Reality often does not match intent when it comes to performance appraisals. In a relatively common, worst-case scenario, the boss hands the employee a filled-out form for the employee, who may or may not agree to sign. Is this preferable to “no appraisal at all” (which is also surprisingly common)? Reflect on your own experience with the process, as giver and/or receiver.
A vast amount of research has gone into “improving the instrument.” “Behaviorally-Anchored Rating Scales” (BARS) and the related “Behavioral Observation Scales” (BOS) aim to reduce the subjective elements of the review process (“I like Jack, so I think he is pretty good at everything”) and connect the appraisal to objective observables (“Jack completes more than 90% of his assigned work on or ahead of schedule”). Still, years of practice with such tools indicates the appraisal form per se can’t alone fix the problem of poor performance reviews. The problem is not the form; the solution is not the form. An improved form simply can’t do it all.