The performance appraisal process is a vital tool for achieving organizational success, but there are few tasks managers dislike more. One manager describes how he used to feel about performance appraisals: "I was always relieved when I completed my yearly employee appraisal meetings. I never enjoyed them. In fact, I often delayed the meetings until the last minute, and the employees' reactions seemed to range from stony politeness to anger to crying."

No matter how you feel about appraisals, in this course you'll learn that by planning well for appraisals, you can make the process less uncomfortable.

Appraisals must be linked to performance goals that matter, and these goals should reflect both organizational and individual goals.

Of course, preparing for appraisals takes time. But the extra effort can transform a routine bureaucratic chore into a process that helps you, your employees, and your organization.

In this course, you'll learn why performance appraisals are important. You'll be introduced to the steps in developing employee performance plans, and get to practice developing a plan. You'll also learn how to monitor ongoing performance, which will help prepare you for future employee appraisals.

Poorly planned or subjective appraisals won't help employees perform well.

But effectively planned appraisals can result in employees who perform their jobs well. They have the certainty that they are addressing the highest priority responsibilities and operating in a way that the organization expects.