Performance Appraisal Essay

Appraisal is a procedure by which an organization assesses employee performance based on present standards . The main purpose of appraisals is to support managers effectively, staff companies and deal with human resources, and to develop efficiency . Being â€Å"part of an organization measurement process†, performance appraisals serve that purpose by showing employees how to improve their performance, establish goals for employees and helping managers to evaluate subordinates’ efficiency and take actions related to hiring, promotions, training, job design, compensation and terminations. In the last 30 years companies use the employee evaluations not only for administrative purpose, but also for motivational and organizational planning purposes. The object of this paper is to understand and explain the role of human resources which to ensure the effective and efficient use of human talent to accomplish organizational goals in a company. Human Resources Management deals with what can or should be done to make working people more effective and satisfied. In a few words, the management of human resources means that they must be recruited compensated,  trained, and developed. It is HRM’s responsibility to make job analysis (describe work and personal requirements of a particular job), to communicate to the employees performance standards (translate job requirements into levels of acceptable / unacceptable performance) and to coordinate performance appraisal programs. Thus, all aspects of human resources managements are critical to an organization’s ability to adequately effectively provide a quality work force. In fact, performance appraisals are a significant part of performance management system responsible for designing a work environment in which â€Å"people can perform to the best of their abilities.† Job description The focus in this paper is on presenting information about conducting a performance appraisal for a bus driver position. I choose this position because, bus drivers are important for our contemporaneous society which is in a continued development. This aspect implies the need of more connections between places, more transits and travel for people. It is essential that this action be done in the most safety and comfortable ways. The behaviour of each bus driver employee has to be evaluated and improved if it is necessarily. The training programs are the key in helping drivers learn how to deal with difficult people and avoid violence while on duty. Making a job analyse, bus driver is a position is responsible for transporting people from one place to another for work, errands, school, or other reasons. Takes fares from passengers, issues receipts, announces routes, and ensures passengers get out safety. Their primary responsibilities imply transport people, operate bus, and drive regu lar routes on a schedule or on chartered trips. They obey traffic laws, stop frequently and check the bus tires, lights, and oil and other basic maintenance. They have to report mechanical problems and accidents. May load and unload passengers’ luggage. A bus driver has to deal with unruly passengers, assist disabled ones and keep passengers informed of delays. Bus drivers are employed by urban transit system, elementary and secondary schools and private transportation companies. According to Service Canada the job prospects in this occupation is good having an annual average salary of 43,895. Thus, customer service skills are important because of the interaction with passengers. For a school bus driver is essential to ensure the safety of the children, which  may include accompanying students across the street and providing first aid in emergencies. The following skills are very important for a bus driver: active listening, operation monitoring, social perceptiveness – being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do, equipment maintenance, operation and control, reading comprehension, coordination, time management, speaking, and critical thinking using reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. Performance appraisal method Measurement of bus driver performance starts with the evaluation of skills and effectiveness during and following the year of work. The primary objective of performance appraisal is to establish whether drivers are performing their job safely serving the customer adequately, and following work rules, policies, and procedures that ensure efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Analyzing the above information and knowing the job description for a bus driver, the behaviourally anchored rating scale (BARS) would be a good method for performance appraisal. This method scales points and is defined by statements of effective and ineffective behaviours. It puts together the benefit the benefits of narratives, critical incidents and quantified scales by attaching a rating scale with specific behavioural examples of good or poor performance. It provides better appraisals than the other tools. The evaluator has to show which behaviour on each scale describes an employee`s performance. For constructi ng the BARS process imply the generation of critical incidents the development of performance dimensions, the relocation of incidents, the scale of the incidents and the development of final instrument. Managers have a file folder for each employee, which can be hard copy or electronic. Critical incidents are important employee actions which help or hurt performance. The BARS is developed by a committee that includes both subordinates and managers. Thus, the main advantage of this method is that personnel outside HR department join with HR staff in its development. Of course, the employees will have a greater acceptance of the performance appraisal process and its measures. In the same time BARS requires considerable time and effort to develop it. Another disadvantage is that a  scale designed for one job might not apply another. For example, the BARS for a bus driver will contain the rating scale from 4 (exceeds expectations) to 1 (unsatisfactory) and its evaluation of safety, timeliness, student conduct, bus cleanliness and care, and attitude. Identification of appraiser Appraisal and feedback system should be made by a multi-rate assessment because bus driver position is multifaceted and people see different things. A range of people are asked to assess an individual against company framework. The feedback can be from subject`s staff, from their bosses and from colleagues and clients and passengers. This is called 360 ° appraisal. The intention of it is to give a boarder and more objective assessment of employees’ competence. This multi-rate feedback is only use when manager has 4-8 people reporting to them. It is important that the employee do not know how any evaluation team member responded ensuring the anonymity concept of 360 ° system. The exception of this rule is the supervisor`s rating. When this feedback comes from more people, it may lessen bias or prejudice. In the same time, feedback from peers and other may increase employee self-development. In the conclusion of this paragraph, remind that HR department has the primary responsibility for supervising and coordinating appraisal program. Conclusion A valuable performance appraisal program makes feedback and instruction to employees and gives a useful framework to the managers and to the supervisors which asses their staff’ performance. The conduct appraisal program should be set up once and reviewed whenever the manager and the employee meet for the regular performance report or periodically: annual or once every six months. Preferable, managers and supervisors should consecutively estimate and direct employees so that performance imperfections do not go unexamined for a long period of time only to be discerned and debated at the functioning appraisal survey. In summary, the performance appraisal for a bus driver position it’s important for the evaluation of this position’ skills but also for the safety of passengers in  their work and personal environment and their daily activities. That’s why a serious and concrete performance and appraisal method should be applied in a schedule planed time in al l the transportation company. Bibliography Belcourt, Monica, Singh Parbudyal, Bohlander George, Swell Scott. Managing Human Resources. Toronto, Ontario: Nelson Education, 2014. Service Canada, http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/qc/job_futures/statistics/7412.shtml Sage Publication, http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/45674_8.pdf Transportation Research Board, www.30hrsdc.gc.ca/NOC/English/NOC/2006/Profile