Although employers understand the rationale for assessing employees’ performance, they frequently view appraisals as burdensome tasks that they would like to avoid. During times such as these, we can ensure that the appraisal process remains a priority by focusing on its benefits and examining ways to increase its effectiveness. Although approaches to the appraisal process vary among employers, there is general consensus that practices, such as the following listed in this article, will increase its effectiveness.

While hope is generally a good thing in life, it can be problematic when managers use it as a performance management strategy. An all too common scenario is: A manager hires someone who never should have been hired, or keeps someone around who should have been terminated long ago. The manager hopes the employee will [...]