A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS REPORT ON AN EMPLOYEES VIEW OF PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS INTRODUCTION Performance management aims to create a direct link between

an individuals goals, the departments purpose and the objectives of the organization (Marchington et al, 2008). However, in most present day organizational settings, this direct link seems non- existent and this is becoming more and more apparent to the workforce. Lawler (1994, p.17) identified lack of skill on the part of the line manager in accurately rating their subordinates as a problem of performance appraisal; whilst other problems identified revolve around validity and conflict of purpose (Marchington et al, 2008). The pls write the full word and put the IDP into bracketIDP survey of 1997 reported by Armstrong et al (1998) revealed that more employees have a positive view of performance appraisal, that is, they believe it is important but may not be effective if not properly executed. We are now in 2010 and the likelihood that this view is still relevant can be confirmed by taking a dipstick into an organization and sampling an employees opinion. The purpose of this research is to assess an employees perception and experience of performance management. A report of this activity has been generated and is structured thus: the first section briefly summarizes the data collection process, the second section describes the data analysis process, the third section presents findings whilst the fourth section mentions addresses difficulties encountered by the researcher in carrying out the research. The report concluded with a learning review whichreview, which is basically a personal reflection on the entire study and also reveals the researchers view of the role of qualitative research in a business and management context. 1. DATA COLLECTION

The data collection method employed took the form of was a semi-structured interview with just one employee. According to Cousin (2009), semi-structured interviewing appeals to researchers because it allows for a development of an in-depth account of the experiences and perceptions of individuals. In this research, the purpose of gathering data by means of a semi-structured interview was to gain an insight into the perception of the respondent on performance appraisals. As suggested by Cassell et al (2004) an interview guide was developed which included information-seeking

questions (which were both events based and theoretically based) followed up by secondary probes employed to explore the interviewees views and experiences in more depth. The respondent was selected based on two out of the three criterias given by Rubin et al (1995), the first being knowledge about the situation or experience being studied as the respondent has been working for a little over 3 years and has been participating in performance appraisals. The second criterion is simply the willingness of the respondent to talk and indeed participate in the interview whichinterview, which was verified at the commencement of the interview. The respondent was not interviewed face to face, rather theThe interview was held online, in real time using yahoo messenger. This means has come to be known as an electronic interview by some and online interviewing by others in several qualitative research literatures where electronic communication facilities such as emails are used to access and communicate with respondents or participants (Cassell et al, 2004). The interview lasted 57 minutes despite the promise of 25-30 minutes made to the respondent as evident in the interview schedule and transcript in appendix 1 and 2 respectively. See Appendix 1 for Interview schedule used for interviewing respondent. Also see Appendix 2 for the interview transcript.

2.

DATA ANALYSIS

According to Rubin et al (1995), the data analysis stage is the final stage in the process of listening to hear the meaning of what is being said. Typically, the steps in data analysis consist of three (3) activities: data reduction, data display and conclusion drawing Miles et al (1984).

The semi-structured interview conducted in this study was analyzed using the qualitative analysis technique known as thematic analysis because it allowed the researcher to identify and report themes/patterns which were relevant in assessing the employees perception of performance appraisals. Another reason lies in the fact that it is a relatively easy technique a novice qualitative researcher can employ instead of resorting to a more sophisticated form of analysis like grounded theory which also seeks to describe patterns in qualitative data but

isthough theoretically bounded. This means that grounded theory seeks to generate a believable theory that is grounded in the data, which is not the aim of this research.

A simple outline guide provided by Braun et al (2006) which itemises six (6) phases involved in thematic analysis was employed. The researcher started with getting acquainted with the data by reading and re-readinganalysing the data collected during the interview such that experiences and feelings as described by the respondent which recur were identified. The researcher then proceeded to generate initial codes in order to organize the data into meaningful groups. This was done by using different colour markers to highlight potential patterns of data within the interview transcript. The interview transcript was coded without trying to fit it into a pre-existing coding frame or aligning it with the researchers analytic prejudice because of the inductive approach employed in search for themes.

The search for themes then commenced and these were identified using an inductive or bottom-up approach meaning that they (themes) were strongly related to the interview data and were not driven by the researchers theoretical interest in the research topic. In order to sort the various codes into themes, the name of each code as well as a brief description was written on a piece of paper and an attempt was made to organize them into theme piles. A review of identified themes then became necessary and in the process of this review it became obvious that some themes were not really themes as they lacked supporting data. It was discovered that two or more themes could be collapsed into one. After the review phase, the themes were then clearly defined and named and finally the results presented.

2.1

RESULTS

The following are the final themes that emerged from the analysed interview transcript.

