What Is Performance Evaluation?


Performance evaluation is an important process which is used to provide annual or semi-annual feedback to the employees of an organization. This evaluation is meant to inform them about their effectiveness towards the job.

It is a worldwide phenomenon that employees, no matter what position they enjoy in organization's hierarchy, do not like the performance evaluation systems. Employees dread them and managers think these systems are nothing but sheer wastage of time and financial resources.

So, are performance evaluation systems required? You may not agree, but yes, they are. How can your employer judge your effectiveness towards the job unless and until he evaluates you? You can be evaluated by your performance in a specified period, this is the only way by which your talent can be recognized and positive changes in you can be felt. Also, your weaknesses can be highlighted in front of you and you can make improvement plans for them.

It is a great process to evaluate your accomplishments, relationship with your organization, your positive points such as flexibility, hard work and determination.

In case you are a business manager, you don't have any other option than to follow the prevalent performance evaluation system in your organization, whether you appreciate it or not. A business manager not only makes an evaluation on an annual or semi-annual basis, actually, he makes it throughout the year.

How can performance evaluation be made effective? It will be beneficial if the manager formulates a performance plan at the beginning of the year. Though it is a cumbersome process, it is the right way to evaluate employees. There may be some employees who do not perform for most of the year but start showing dedication when the evaluation time is near. It will be unfair on your part to neglect this fact. This will also save your precious time and you will be able to recognize their sincere efforts.

It is in the best interest of both the organization and its employees that the performance evaluation system is drafted in such a way that hard-working and dedicated employees are appreciated. On the other hand, low productive human resources must be told about their loopholes and the corrective plan of action to be followed to overcome the same. This way, the organization can grow in the entire sense.

The duty of a business manager is to ensure the overall growth and development of the business. He cannot restrict his duties to the productive resources alone, he must take steps to ensure that the semi-productive resources are also developed and nourished.

Thus, it can be wisely concluded that the performance evaluation system is an important tool to measure the effectiveness of an employee towards his job.