How Should I Handle Delayed Appraisals for HR Team Members? Seeking Advice!

Hi all,

This is a very new situation for me and quite difficult as well. In our company, there are 5 people in the HR Department. Since I am in HR, I am responsible for managing appraisals for everybody else in the company, excluding HR personnel who were not part of the appraisal cycle at that time. Now that the deadline has passed, they are asking for their appraisals. I report directly to the Director of the company.

However, every time I ask her about it, she keeps delaying it. There is a possibility that she might be concerned that after receiving their appraisals, they may consider moving to a different company. I am unsure of what to do in this case.

Please share any suggestions or comments you may have.

Regards,
Sujata

Hi Sujata,

How are you? I hope you are doing fine.

Okay, now a small suggestion would be that you need to tell your director that he can't live in a world of insecurity. If he feels that delaying appraisals would increase the chances of his people staying long, then he is WRONG!

In fact, this action will have a negative effect. Even if your employees are not looking for a change, they will start doing so since the management has not fulfilled their commitment. So, before things turn worse, you should tell your management that they should finalize the increments/confirmations if they want a good professional environment. Otherwise, people will not trust the management.

Regards,
Pooja

Hi Sujata,

Salary is a sensitive issue. Since you are close to the director, you need to take care of your people too. Try to wipe out the misconception as soon as possible and make your director realize that if one has decided to leave the company, then no one can stop him from doing that. Just increasing the pay may become the reason for their leaving the company. Money is one of the biggest motivating factors for employees. Make sure to convey this to your director.

If possible, ask the employees to approach the director from time to time.

Regards,
Megha

Hi Sujata,

Performance appraisal is not a tool to decide the monetary benefits alone. This point should be emphasized in no uncertain terms to your Director and let her realize that if we do not evaluate the performances of employees periodically (the number is quite irrelevant), the organization will be at a loss, and its employees will become directionless. As an HR professional, the responsibility of convincing your superiors lies on your shoulders, and this is where all your skills and abilities come into the picture. All non-HR professionals, especially those who are technically sound, do not give much importance to HR systems and practices. Here, the role of an HR professional assumes greater significance to convince and make the superiors accept the importance of HR systems as a whole.

Good luck!

PRADEEP

Hi Pooja, Megha & Pradeep,

I have already informed her about this matter. She is suggesting that we let them wait for some time as they are not willing to leave the company without receiving an appraisal, as everyone desires to earn more. I will make another attempt to persuade her.

Thank you for your suggestions.

Regards,
Sujata

Hi Sujata,

Even I have faced such a problem, same situation, but I was contacting the Marketing head for his team.

I have asked thrice directly when I met him for another job and sent 3 emails with intervals of 4-5 days, but I didn't get a reply.

Finally, I sent a message through IP - chatting:

Myself: Let me know the status of the Appraisal due on your desk.

Boss: I will reply later.

Myself: Please give your feedback at the earliest since the people are sending me reminders and checking often. I was not able to reply to them. Let me know the reason for the pending.

Boss: We can revise them later; let me find out their sales at this quarter's end.

Myself: Sorry, sir, we can't keep it vague for long. At least we have to inform them that this appraisal will be done on a specific date so that they will be calm. Otherwise, they will keep thinking or worrying about it forever. It's better to inform.

Boss: I have sent an email to all.

Then, he sent an email to all stating that their appraisal will be done on a certain date.

So, Sujata, you have to get things done. Doing a revision immediately may not be in our hands, but we can clarify things.

If the boss sends such an email or information, or if you receive the message and send a copy to your boss's email ID, your team will not question you.

Your team might have thought that you have not initiated or reminded/urged your boss. So, if you make it clear that it was brought to the boss's notice and intentionally kept on hold, they will not question you.

I believe the above is your situation if I am not mistaken.

Thanks and regards,

Ramya Shankar

Sujata
Well...first of all, having Performance Evaluation or Appraisal is never a confirmation that there will be increase in salary.
Performance Evaluation is done to evaluate the performance of the person. I don't know why your Director is so insecure. You can never solve a problem by running away from it...you can only solve it by facing the problem.
She can prolong the Evaluation for one month or three month, even more...the more she will delay the process…the more there will be chances for employees to leave after appraisal.
Hope this will help.
Regards
Sanjeev Sharma