY OF EMPLOYEES HAVE NO CALIBRE EVEN TO WRITE ONE MEANINGFUL SENTENCE OF ENGLISH , WHAT TO TALK ABOUT  “CONTENTS UNDERSTANDINGS”! ! THAT’S WHY MANGERS PREFFERS TO RECRUIT THEIR OWN PEOPLE , OWN NATIVE , OWN COUNTRY MEN.THEY WILL NEVER WRITE ANYTHING AGAINST THEIR MANGER ( THEIR APPOINTING AUTHORITY) , MANAGEMENT WILL BE HAPPY THAT ALL IS GOING ON “O,K” JUST LIKE SITUATION OF AFGHANISTAN WHERE THINK TANKS ARE REPORTING “ALL OK” SO MANAGEMENT SHOULD NEVER FORGET THAT “ SMALL HOLES CAN DROWN THE STROGEST SHIPS”.THESE APPRAISLS ARE BEING USED AS “DECIEVING TOOLS” TO THE MANAGEMENT”. THIS PRCICE BECOMES MORE AGONIZING BECAUSE MANAGERS DO REALLY DUMB THINGS, ENDING UP DESTROYING A PROCESS THAT IS IMPORTANT TO EVERYONE (OR SHOULD BE), APPARENTLY IN THE BENEFIT OF COMPANY , BUT HENIOUSLY EFFECTING THE SYSTEM , MAKING FOOL HIGHER MANAGEMENT , WHICH IS SELF SPEAKING EVIDENCE OF H.R FAILURE . PROFESSIONAL H.R MANAGERS WILL NEVER ENCOURAGE SUCH “FAKE APPRAISALS”. UNFORTUNATELY 85 % H.R MANGERS ARE ONLY DEGREE HOLDERS ONLY , BUT ZERO IN PROFESSIONALISM.ONLY PROFESSIONAL IN “MAKING MONEY” BY KEEPING HIGHER MANAGEMENT IN COMPLETE DARKNESS ”.

STUPID THING #1: SPENDING MORE TIME ON PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL THAN PERFORMANCE PLANNING, OR ONGOING PERFORMANCE COMMUNICATION.THEY WILL NEVER BOTHER TO INTERVIEW EMPLOYEES IN BATCHES , BY MENAS OF WRITTEN TESTS VICE VERSA , JUST FOR EXAMPLE , A PERSON WHO DO NOT KNOW DRIVING , HOW HE CAN DRIVE A CAR ?? BUT ONLY CAN SIT IN ? NATURALLY ALL EMPLOYEES MUST HAVE “KNOW HOW” TO DRIVE APPRAISALS. ( TO UNDERSTAND CONTENTS AND REPLY).

PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL IS THE END OF A PROCESS THAT GOES ON ALL THE TIME – A PROCESS THAT IS BASED ON GOOD COMMUNICATION BETWEEN MANAGER AND EMPLOYEE. SO, MORE TIME SHOULD BE SPENT PREVENTING PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS THAN EVALUATING AT THE END OF THE YEAR. WHEN MANAGERS DO GOOD THINGS DURING THE YEAR, THE APPRAISAL IS EASY TO DO AND COMFORTABLE, BECAUSE THERE WON’T BE ANY SURPRISES.  

STUPID THING #2: COMPARING EMPLOYEES WITH EACH OTHER.

WANT TO CREATE BAD FEELINGS, DAMAGE MORALE, GET STAFF TO COMPETE SO BADLY THEY WILL NOT WORK AS A TEAM? THEN RANK STAFF OR COMPARE STAFF. A GUARANTEED TECHNIQUE. AND HECK, NOT ONLY CAN A MANAGER CREATE FRICTION AMONG STAFF, BUT THE MANAGER CAN BECOME A GREAT TARGET FOR THAT HOSTILITY TOO. STUPID THING #3: FORGETTING APPRAISAL IS ABOUT IMPROVEMENT, NOT BLAME.

WE DO APPRAISAL TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE, NOT FIND A DONKEY TO PIN A TAIL ON OR BLAME. MANAGERS WHO FORGET THIS END UP DEVELOPING STAFF WHO DON’T TRUST THEM, OR EVEN CAN’T STAND THEM. THAT’S BECAUSE THE BLAMING PROCESS IF POINTLESS, AND DOESN’T HELP ANYONE. IF THERE IS TO BE A POINT TO PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL IT SHOULD BE GETTING MANAGER AND EMPLOYEE WORKING TOGETHER TO HAVE EVERYONE GET BETTER.

STUPID THING #4: THINKING A RATING FORM IS AN OBJECTIVE, IMPARTIAL TOOL.

