Because an organisation’s staff are it’s greatest resource, they should be nurtured and cared for constantly. Given this, the appraisal process should be as regular as possible in order to maximise the efficiency and profitability of the business.

Whilst this may sound pretty obvious, most managers are so busy doing their own work that they don’t have time to be constantly evaluating staff…right? Wrong!

If you are a manager with any people at all reporting to you, then it is your responsibility to make sure that your team are working as efficiently as possible. Now I know I’m stepping into the territory of leadership, and I believe rightfully so, for a good manager should also be a leader if they want great results.

It is often easier to manage a process than it is to manage people, and so many managers, particularly male managers, default to focusing on their processes and procedures rather than risk getting involved in what could end up being an emotional or personal issue.

Most organisations have a policy of doing a staff appraisal process once a year and many suggest staff performance appraisals should be done every six months.
My recommendation is to do a formal staff appraisal annually and a semi formal appraisal every six months.

Each staff member should come away from their performance appraisal with some very clear ideas about what they have agreed to do. The manager should then work with the staff member to ensure that the way is cleared to give him or her the best chance of succeeding to meet those objectives.

The manager should make a note to regularly check with the staff member at appropriate intervals (depending on the activities being addressed) to see if the staff member needs help and to check on their progress.

At no time should the staff member feel that they are totally isolated, left adrift or simply forgotten in this process.