Need Help Creating a Simple Performance Appraisal Format for My First Time

Dear Friends,

I have to start the Annual Performance Appraisal process for the company I am working for in the coming month. For this, I require a simple Performance Appraisal Format. If anyone knows of a simple way in which we can assess the performance of the employee, kindly let me know. This is the first time I will be doing this activity, and there are no earlier forms available here. Therefore, your help on this will be greatly appreciated.

Regards, Julie

Julie,

Hi! If you already have an appraisal tool, you need to review it or at least scan over the questions/items to check whether such a form is relevant for the incoming appraisal. As you perhaps suspect, there are questions that are no longer applicable to the present setup of workers, meaning you really need to revise the tool.

Not all workers will be appraised with the same performance appraisal tool. You need to categorize appraisal tools according to positions, such as supervisory or rank and file, etc.

Be objective in rating your personnel by taking into consideration the initially recorded performance progress and results, as well as any comments from inside and outside of the department.

You need to communicate the procedures and the purpose of the appraisal to them so that the process may not appear intimidating. Also, make sure you can provide them with feedback based on the result of the evaluation.

In case you have any questions, don't hesitate to open up.

Have a nice day.

AMO

Hi Alan,

Thanks for your response. Currently, I do not have any specific format available. Previous appraisals were not done systematically; assessments were based solely on individual judgment of whether the employee was performing well or not. Now, I need to develop a structured form for evaluating employees. I am seeking guidelines to assist me in creating this form. If there are any existing forms that I could use as a reference, it would be greatly helpful.

I would appreciate it if you could provide some guidance on the above.

Regards, Julie

Hi,

For the annual performance appraisal, you may use the 360 appraisal and the feedback given by the superiors, subordinates, and peers. You can use three different formats that are to be filled out by the peers, superiors, and subordinates, with attention given in the three formats being totally different.

When I was in a group, I used a graphical rating system that contains characteristics relating to the personality and performance of the employees, including intelligence, quality of work, job knowledge, dependability, attitude, attendance, and interpersonal relations.

Traits are measured on a scale from 0 to 5.

I found that the rating is done by only one person and has equal points for each trait.

Rating should be based on weights, for example, attendance 0.5, leadership 1.5, interpersonal relations 2, and scores multiplied by the weights.

Rating should be done by three people: one by the superior, another by a peer, and the third by a subordinate so that individual effects on ratings can be reduced.

I found that the rating is done by only one person and has equal points for each trait.

Rating should be based on weights, for example, attendance 0.5, leadership 1.5, interpersonal relations 2, and scores multiplied by the weights.

Rating should be done by three people: one by the superior, another by a peer, and the third by a subordinate so that individual effects on ratings can be reduced.

Here is a format for a performance appraisal:

Performance appraisal is a crucial process in evaluating an employee's achievements and areas for improvement. It typically involves setting goals, reviewing past performance, and providing feedback for future development. Effective performance appraisals can help enhance employee performance and contribute to organizational success.

Key components of a performance appraisal include setting clear objectives, evaluating performance against these objectives, providing constructive feedback, and outlining a plan for future development. It is essential for both managers and employees to actively participate in the appraisal process to ensure its effectiveness.

Furthermore, regular performance appraisals can foster communication between managers and employees, clarify expectations, and identify training needs. By establishing a structured format for performance appraisals, organizations can promote transparency, fairness, and continuous improvement in their workforce.

Hi,

Thank you very much for providing the various types of appraisal formats. I shall definitely try to use them and customize them according to my requirements.

Thank you once again.

Regards,
Julie

Hi,

360-degree appraisal may seem like a good option, but I think it needs to be designed very carefully. Also, if performance pay is linked to the appraisal, it would be a good idea not to use 360-degree appraisal.

Most companies like HLL use 360-Degree Feedback for better team building. Most of the appraisals are done on a graphical rating scale for skills, competencies, and Key Performance Areas (These are set at the time of the appraisal for the next year). Tata follows a ten-point scale. Marico follows a 5-point scale. However, the problem with the 5-point scale is that most of the appraisers tend to rate people as 3 (average) not wanting to be biased.

There are a lot of sample appraisal forms on the net; you can also refer to those before you decide on what tools to use.

Preeti

Hi,

If you are doing this activity for the first time in your company, be ready for grim faces. I would suggest not to take up 360-degree right now; you and your company are both new to this process, so go step by step. Go for a 180-degree process this time. There are some critical things that you need to take care of as HR:

1. If there has been no process earlier, the senior members are used to giving feedback as per their own judgments. Now, if you are going to ask them to follow a process, it's not going to be welcomed. You need to take them in confidence and make them feel that you are doing just what they used to do, just that you are getting it properly documented. The best way is to make a form and circulate it as a draft amongst the senior members who have done some appraisals previously. Ask them to give their opinions; some of these might be really useful to you, and they will also feel involved in the process.

2. Always first see what the management is trying to get out of this process when they have asked you to make a form. Be clear about the aims.

