FACTORS AFFECTING IMPLEMENTATION OF EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS

Abstract

Employee performance appraisal (EPAs) is a process for evaluating employee performance based on pre-setstandards. EPAs help managers use human resources to improve productivity. They help employees improve theirperformance as well as help managers to assess staff effectiveness and take actions related to hiring, promotions,demotions, training, compensation, deployment as well as terminations. EPAs in organizations are affected byvarious factors that can flaw the outcome. This study was carried out to find out whether lack of training, biaspractices, employee relationships and lack of monitoring affect the outcome of EPAs. The research was carried outusing a case study of JKUAT. A target population of nine hundred (900) staff was used for the study. Simple randomsampling technique was used to obtain ninety (90) respondents. The data was collected and coded on SPSS andexcel platforms and was analyzed for results using statistical descriptive tools. The results notwithstanding age,gender, level of education, employment status and other parameters, showed that EPAs were viewed asineffective by majority due to various factors. Lack of training in appraisals was rated 88%, bias practices rated80%, employee relationships rated at 62% and lack of monitoring rated 71.4%. It was observed that all thehypothesized factors affected the outcome/results of EPAs for individual workers. In view of the outcome of thisstudy, it is recommendable for organizations to review how the EPAs are carried out in order to maximize on thebenefits of the process. This can be done by outlining the uses of EPAs which includes growth of the employees asindividuals and the growth of the organization as a whole. Secondly, employees should be trained to undertake theappraisal exercise objectively in order to bring out the good intended purposes of EPAs.