Setting performance objectives The respondent believes that this is the first essential ingredient of a performance appraisal

Objectives should be cascaded down from the companys objectives and should be clear as well as documented I do like the fact that objectives are agreed ahead

Conducting frequent appraisal reviews The respondent mentioned the need for regular appraisal review sessions. appraisal here is conducted twice a year - Mid Year and Year End. I would prefer if appraisals are done more frequently (informally).

Ensuring appraisals are objective not a subjective The need and indeed importance of an objective and fair appraisal as against a subjective appraisal came out strongly. ...the only way this reward will be possible is if the performance appraisal on ground is OBJECTIVE!!!! I feel performance appraisals are important if conducted objectively and their outcomes are acted upon for me a subjective appraisal is one where there is bias An objective appraisal will be based on evidence and what the individual has done

Rewarding performance Here the respondent talks about linking performance appraisals to pay increment or rewards for motivational purposes. I can obtain feedback on my performance and subsequently reward for my dedication to duty and ultimately your promotion status as well as you is the salary increment you get

Features of an ideal appraisal The respondent made mention of things she would like to see in an appraisal It should provide a platform for frequent feedbacks (either corrective or pat on the back).. Appraisal sessions should be a relaxed process with employees

3.

FINDINGS

The findings are entirely based on the interview conducted on the respondent as it not possible to draw a conclusion from this singular perspective pls reframe this.not too clear. The first revelation is that a performance appraisal is an important organizational activity and an
avenue for the organization to assess employees performance over a period of time and thereafter reward employees dedication. The second is that a good appraisal needs to be free from bias, whilst the third revolves around the need for a more periodic and informal review before main appraisals as this allows for constructive feedback.

An An electronic appraisal system, proper follow up to ensure that indentified skill gaps are filled such that the appraisal process is not just a routine, opportunity to be appraised and to appraise and the inclusion of a third preferably neutral party to observe the appraisal were also some of the things which the respondent would like to see in an appraisal process.Pls reframe this paragraph

4.

DIFFICULTY ENCOUNTERED

The following were some of the difficulties the researcher encountered.

INTERVIEW: The interview lasted longer than planned (57 minutes instead of the promised 20 -25 minutes) because of the electronic medium used as connection was

lost a few times and also the respondent was a bit over communicative. I have learnt from this and in future will opt for a face-to-face interview.

ANALSYIS METHOD: Limited material exists that discusses thematic analysis in detail.

TIME: The interview had to be rescheduled for about 8 times due to the busy schedule of the respondent.

LEARNING REVIEW Conducting and analysing qualitative interview and analysing same was an absolutely new territory for me as I had no previous experience and had to consult a lot of text books on how to go about it. The interview process for me was quite challenging and I learnt a lot of things, perseverance being one of them. This is because a lot of pre-booked appointments for the interview were cancelled and rescheduled. It was the 9th attempt that yielded the actual interview and I was actually relieved even though it took place in the evening after the days job. A good qualitative researcher must be determined and focused and must never give up. I also found the interview guide which I prepared before the interview quite helpful as it afforded me the opportunity to have a list of questions which cover the main areas where I wanted a response from the respondent. Rubin et al (1995) made mention of the fact that whoever is chosen for the interview is crucial for a qualitative research as this would determine the how credible the information gathered would be. I had come across this statement before I conducted the interview so I endeavoured to follow this advice. It wasnt until I was reading over the interview transcript that I realised that getting the wrong respondent would mean doing the interview all over again and getting another appointment would definitely not be easy. Hence a good researcher must choose respondents wisely and thoughtfully. At this point I would definitely agree with Rubin et al (1995) who said that conducting a valid qualitative interview and hearing what people have to say requires skills which transcend ordinary day to day conversations and this takes a huge amount of practice in order to get it right.

A qualitative study can only be credible when it accurately describes individuals experiences such that people who are having such experiences can identify with it. The choice of data analysis technique is also important. There is no ideal technique but what is important according to Braun et al (2006), which I agree with, is that the methods must match what the researcher wants to know as this will ultimately determine the conclusions that can be drawn from the data. An implication of this in the business world, particularly in the manufacturing sector, would be the development of products for which there is no ready market. Finally, carrying out a qualitative data analysis can also enable an organization predict its future market trend, understand its customers needs, and develop its marketing strategy and indeed its corporate culture all of which will enable the organization achieve its primary objective, which is profit maximization.

