The essay method of appraisal is a performance evaluation technique where the rater describes an employee's strengths, weaknesses, performance, potential, and provides suggestions for improvement in a narrative form.
This method relies on the evaluator's writing skills and ability to provide a comprehensive overview of the employee's contributions and areas needing development. It offers flexibility but also introduces subjectivity.
Key Aspects of the Essay Method:
- Descriptive Evaluation: The appraiser writes a detailed narrative about the employee's performance.
- Comprehensive Coverage: The essay should cover various aspects, including strengths, weaknesses, past performance, and potential for future growth.
- Suggestions for Improvement: The rater provides actionable recommendations for the employee to enhance their performance.
- Subjectivity: The evaluation can be influenced by the rater's personal biases and writing style.
- Simplicity: It is one of the easiest appraisal methods to implement, requiring no complex forms or calculations.
Advantages of the Essay Method:
- Detailed Feedback: Provides a more in-depth and personalized assessment compared to simpler rating scales.
- Flexibility: Allows the rater to focus on the most relevant aspects of the employee's performance.
- Ease of Use: Relatively straightforward to implement, requiring minimal training.
- Qualitative Data: Captures qualitative information that may be missed by quantitative methods.
Disadvantages of the Essay Method:
- Subjectivity: Can be influenced by the rater's biases, leading to inconsistent evaluations.
- Lack of Standardization: Difficult to compare evaluations across different raters due to varying writing styles and assessment criteria.
- Time-Consuming: Writing detailed essays can be time-intensive for the appraiser.
- Potential for Vagueness: Without clear guidelines, essays may lack specific examples and actionable feedback.
Example of Essay Method Content:
An essay evaluating John Doe might include statements like: "John consistently exceeds expectations in project delivery and demonstrates strong leadership skills within his team. However, his communication skills could be improved, particularly in presenting complex information to non-technical stakeholders. We recommend John attend a presentation skills workshop to further develop this area."
The essay method of appraisal is a qualitative approach to performance evaluation that provides detailed, descriptive feedback but requires careful management to mitigate subjectivity and ensure consistency.