MANY COMPANIES USE RATING FORMS TO EVALUATE EMPLOYEES (YOU KNOW, THE 1-10 RATINGS?). THEY DO THAT BECAUSE IT’S FASTER THAN DOING IT RIGHT. THE PROBLEM COMES WHEN MANAGERS BELIEVE THAT THOSE RATINGS ARE IN SOME WAY “REAL”, OR ANYTHING BUT SUBJECTIVE, OFTEN VAGUE JUDGEMENTS THAT ARE BOUND TO BE SUBJECTIVE AND INACCURATE. BY THE WAY, IF YOU HAVE TWO PEOPLE RATE THE SAME EMPLOYEE, THE CHANCES OF THEM AGREEING ARE VERY SMALL. THAT’S SUBJECTIVE. SAY IT TO YOURSELF OVER AND OVER. RATINGS ARE SUBJECTIVE. RATING FORMS ARE SUBJECTIVE. RATING FORMS ARE NOT BEHAVIORAL.

STUPID THING #5: HELL UPON  APPRAISAL ,WHEN A PERSON’S SALARY IS NO LONGER TIED TO THE APPRAISALS, BUT UPON PERSONAL LIKINGS OF MANAGERS

LOTS OF MANAGERS DO THIS. THEY CONDUCT APPRAISALS SO LONG AS THEY HAVE TO DO SO TO JUSTIFY OR WITHHOLD A PAY INCREASE TO THEIR “CHUMCHAS”. WHEN STAFF HIT THEIR SALARY CEILING, OR PAY IS NOT CONNECTED TO APPRAISAL AND PERFORMANCE, MANAGERS DON’T BOTHER AS THEY KNOW THAT THEY ARE SAFE . PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL IS FOR IMPROVING PERFORMANCE. IT ISN’T JUST ABOUT PAY (ALTHOUGH SOME THINK IT IS ONLY ABOUT PAY). IF NOTHING ELSE, EVERYONE NEEDS FEEDBACK ON THEIR JOBS, WHETHER THERE IS MONEY INVOLVED OR NOT., AND ALL THAT FEED BACK GOES TO DUSTBIN.

STUPID THING #6: BELIEVING THEY ARE IN POSITION TO ACCURATELY ASSESS STAFF.

MANAGERS DELUDE THEMSELVES INTO BELIEVING THEY CAN ASSESS STAFF PERFORMANCE,( WHEREAS THEY MEASURE IT WITH THEIR OWN PERCEPTIONS WITH “YES SIR” SCALE )EVEN IF THEY HARDLY EVER SEE THEIR STAFF ACTUALLY DOING THEIR JOBS, OR THE RESULTS OF THEIR JOBS, SHOWING GOOD RESULT WILL LEAQD TO TERMINATION).  MOST MANAGERS AREN’T IN A POSITION TO MONITOR STAFF CONSISTENTLY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO ASSESS WELL. AND, BESIDES WHAT MANAGER WANTS TO DO THAT OR HAS THE TIME. AND, WHAT EMPLOYEE WANTS THEIR MANAGER PERCHED, WATCHING THEIR EVERY MOOD. THAT’S WHY APPRAISAL IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN EMPLOYEE AND MANAGER.THEY APPRAISE UPON “THEIR OBEDIENCE” 

STUPID THING #7: CANCELLING OR POSTPONING APPRAISAL MEETINGS.

HAPPENS A WHOLE LOT. I GUESS BECAUSE NOBODY LIKES TO DO THEM, SO MANAGERS WILL POSTPONE THEM AT THE DROP OF A HAT. WHY IS THIS BAD? IT SAYS TO EMPLOYEES THAT THE PROCESS IS UNIMPORTANT OR PHONY. IF MANAGERS AREN’T WILLING TO COMMIT TO THE PROCESS, THEN THEY SHOULDN’T DO IT AT ALL. EMPLOYEES ARE TOO SMART NOT TO NOTICE THE LOW PRIORITY PLACED ON APPRAISALS.

STUPID THING #8: MEASURING OR APPRAISING THE TRIVIAL.

FACT OF LIFE: THE EASIEST THINGS TO MEASURE OR EVALUATE ARE THE LEAST IMPORTANT THINGS WITH RESPECT TO DOING A JOB. MANAGERS ARE QUICK TO DEFINE CUSTOMER SERVICE AS “ANSWERING THE PHONE WITHIN THREE RINGS”, OR SOME SUCH THING. THAT’S EASY TO MEASURE IF YOU WANT TO. WHAT’S NOT EASY TO MEASURE IS THE OVERALL QUALITY OF SERVICE THAT WILL GET AND KEEP CUSTOMERS. MEASURING OVERALL CUSTOMER SERVICE IS HARD, SO MANY MANAGERS DON’T DO IT. BUT THEY WILL MEASURE THE TRIVIAL.BY IMPLEMENTING STUPID IDEAS.

 SURPRISING EMPLOYEES DURING APPRAISAL.

WANT TO REALLY WASTE YOUR TIME AND CREATE BAD PERFORMANCE? THIS IS A GUARANTEED TECHNIQUE. DON’T TALK TO STAFF DURING THE YEAR. WHEN THEY MESS UP, DON’T DEAL WITH IT AT THE TIME BUT SAVE IT UP. THEN, AT THE APPRAISAL MEETING, TRUCK OUT EVERYTHING SAVED UP IN THE BANK AND DUMP IT IN THE EMPLOYEE’S LAP. THAT’LL SHOW ‘EM WHO IS BOSS!

