Please leave two substantive comments to the students post below. Substantive agrees with supporting facts, disagrees with supporting facts, adds to the conversation with some new idea. (150-170 words each, 2 comments in total)

J R

"Performance appraisals, in my experience, have been ineffective and a waste of time. However, it can truly depend on the type of job and job setting at which appraisals are applied. My experience with both trait and result method reviews has left me to believe they take up time and resources that could be better served doing something else.

The first experience with appraisals was when my manager had to complete a graphic rating scale while I was working at a grocery store. This type of appraisal was strictly to say, yes you have been coming in on time or how much of a team player you have been. The results then determined if you deserve a $.10 raise (sometimes $.25!) raise. Due to the nature of the work and the age of the employees it felt like a waste of time. In an article written by Susan Heathfield name,Common Problems With Performance Appraisals, she states; "When the appraisal is a deciding factor in employee raises, it loses its ability to help employees learn and grow." Thus, time could have been spent coaching those who needed it and not those who have been performing correctly.

When it comes to the results method I have been involved Management by Objectives (MBO) assessments. The MBO is driven by ratings and metrics. The problem lies with the time and knowledge of the appraisal. The management is ill informed on how to administer and read the appraisal which in turn causes employees to have to complete the forms multiple times and usually are incomplete or inaccurate. So the trickle down effect is if the company does not properly train the manager then the appraisal is compromised and worthless. That is why, in my opinion, appraisals are not effective."

C B

"I believe that performance reviews are not only beneficial to the company conducting them but also to the employee who performance is being reviewed. While some companies sparingly find performance reviews useful in creating business, they do create lower turnover rates. So for a business professional having a low turnover rate for your company is very important and shows potential applicants that you are doing something right.

From my own experiences at work not only have I benefited from traditional yearly performance reviews but also from positive feedback given in between those yearly reviews. As a manager it isn't difficult to make a good employee feel valued, just to remind them that they are doing a good job once in a while is enough. Your employees work very hard and reflect an image of who you are as a manager. If you give your employees positive feedback they will work harder for you in most cases."