Bosses avoid the truth in annual appraisals

As Britain's workplaces approach appraisal season, new research finds that nearly half (44%) of employees who receive appraisals don't think their boss is always honest during these sessions. It is unsurprising, then, that almost a third (29%) of employees who receive appraisals believe they are a waste of time while a fifth (21%) have had an appraisal they felt was unfair. The research, conducted by YouGov for Investors in People – the organisation that works with companies to improve productivity – also found that a quarter of employees (23%) who receive appraisals believe their manager sees their annual review purely as a 'tick-box' exercise and that one in five (19%) accuse their manager of not even thinking about the appraisal until they are in the room. While appraisals are now common in many workplaces, and 41% of employees who receive appraisals think they are a useful assessment of progress, very few have faith in their manager taking action on what they talk about. Only a fifth (21%) believe their manager will always act on what is discussed, whereas 20% say their boss rarely or never bothers to follow-up on their concerns. A third (31%) believe that although their appraisal is helpful, they would prefer to get more regular feedback. A lack of feedback throughout the rest of the year could explain why 40% have been surprised at what they heard in their appraisal. Simon Jones, acting chief executive at Investors in People UK, says: “It is encouraging that many people now receive an annual review and the research suggests that they find the feedback useful. But, it is also a concern that some managers may be letting down their employees by failing to give full and frank feedback. Annual reviews can be hugely beneficial to both employer and employee, identifying areas for development as well as ensuring the employee feels motivated, engaged and part of the organisation’s success. However, many of these benefits will be lost if managers avoid difficult issues and hold things back.” “Employees are not just after honest, but also regular feedback throughout the year so there aren’t any big surprises when it comes to the annual review. Appraisals should always cover both past performance and objectives, but equally important are discussions of future targets and opportunities. It’s a great chance for managers to make sure their employees feel challenged and valued for the year ahead, rather than unmotivated and without guidance.”