Appraisal (or performance management as it is often called), when done properly, can bring optimal results for both employer and employee. However, without a full understanding of what it is all about, the process can become a fairly unproductive bureaucratic waste of time, effort and energy.

Employing organizations generally invest heavily in human resources in terms of salaries and other costs. It is therefore understandable that they will want to ensure the best possible return on that investment. This is where appraisal comes into the picture. It is intended to identify employees’ strengths that can be built on and areas for development that can be built up.

This course provides the understanding needed to make appraisal work and helps to establish a strong basis for good practice. It offers a clear and helpful basis of understanding to enable you to appreciate the way effective appraisal works, so that you can be well-equipped to make sure that the process is productive in ways that enable everyone to benefit – the employee from being helped to grow, develop and improve (and thereby enhance their career prospects) and the organization and its various stakeholders from improved standards of practice. There is therefore much to be gained from looking very carefully at how appraisal works.