3. Be clear about why you have put questions/points in the form; don't do anything that you are not clear about in terms of how it's useful for your company and employees' development.

4. Add a two-page form for the employee to analyze the company, meaning the employees' opinions, concerns, feedback, etc., about the company and areas like Management, Administration, and HR. This makes the employee feel that this is not a one-sided process and that they have a place to voice their concerns. This also makes the employees/senior members take the complete activity very seriously and genuinely.

5. Yes, a training session will always help.

6. Don't delay the submission of results to the management. If you are a small company, it's a good idea that the MD or any Director meets every employee before deciding the salary appraisal.

7. Add a page at the end where the superior puts down the future plan for the employee, decides some goals, how they are going to be achieved, what the training needs of the employee are for better performance, and some personal recommendations from the Superior.

Once this is successful, then and only then apply the 360-degree appraisal.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Rakhi

Hi,

I would like to give the following points in a Performance Appraisal system:

(1) Target Vs. Achievements [this includes the quantitative/physical/financial targets/objectives set for the employees and achievements thereon].

(2) State the reasons for not meeting the targets or constraints in achieving the target/shortfall in the system, and specify it clearly.

(3) State the areas where the employee made significant achievements.

(4) Assessment of knowledge/skill and application, etc. (this varies from one type of job to another; for example, for an engineering job, the following are to be assessed (not by the employee but by the appraiser):

(A) Intellectual ability - Creativity, initiative, receptivity, drive, intelligence.

(B) Professional ability - Theoretical ability, experimental/practical ability, originality, technical judgment, power of expression, general professional knowledge, work disposal, etc.

(C) Managerial Ability - Judgment, organizing ability, leadership.

(D) Administrative Competence - Administrative judgment, understanding states, policies, rules, etc.; knowledge of responsibility, decision-making ability.

Besides this, personal qualities such as (a) personality, (b) integrity, (c) conscientiousness, (d) sense of responsibility, (e) self-reliance, (f) amenability, cohesion, attitude towards superiors as well as colleagues, (g) discipline, (h) loyalty, etc.

When we get answers to the above points, it will be easy for us to assess an employee. This can be done on a periodical basis, be it on a quarterly basis, or half-yearly, or yearly basis.

Assessors can grade the employee based on the above on a ten (10) point scale. The rating can be read as given below:

10 means EXCEPTIONALLY BRILLIANT

09 means OUTSTANDING

08 means VERY GOOD

07 means GOOD

06 means WELL ABOVE average standard person

05 means good average person

04 average person

03 insufficient initiative and capacity for work without constant supervision

02 indifferent, but just worth retaining

01 not worth retaining

After assessment, we can put a benchmark to improve the ratings; say at least the persons below the rating '5' should be given an opportunity to improve their performance to that level within a stipulated period. So that the overall efficiency will improve.

I hope this will be helpful to you.

Bye,

Ajay

Dear friend,

You can refer to the DPE guidelines on the Government of India website for the APA of PSUs for reference. Then, you can modify them as desired by you.

Regards,
Bhaskar

Dear Julie,

Although it is really great to have formats from consultants and even from other companies, the dilemma is that not all companies, even if they are equally positioned in the market and industry, are the same.

Basically, it must be connected with your company's mission, vision statements, and objectives. From there, you will have to formulate according to your company's level of importance. If this would be too hard for you to do now, I suggest that you should prepare this way for your next appraisal time.

Meanwhile, I suggest for a quick format, you should consider 3 basic sensitivities: PERSONAL, TECHNICAL, and ENVIRONMENTAL. You must create at least 5 basic and important questions for each area that can be measured perfectly through a scale of 5. Then put weights in each of the three areas according to the level of importance, and then rate them accordingly. 360 degrees is a great idea to eliminate biases. You must see to it that questions are according to the level, rank, or positions.

Example:

PERSONAL

1) Total number of minutes tardy?

2) Disciplinaries received?

3) Is the employee liked and respected well?

4)

5)

TOTAL 30%

TECHNICAL

1) Deviation to procedures or GMP?

2) Contributions?

3) Reports?

4)

5)

TOTAL 40%

ENVIRONMENTAL

1) Contributions to the environment or community service?

2)

3)

4)

5)

TOTAL 30%

OVERALL TOTAL 100%

You can actually create more with this.

If you have any more queries, don't hesitate to open up.

Arnie

Look up “performance appraisal form” in Google (with the quotation marks). You will find plenty of forms. However, I suggest you approach the problem from the other end. The performance appraisal process comes before the form. You will need to settle on your process and the objective of the process before you can even begin to decide on an effective form.

There are processes that set and measure goal attainment, some that measure behaviors as well, some that are single rater, some that are multi-rater, some that list competencies, some that list organization wide behaviors as well, some that include a numerical score, some that include written comments only, some that allow appraisee responses, some that tie the appraisal to remuneration and bonus outcomes, etc etc.

