Ivancevich (2001:268) and Werther and Davis (1996:368) have suggested a set of guidelines for making performance appraisal interview effective. However, we can follow the guidelines that are stated below:
1. Communication: The supervisor shall communicate the respective employee that there will be a meeting between them to exchange and discuss the issues of his/her performance and its rating stating the time and place of the meeting. The interview shall be held in private.
2. Preparation: The rater and the rate should prepare themselves for the meeting and be ready with information and arguments to discuss the employee’s past performance against the objectives for the period. This will make the appraisal interview fruitful.
3. Budget the Time: The rater should budget the time for the meeting and be communicated to the employee so that he/she can use the time effectively to discuss the evaluation and his/her future behavior. Both the rater and ratee can take preparation to complete the meeting within the time and make the meeting successful by achieving its goals.
4. Welcome the employee: The supervisor/rater should welcome the employee to the interview session with greetings and put the employee at ease in an armed chair. The supervisor shall make it clear that the interview is not a disciplinary session, but to review past work in order to improve the employee’s future performance, satisfaction, and personal development. It is also for the correction of the rating already assigned to the employee if discussion demands that.
5. Discussion: Now, start the discussion with specific positive remarks about the performance of the employee. Such as “Mr. Akram, your work the last month was very good”. The supervisor and the employee both shall concentrate on the following issues during the discussion period:
(i) Use facts, not opinions. Evidence must be available to document the claims and counterclaims.
(ii) Orient the discussion and criticism to performance, not personality characteristics. Bring one or two important negative points at one session because employee may not sustain the stress. Much criticism shall make the employee very defensive and the purpose of the session will be lost.
(iii) Make criticisms specific, not general and vague.
(iv) Stay calm and do not argue with the person being evaluated.
(v) Identify specific actions the employee can take to improve performance.
(vi) Emphasize the evaluator’s willingness to assist the employee’s efforts and to improve performance.
(vii) Maintain a positive environment throughout the discussion session.
(viii) Conclude with positive comments and overall evaluation results.
6. Control Information: The rater should guard against overwhelming the ratee with information. Too much information can be confusing although too little can be frustrating. The rater must balance the amount of information that is provided.
7. Encourage Employee Involvement: The supervisor /rater should encourage the employee to involve in the performance appraisal process, do self review and get his/her own results out of own evaluation. This will make the employee self conscious and understanding about his/her own performance. It will prepare the person to sustain any criticism and be easy in appraisal interview.
8. Adjourn the Meeting: Appraisal interview is not a onetime matter; rather it is a part of a continuing process of employee development. So, the final aspect of the interview should focus on future objectives and how the superior can help the employee achieve organizational and personal goals. The supervisor shall keep a record of the issues discussed, objectives set, involvements agreed upon and supports promised so that everybody could maintain those in future. Lest we forget, appraisal interview for the development of employee performance, not pull the employee down
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