A performance appraisal is also referred to as a performance review, performance evaluation,

development discussion, or employee appraisal is a method by which the job performance of an

employee is documented and evaluated. Performance Appraisal is defined as a systematic process, in
which the personality and performance of an employee is assessed by the supervisor or manager,
against predefined standards, such as knowledge of the job, quality and quantity of output, leadership
abilities, attitude towards work, attendance, cooperation, judgment, versatility, health, initiative and so
forth.

Companies use performance appraisals to give employees big-picture feedback on their work and to
justify pay increases and bonuses, as well as termination decisions. They can be conducted at any given
time but tend to be annual, semi-annual, or quarterly.

Performance appraisals also help employees and their managers create a plan for employee
development through additional training and increased responsibilities, as well as to identify
shortcomings the employee could work to resolve.

Ideally, the performance appraisal is not the only time during the year that managers and employees
communicate about the employee’s contributions. More frequent conversations help keep everyone on
the same page, develop stronger relationships between employees and managers, and make annual
reviews less stressful.

Most performance appraisals are top-down, meaning supervisors evaluate their staff with no input from
the subject. But there are other types:

Self-assessment: Individuals rate their job performance and behavior.

Peer assessment: An individual's workgroup or coworkers rate their performance.

360-degree feedback assessment: Includes input from an individual, supervisor, and peers.

Negotiated appraisal: A newer trend that utilizes a mediator and attempts to moderate the adversarial
nature of performance evaluations by allowing the subject to present first. Also focuses on what the
individual is doing right before any criticism is given. This structure tends to be useful during conflicts
between subordinates and supervisors.

The performance appraisal process:

 The assessment process is usually facilitated by Human Resources, who assist managers and
supervisors in conducting the individual appraisals within their departments.
 An assessment method should be established.
 Required competencies and job expectations need to be drafted for each employee.
 Individual appraisals on employee performance should be conducted.
 A one on one interview is scheduled between the manager and employee to discuss the review.
 Future goals should be discussed between employee and manager.
 A signed-off version of the performance review is archived.
 Appraisal information is utilized by human resources for appropriate organizational purposes,
such as reporting, promotions, bonuses or succession planning.
The performance appraisal my manager wrote had few things missing

 It did not had a clear statement of the problem or the performance issue that the employee
must improve.
 It did not enumerate several examples of ways in which the employee can change their
performance to comply with performance expectations

If i was a manager and required to provide an appraisal for the team member I would had included the
following.

 Attach relevant proof or evidence if possible

 If relevant include timeline within which the employee’s performance must improve
 Explain how the non-performance impacts not only the employees but workplace and
organizations success.
 Give a clear statement about the consequences an employee can expect if their performance
fails to improve as described in the letter of reprimand
 It should not be too harsh in word usage, nor should it be too light and casual with a termination
letter for poor performance. This letter should only serve the purpose for which it is written,
meaning it should be a ‘warning’, which brings the employee on track with a written warning for
unsatisfactory job performance.