The survey found that 44% of workers had had appraisals in which
they thought their superior had been dishonest, and 29% had had
ones which had been a waste of time. A fifth had had appraisals
that they said were unfair.
Employees also attacked the seriousness with which the
increasingly common appraisal process is taken by employers. A
quarter said their managers saw it as just a 'box ticking'
exercise, while a fifth said they believed their boss did not even
think about the appraisal before entering the interview room.
Appraisals are becoming more common, especially in larger
organisations. The survey found that 81% of people in organisations
with more than 250 employees had annual reviews, a figure that fell
to just 54% of workers in organisations of fewer than 250.
The survey revealed that many employees have a jaundiced view of
the process. A fifth of surveyed workers said that their boss
rarely or never acts on what is talked about in appraisals.
"It is a concern that some managers may be letting down their
employees by failing to give full and frank feedback," said Simon
Jones, acting chief executive at Investors in People. "Annual
reviews can be hugely beneficial to both employer and employee,
identifying areas for development as well as ensuring the employee
feels motivated, engaged and part of the organisation's success.
However, many of these benefits will be lost if managers avoid
difficult issues and hold things back."
The most suspicious employees are in accountancy and financial
services and the public sector, where 48% and 47% of workers
respectively believe bosses are dishonest in the appraisals
process.
Just under a third of workers wanted more regular appraisals,
found the survey, while 40% said that they have been surprised at
what they hear in the annual review process, it found.
"Employees are not just after honest, but also regular feedback
throughout the year so there aren't any big surprises when it comes
to the annual review," said Jones. "Appraisals should always cover
both past performance and objectives, but equally important are
discussions of future targets and opportunities."
"It's a great chance for managers to make sure their employees
feel challenged and valued for the year ahead, rather than
unmotivated and without guidance," he said.