STUPID THING #10: THINKING ALL EMPLOYEES AND ALL JOBS SHOULD BE ASSESSED IN EXACTLY THE SAME WAY USING THE SAME PROCEDURES.

DO ALL EMPLOYEES NEED THE SAME THINGS TO IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCE? OF COURSE NOT. SOME NEED SPECIFIC FEEDBACK. SOME DON’T. SOME NEED MORE COMMUNICATION THAN OTHERS. AND OF COURSE JOBS ARE ALL DIFFERENT DO YOU THINK WE CAN EVALUATE THE CEO OF “TOYOTA” USING THE SAME APPROACH AS WE USE FOR THE PERSON WHO CLEANS THE FACTORY FLOOR( TANZIFCO)? OF COURSE NOT. SO, WHY DO H.R INSIST ON EVALUATING THE RECEPTIONIST USING THE SAME TOOLS AND CRITERIA AS THE CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTL ?

IT’S DUMB. ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL. ACTUALLY WHY DO MANAGERS DO THIS? MOSTLY BECAUSE THE PERSONNEL OR HUMAN RESOURCE OFFICE LEANS ON THEM TO DO SO. IT’S ALMOST UNDERSTANDABLE, BUT THAT DOESN’T MAKE IT ANY LESS DUMB( EVERY ONE TAKING CARE OF HIS “KHUBBAS”.)

I WORKED IN A REPUTED COMPANY IN GULF. APPRAISALS WERE INTRODUCED THERE TOO, REALLY A POSITIVE PRACTICE . THE USE OF THAT FORM WAS ONLY TO CALCULATE ‘ANNUAL BONUS” ONLY. AFTER FILLING THAT , H.R IS ONLY NOTIFYING THE “PERPOTIONAL GRADE” CALCULATIONS AND ALLOCATING BONUS.NOTHING ELSE .I STILL CHALLENGE (ENTIRELY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THAT COMPANY) THAT H.R SHOULD CALL ALL THE EMPLOYEES OF THAT DEPARTMENT , BRING THEM IN CONFRENCE HALL , AND ASK THEM TO WRITE “ONLY ALPHABETS” FROM A TO Z ONLY— AND IN FIGURES FROM “ONE TO HUNDRED”LIKE  ( ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR ,FIVE  , HUNDRED )

H.R WILL COME TO KNOW THE WORTH OF THESE APPRAISALS  FOR WHICH CPMPANY IS  SPENDING LOT OF MONEY ..  ( NOT MENTIONING COMPANY OR DEPTT AS TOKEN OF RESPECT , BUT ALL KNOW ME  ) 

I WOULD LIKE TO ADVICE SUCH COMPANIES ( H.R ) DEPARTMENT THAT AT 1ST ATTEMPT ,THEY MUST INTERVIEW EVERY INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE TO CHECK HIS CALIBRE , AND NATURE OF DUTY HE IS DOING !

NO DIRECT RECRUITMENT BY MANGER SHOULD BE ENTERTAINED. ALL MANGERS MUST INFORM H.R FOR THEIR MAN POWER DEMANDS.

H.R MUST KNOW THE EDUCATIONAL , EXPERIENCE LEVEL OF EVERY EMPLOYEE KEEPING IN VIEW THE DEMAND OF WORK … MEAN FIGHTER PILOTS IN COCKPITS AND DRIVERS IN VEHICLES .. REALLY FELT SORRY WHEN SAW IN THAT COMPANY WHEN SAW  ‘POWERS” IN STUPID HANDS.

NO TERMINATION SHOULD BE EFFECTED UNLESS INTERVIEWED .. MY ONE FRIEND FACED THIS SITUATION IN GULF “ HE HAD THE HIGHEST EDUCATION LEVEL IN THAT DEPARTMENT. HE WAS FOOLISH ENOUGH AS “FELT IN LOYALITY IN COMPANY” BOLD ENOUGH TO CRITICISE IN FRONT OF MANGERS AS COULD NOT TOLLERATE THE COMPANY LOSS … RESULT APPEARED AS G.M RETIRED HIM , ORDERING TO LEAVE OFFICE IMMEDAITELY BY USING A H.R SUPERVISOR . HE DID ALL FRON OF THAT SUPERVISOR .. ALL OTHER RETIRED PERSON WERE GRANTED SIX MONTHS GRACE PERIOD BUT THAT PERSON – NO TIME ….HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA THAT IS GULF , WHERE DONKEYS PARTICIPATES IN RACE GROUNDS AND HORSES  ARE USED FOR TRANSPORTING GOODS … FORGOT TO MENTION … THAT PERSON APPRAISAL WAS EVIDENCING A CONSEQTIVE “OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE” IN APPRAISALS  SINCE INTRODUCED. HIS ONLY FAULT WAS … HE WAS SINCERE WITH COMPANY , ALWAYS PINPOINTING “STUPIDITIES” OF HIS MANAGERS ..

MORALE OF ARTICLE . ALL VESTS WITH MANAGERS .