Motivation is the process that energizes employees and propels them to pursue their goals. Well-designed and well-executed performance appraisals have a strong motivational impact. Appraisals have the power to motivate employees because they provide a number of interconnected benefits. In this paper, the research will define performance appraisal and explain not only what benefits come from the process but also how they motivate employees in the work place. [Llo09].
Performance Appraisal.
A performance appraisal is a process in which a rater or raters evaluate the performance of an employee. More specifically, during a performance appraisal period, rater(s) observe, interact with, and evaluate a person's performance. Then, when it is time for a performance appraisal, these observations are documented on a form. The rater usually conducts a meeting with the employee to communicate performance feedback. During the meeting, the employee is evaluated with respect to success in achieving last year's goals, and new goals are set for the next performance appraisal period. [Agu09].
Motivation.
An employee performance appraisal can act as motivation for an employee to improve his productivity. When an employee sees his goals clearly defined, his performance challenges identified and career development solutions in place to help advance his career, the effect is to motivate the employee to achieve those goals. Creating a comprehensive plan for employee development and giving an employee achievements to strive for will inspire a higher level of efficiency. When employees have goals, they tend to be more motivated if they also receive feedback about their progress. Feedback may occur throughout the workday, but many organizations also have a formal, companywide process of providing feedback to employees, called the performance appraisal.
Motivational Benefits of Performance Appraisal.
Employees are motivated to perform by a number of "rewards," including recognition, autonomy and appreciation.