A case of bad review

It is not uncommon Ior employees to Ieel that they have been given an unIair appraisal.
In Iact, it has become a growing challenge Ior HR managers to deal with such demands
Irom the increasingly vocal workIorce oI today. OI course, this gap oI clarity lies in
communication`. An analysis oI employees` thoughts about unIair appraisals shows lack
oI trust in their superiors and the process, lack oI belieI in the goals, lack oI clarity in the
measures and relative rating/Ieedback oI colleagues.
In my opinion, the last two are predominant mindsets that are oIten neglected. It is here
that the manager plays a critical role in establishing the credibility oI the process.
Communication plays a critical role in all the above but iI communication is not backed
by the personal credibility oI the manager or the system it becomes a vicious cycle. Most
companies have an evolved perIormance appraisal process and this is mostly automated
but the challenge is in equipping managers to deliver the system well Irom an emotional
context.
Appraisals are important events in an employee`s working liIe and managers must accept
the social challenges that go into dealing with the process. The answer lies not in the
'goal-sheet but in the 'dialogue not in developing SMART goals but in developing
smart managers.