I know you want a simple form, but what is “simple” depends on the context. And a “simple” form may cause a lot of complexity further down the line as you try to fix up the damage because the “simple” form did not suit where your company is at.

Vicki Heath

http://www.businessperform.com

Hi,

All your thoughts on performance appraisal have been quite insightful. I myself work for a small start-up company and manage the HR functions. This July, we complete one year of operations and hence the need for an appraisal. I agree that a 180-degree appraisal seems more advisable when one is conducting an appraisal for the first time. The upward rating, where subordinates appraise their managers, helps cover most of the performance appraisal process.

One of the reasons for not opting for a 360-degree appraisal is that at the peer level, employees tend to give favorable opinions about their peers, and this might not reflect the true performance. At this time, I cannot think of any other disadvantages related to this.

My question is, which method is more commonly used in companies, big or small - 180-degree appraisal or 360-degree?

Question 2: Since July is our appraisal time, when is it ideal to start the process?

Finally, how often should potential appraisal be conducted? Should it be linked directly to the annual performance appraisal, or should this be done on a half-yearly basis?

I would be grateful for your suggestions!

Regards,

Padmaja

Hi,

I would like to know the differences between 90, 180, 360, and 720 degrees of performance appraisal systems. Which one is the most effective?

I would also appreciate having some formats for all these methods. My email ID is amrita_gupta123@rediffmail.com.

I am working in a software company and defining the appraisal system and forms. My main issue is how to face a system that oversees all the functions and categories. Since I have sales and techies, as well as three levels of managers, can somebody guide me?

Hey Friends,

Can you help me out with a Performance Management Scenario within MNCs? I am interested in understanding how performance-linked incentives are calculated, what key performance indicators (KPIs) are taken into consideration, how the KPIs are determined, and other related aspects. I would like to gain insight into the complete system implemented within companies.

Regards,
Pooja

Hi,

I would like to know the differences between 90, 180, 360, and 720 degrees of performance appraisal systems. Which one is the most effective? Please also provide some formats for all these methods. My email address is saivinee@email.com.

Hi Pooja,

Looks like what you are asking is the whole works. I think it is very hard to compress the entire thing into a post or document so easily. Suffice it to say, I can summarize the key points based on what you have requested as follows:

1) To determine KPIs, you need to look at the core company business targets. Then you can determine what activities are needed to achieve those targets. For each activity, you would need sub-activities or smaller goals which, when achieved, would ensure that the main goal is achieved. Similarly, you can drill down for each activity, and eventually, it will add up to the final goal.

2) So the KPIs can be drilled down from the company level to the department level and from there to the individual level. Assign a weightage to each (should total up to 100% max), and then based on the actual results achieved for each KPI, you can calculate the actual score.

3) You can define a reward scheme based on the KPIs achieved, for example, say if the employee achieves 60% of the target, then give him a 5% raise or bonus (depending on your company performance policy and budget constraints). This way, it will ensure that employees are rewarded for actual performance based on the company guidelines. Less room for dispute because if overall company performance is poor, then the drilled-down performance results would also be affected as it is summarized upwards.

I hope that answers part of your queries. If you need more details or info, you can email me at venki_ram_mal@yahoo.com (or YM at the same id).

Thanks and best regards,
Venkat

Hi,

Performance appraisal formats have to be prepared based on the goals, aims, and objectives of the firm, organization, company, department, etc. It really reflects the actual work done by the employee in relation to his job chart. The nature of work given to the employee has to be assessed in terms of his work done statements. One company's format may not be suitable for another company, as the formats have to be designed in such a manner to elicit information on the performance of the employee to rate or rank him with others. As far as the general nature is concerned, here are some important items to be included in the Performance Appraisal Format:

1. Name of the Employee
2. Designation
3. Date from which working
4. Period for which Performance is being appraised
5. Knowledge of the Employee about the Department/Branch/Section
6. Initiative
7. Industriousness
8. Zeal and industry
9. Tact and temper
10. Capacity to take up the work allotted
11. Interest to take up the responsibility
12. Emphasis on the concepts, Communication, and explanation ability
13. Clarity in Communication
14. Self-confidence
15. General application to real-world situations.
16. Employee's interaction and interest
17. Regularity
18. Reporting
19. Maintenance of Records/Documentation
20. Overall performance.

We can prepare a format if the points are taken into consideration.

Suri Babu Komakula

Hi all,

I just joined a software firm where I am working as an HR Executive. Could anyone please tell me how I should maintain Employee CTC details and handle increments, etc.?

Hi,

My suggestion would be to conduct a small employee survey with a norm group consisting of 3/4 of your employee strength to gather feedback on introducing a new or improved version of performance measurement in your company. Subsequently, you could proceed with an appraisal where employees are evaluated by both their subordinates and their managers, known as a 180-degree appraisal.

Thanks & regards,
Trupita

Dear All,

I am Arun, 9711420178, working as an HR Professional in Delhi. I am in need of Performance Appraisal formats related to Sales & Marketing staff.

Thanks,
Arun