If you think that this topic is rather touchy, you may not be alone. However, perhaps it is touchy for all the wrong reasons!

Having gone through a number of individual performance appraisal environments, I have picked up on some points that in my view, fortify my proposition of possible misalignment in terms of expectations.

First of all, it is critically important for all parties involved, ranging from the Board, executive management, seniors to the rest of the staff to understand that performance emanates from the employment relationship. Yes, your contract …the one that has rights and obligations of the employer and employee… the one that also points you to other instruments that comprise your other conditions of service. In the contract, the employee is selling their professional skill and service to the employer for a salary and/or other attendant benefits.

Performance parameters are agreed and the appraisal system is one of the tools that provides clarity and reasonable expectations that culminate into rewards or otherwise depending on how the employee has fared.

More often than not, it is the process that usually causes apprehension, especially if not done in accordance with expected standards. Here are some pointers that can help us navigate the process;

1.  Clearly identify what service you are committing to provide to the organization as an employee.

2. Clearly identify the critical success factors in performance of your obligations which include the employers’ obligations to provide an enabling environment.

3. Use the S.M.A.R.T principles as you consider the key performance areas, objectives and key performance indicators.

4. Expect that the appraisal system should be an integral part of the agreement between the employer and employee and as such there should be a sign off on the content of performance and its measurement.

5. The appraisal process should also be comprehensive. Both parties must make time and commit to the performance appraisal engagement and discussion on hits, misses, gaps and areas of improvement so that there is a healthy balance between learning, growth and application of prior acquired skills.

6. Both parties should recognize that competence and achievement of targets is not measured by feelings but by evidence which should be respected. Shifting of goal posts at the time of the appraisal to the disadvantage of the other is an absolute no!

7. Individual key performance indicators are individual. Whereas they are drawn from the organization key performance indicators, it should be noted that same is on scale. The closer an individual’s responsibility is to the apex structure of leadership and decision making, the stronger their correlation with the organization key performance indicators.

I look forward to hearing from colleagues for any other pointers!