REFERENCES
Armstrong, M. and Baron, A. (1998), Performance management: The new realities. London CIPD Braun, V. and Clarke, V, (2006).Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology 3:77101 Cassell, C. and Symon G. (2004), Essential Guide to Qualitative Methods in Organisational Research, London. Sage Cousin, G. (2009), Researching Learning in Higher Education, New York, Routledge Lawler, E. E. (1994), Performance management: the next generation, Compensation and Benefits Review, May June, pp 16 28 Marchington and Wilkinson, (2008). HRM at work, 4th edition, CIPD Miles, M. B. and Huberman, A. M. (1984). Qualitative Data Analysis: A Sourcebook of New Methods. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage. Rubin, H.J and Rubin, I.S. (1995), Qualitative interviewing: The art of hearing data. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage

APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1: INTERVIEW SCHEDULE Topic: Performance appraisal - An employees perception. Date: 28th October 2010 Location: Yahoo messenger chat Interviewer: Adesola Amao-Kehinde Interviewee: Employee No of years with current employer: 3 years Planned Interview Questions 1.
2.

What does a performance appraisal mean to you? Secondary probes: what does a performance appraisal mean to you? Tell me briefly about how Performance Appraisal is conducted in your place of work? Secondary probes: is it important? Why do you say this? Is there anything else youd like to add before we proceed? What do you like most about the performance appraisal where you work? Secondary probes: Could you share a particularly pleasant performance appraisal youve had in your working career? What aspects of the performance appraisal in your current place of work do you dislike? Why? Secondary probes: are there avenues for you to express this dislike? What are your expectations of a good performance appraisal system? Secondary probes: to what extend your expectations being met currently? In your opinion, how can the current performance appraisal system be improved?

3.

4.

5. 6.

Secondary Probes: can you elaborate on this? 7. Is there anything else youd like to say about performance appraisals in general that was not covered in the preceding questions?

APPENDIX 2: INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT Start time: 9.32 pm Me: I would like to say a big thank you to you for taking time out of your really demanding work schedule to finally meet with me online today. Before we begin, I would like to intimate you about the reason for this interview which is to find out about your perception of performance appraisals especially in relation to your experience with your current employer. In particular I am trying to assess how effective performance appraisals are in your working environment and capture lessons as well as recommendations which can be implemented in future appraisals. The interview should take about 20-25 minutes as I do not intend to take eat into your bed time. This interview will be documented word for word and a report would be given on it but let me quickly assure you that your responses will be kept strictly confidential and I will not identify you as the respondent within my report. Finally, whilst I encourage you to be open you are not compelled to talk about anything that you do not want to talk about and you are at liberty to bring the interview to a close at any time. Do you have any questions about all I have said so far? Peju2k2: None at all.. Me: Do you wish to participate in this interview? Peju2k2: Yes I do and your time starts now. Me: Then lets begin.... Peju2k2 is Offline Peju2k2 will receive your Chat message after signing in. Me: Are you there? Peju2k2 is Available Peju2k2: Lost connection for a minute. I am back now. Me: What does a performance appraisal mean to you...?

. Peju2k2: Hmm.... in my opinion, it is simply a way of objectively assessing employees performance against set and agreed objectives for a period of time. It means a lot to me because through this process I can obtain feedback on my performance and subsequently reward for my dedication to duty. I must however mention that the only way this reward will be possible is if the performance appraisal on ground is OBJECTIVE!!!! Me: You seem to be feeling very strongly about a performance appraisal being objective. We will come back to this but could you tell me a bit about how performance appraisals are conducted where you work? Peju2k2: Performance appraisal is conducted twice a year - Mid Year and Year End. Performances are measured against predetermined objectives with a view to evaluating the staff, identifying areas that require improvement, competencies/skills required, understanding appraisee's future career plans etc. Me: You mentioned that performance appraisals are conducted twice a year, why is this so? Peju2k2: Typically our financial year starts June every year and ends May of the following year. So for instance 10/11 financial year commenced in June 2010 and will end May 2011. The mid-year appraisal usually takes place 6 months into the financial year and in this case would be January 2011, while the end of year appraisal will take place in mid may 2011. At the beginning of each financial year, HR department expects all employees to sit with their line managers and set the objectives for the new financial year. Alongside these objectives, the two parties involved would usually agree on what needs to be done in order to achieve these set objectives and finally a time scale for completion is usually attached to each objective. This information is usually presented in a document which becomes a bible which the employee consults throughout the year. The mid - year appraisal arises out of the need for a review of the initial document, here the employee can mention constraints in achieving set objectives and this can be reviewed and replaced with a new objective. In essence the mid year appraisal is there in order to re-ascertain how realistic and achievable the objectives still are. The end of the year appraisal on the other hand is the grand finale as this would determine your overall rating and ultimately your promotion status as well as you is the salary increment you get. We have 5 ratings here: Not Acceptable (NA), Below Expectation (BE), Meet Expectation (ME), Exceed Expectation (EE) and Outstanding (O). Come to think of it I dont think anyone has gotten the O rating in over 10 years.. Me: Based on all you have said, do you feel that appraisals are important? Why? Peju2k2: I feel performance appraisals are important if conducted objectively and their outcomes are acted upon e.g. filling the skill gaps, channeling the staff towards their career goals and indeed ensuring that the reward for say an EE is what the employee gets. Me: This is the second time you have mentioned the need for an objective appraisal. I would like to take you up on this now. Can you shed more light on this? Peju2k2: Let me try and explain what I mean by looking at the opposite of being objective, which is subjectivity. Now, for me a subjective appraisal is one where there is bias, for example an appraisal based on the perception of the boss towards the subordinate. An

