Annual Appraisals: Questioning the future of performance management

14 Aug, 2015

There is currently plenty of controversy within the industry regarding the success of annual performance reviews.

Every business will have its own opinion on how it handles monitoring the performance of their employees. But every business will have some sort of performance management structure in place.

This is why it might come as a bit of a surprise to learn that Accenture, along with Microsoft, Deloitte and Google, have decided to scrap their current annual appraisal system.

The consulting giant has opted to move away from annual reviews and a ranking based approach, joining the many companies believing the current appraisal system is too controlled, too rigid and ultimately backward thinking.

Accenture will also move away from a numerical based approach starting in September of this year, a movement that suggests that forced performance rankings could become a thing of the past.

Research from PwC, published in July of this year, into performance management has fuelled this belief as data they have complied estimates that two thirds of large companies are considering making changes to their current annual appraisal process.

Why you need an appraisal system in place

Appraisals are a strong factor in monitoring employee performance, but also in ensuring that they are being correctly utilised as well as how they can be developed.

At the end of the day your staff is your key link to your customer base. When implementing the ISO 9001 Quality Management System, staff is a crucial area of the continued process.

Evaluating the role of your staff is one way of identifying team members who will be involved in delivering the standard and assess any factors that need to be monitored to provide affective results.

If not annual appraisals – what works instead?

Recent data from the Top Employers Institute shows that companies are moving towards a process of continual improvement based on frequent dialogue and development.

Based on the study, top performing UK employers are moving towards a model focusing on goal setting and more regular feedback in a movement towards less “formal” performance reviewing.

Millennials are a big driving force spurring this change as this new generation of workers look for continuous development and expect frequent feedback after assignments.

Regardless of your workforce, it is how performance management is carried out that really matters, giving feedback and forward looking action plans needs to be more frequent than just once a year to procure the best results – it’s not hard to imagine the benefits!

This is the most effective way of nipping small problems in the bud before they escalate into something worse, which could see a detrimental impact in business performance.

Accenture are opting instead for ‘Performance Achievement’, leading the way in a new breed of performance management designed to encourage creative thinking and freedom.

The future of the performance appraisal as we see it

Each business is different; implementing ISO 9001 Quality Management System is one way to ensure your evaluations are focused on core areas and are steered towards delivering the standard.

The research observed goes on to show that the majority of employees still see value in the clarity of a formal annual appraisal in designing their career aspirations.

The way forward seems to be clear – have a formal review but don’t wait for then to iron out issues that have already become habit by integrating continuous development into everyday life through a ISO 9001 Quality Management System.

Interested in finding out more about conducting appraisals within the ISO 9001 Standard?

Sources: HR Magazine, PwC, CIPD, The Independent

ISO Quality Services Ltd are proud to specialise in the implementation and certification of the Internationally recognised ISO and BS EN Management Standards.

Primarily working with clients throughout the whole of the UK and Ireland, ISO Quality Services Ltd also cover Europe and the UAE.

Do you want to get ahead of your competition? Win more tenders or save time and money on reoccurring issues? Contact us today!

ISO 9001 Quality Management System

ISO Quality Services Ltd are proud to specialise in the implementation and certification of the Internationally recognised ISO and BS EN Management Standards.

Do you want to get ahead of your competition? Win more tenders or save time and money on reoccurring issues? Contact us today on 0330 058 5551 or email info@isoqsltd.com.

Alternatively, you can request a quote by filling out our enquiry form and a member of our team will be in touch shortly.

Related Posts

The BS EN 15713:2023 Update

9 Feb, 2024

The new BS EN 15713:2023 has been published.  Here’s everything you need to know about the changes and how to transition from BS EN 15713:2009.

Good Egg Awards return for the 7th year

31 Jan, 2024

It’s that time of the year again – an opportunity to acknowledge the hard work of your colleagues through our Good Egg Awards.

Keyboard with a padlock and data privacy printed across the top

Data Privacy and the Role of ISO 27001

22 Jan, 2024

Adopting ISO 27001 demonstrates a commitment to safeguarding stakeholders’ information and enhancing data privacy, here’s how:

Bingo Box Campaign Delivers 345kg of Hope for the Holidays

20 Dec, 2023

The surge in energy prices, inflation, and a challenging cost of living situation is making it increasingly difficult for people to provide meals for their families. In light of this, we have once again initiated a campaign to assist in feeding more families this Christmas. And with the generous support of local businesses, our Bingo Box campaign has garnered an overwhelming response!