objective appraisal will be based on evidence and what the individual has done and not on the personal perception the boss has of the subordinate. You can be sure that if your boss doesnt like you, no matter what you do, it will never be enough even if you met all your objectives before the agreed time scale; you would still end up with a Meet Expectation. Also most times, the rewards or benefits that are even spelt out on paper during appraisals do not go beyond that piece of paper as they never see the light of day!!!! Me: Haven said all that, what are the things you like about the performance appraisal in your current place of work? Peju2k2: I can't sincerely say I like the performance appraisal process here. It's more like going to the stakes; I really haven't ever looked forward to it in the last 3 years Ive been with the organization. I would prefer if appraisals are done more frequently (informally). In this case, a lot of gaps would have been identified and improved upon rather than wait for 6 months to open the "can of worms" Me: You have actually preempted my next question which is simply about getting you to tell me about what you dont like about the appraisal system. Are there any other aspects that you dislike in addition to what you have mentioned previously? Peju2k2: well I must also say that I dislike the aspect of sitting down with your boss to agree important competencies required for the job because for a boss who does not like your face, he or she can use the appraisal opportunity to their advantage as its his/her word against yours!!!! This hinges back onto what I was saying earlier about the need for an objective appraisal. Me: Does this mean there is nothing you like about the appraisal system where you work? like? Peju2k2 is Offline Peju2k2 will receive your Chat message after signing in. Peju2k2 is Available Peju2k2: The connection here is very poor. Apologies. Me: No problem. Did you see the last question? Peju2k2: Please repeat it. Me: You mentioned last that you cant sincerely say you like appraisal system where you work. Does this mean there is nothing about it that you like? Peju2k2: I wont really say that. I do like the fact that objectives are agreed ahead (mine actually has never been formally agreed ahead, I have always filled in what I feel I should be doing) and the staff know what they are expected to achieve. I like the fact that there is a training conducted in-house for every staff on how to do this also I must say I like the format that the appraisal document takes as it is quite detailed and assesses important competencies

required for each function and how the appraisee faired in each area and areas of improvement are also highlighted. Me: So how would you describe an ideal performance appraisal? Peju2k2: I feel that a performance appraisal should be a tool to help grow and improve on the potentials an individual demonstrates and to reward performance with the bid to sustain motivation. It should be a tool that helps a line manager manage and grow his subordinate to reach his/her best potential in the interest of the business and the individual as well. It should provide a platform for frequent feedbacks (either corrective or pat on the back) to the appraisee by the appraiser in the bid to achieve the overall business objective. The danger with using this as a tool for punishment is that while you 'prove your point' thats/he is no good' at the end of the year, the appraiser would have lost the chance of meeting the set objectives by delaying feedback till final appraisal. Also performance objectives should be cascaded down from the companys objectives and should be clear as well as documented. Appraisal sessions should be a relaxed process with employees. It should be seen as a forum for not only measuring performance, for rewards or punishment but it should be aimed at building competencies that will move the employee and the business forward. It should also be a two way process where you also get to appraise your line manager and identify areas where you may require improvement. Me: On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate the appraisal system in your place of work against the ideal appraisal system you just described? Why? Peju2k2: I would rate it 4 from my own experience. I must say that HR send out information on what is expected but they do not adequately follow up to ensure some of these things are done. Me: What recommendations would you give to the HR department on how to improve the current appraisal system? Peju2k2: My recommendations to the HR department would be the following: 1) make appraisal systems an electronic process as this created urgency in all to submit their objectives. 2) Encourage periodic informal reviews before main appraisal process. 3) Follow up to ensure identified skill gaps are filled so the process is not just a routine .4) Give the appraisee a forum to appraise the appraiser.5) There should always be a third party (neutral and not in the same department) during the setting and assessment of performance appraisals and this neutral party in my opinion should be an HR representative.. Me: Is there any other thing about appraisals you would like to mention that was not captured during the interview? Peju2k2: No madam. Its long past my bed time. Me: Thank you for taking time out to partake in this interview. Do have a nice night rest. God bless Peju2k2: Yeah. My pleasure and best wishes. Good night End time: 9.89 pm

Total Duration: 57 minutes