Characteristics of Effective Appraisal Interviews
| Pages | 18-25 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb055571 |
| Published date | 01 April 1987 |
| Date | 01 April 1987 |
| Author | Gordon C. Anderson,Jean G. Barnett |
Characteristics of Effective Appraisal
Interviews
by Gordon
C.
Anderson,
MBA
Programmes Director, Stratholyde Business School,
and Department of Industrial Relations, University of Stratholyde, and
Jean
G.
Barnett, former Nursing Adviser, Management Education and Training
Division of the Scottish Health Service's Common Agency
Introduction
A number of studies, most of
which
have been carried out in
the US, examine the appraisal interview by adopting the
general research strategy of examining the relationship of one
(or more) interview process characteristic(s) to one (or more)
interview outcome.
The objective of this study is to replicate and extend the
approach used in one of these studies carried out by Burke,
Weitzel and Weir[l] among nursing staff in a Mid-Western
hospital. This study examines appraisal interviewing among
nursing staff in a Scottish Health Board (Fife). Appraisal
interviewing in nursing in Scotland has been investigated in
few
studies,
so as well as rectifying this situation, the present
investigation provides a comparison of appraisal practice
among nursing staff
in
Scottish and American settings.
An examination of the literature suggests that attention
has largely focused on the following interview process
characteristics:
• A Substantial Element of Employee
Participation in the
Appraisal Process
Studies, e.g.
by Wexley et
al.[2],
show that the more the
subordinate participates in the appraisal process, the
more satisfied he/she is likely to be with the interview
and the interviewer, and the more likely are perfor-
mance improvements to take place resulting from the
appraisal interview. The quality of
the
participation is
important, in terms of the extent the employee feels
able to express ideas and attitudes.
• A Positive and Supportive
Approach
by the Interviewer
In general, the greater the extent to which the style of
the interviewer follows positive motivational prin-
ciples,
including showing an appreciation of the
appraisee's point of view, helping in constructive
fashion
in
resolving job problems and giving praise for
achievements, the more likely the employee will res-
pond favourably to the appraisal interview and act on
the actions agreed. The importance of avoiding nega-
tive
criticism
was
stressed
in the classic
study
by
Meyer,
Kay and French[3], while the need for a climate of
trust, openness and constructiveness in the appraisal
interview has been highlighted in more recent investi-
gations, for example, by, Lawler et
al.[4].
• Identifying and Analysing Problems Affecting the
Employee's
Job
Performance
Maier[5],
in an early study, indicated that interviews
characterised by joint problem solving, focusing on
real job problems encountered by the employee were
more likely to lead to positive outcomes in terms of
satisfaction with the interview and subsequent per-
formance
improvement.
More
recently,
Margerison[6]
contends that a
key
factor
in
appraisal interviews
is
the
extent
to
which they
are
problem,
rather than solution-
centred. The more effort and emphasis are devoted to
identifying and analysing the nature of problems, the
more likely that changes in behaviour and perfor-
mance will occur, compared with situations where
appraisers impose solutions.
•
The Setting
of
Goals to be Achieved by the Employee
The setting of specific goals which the employee will
seek to attain has been shown to
have
a more powerful
effect on subsequent performance than a general dis-
cussion about
goals.
An important factor concerns the
process by
which
specific
goals
are set—the greater the
extent that both parties participate
in
setting
goals,
the
more likely that the employee
will
show commitment to
their achievement. Greller[7] states that the most im-
portant factor in conducting a successful appraisal
interview
is
the creation of
a sense
of ownership
by
the
appraisee. Brinkerhoff and Kanter[8] suggest that this
sense of ownership is generated through collaborative
goal setting.
•
The Balance in
the
Interview Discussion between
Job
Performance and Personality
of
the Employee
Studies, for example by Rothaus et
al.[9],
have shown
that where there is greater emphasis on job perfor-
mance
rather than on
the
personality of the individual,
more satisfaction with the interview is likely to be
expressed by both parties, with greater motivation on
the part of the employee to d-op performance.
The central purpose of this study has been to follow the
strategy of Burke, Weitzel and Weir in examining the influ-
ence of a number of interview process characteristics on a
range of interview outcomes.
The six dependent variables or outcomes of the appraisal
interviewing process largely replicate the measures used in
previous studies, and cover a range 'of areas, including
satisfaction with the appraisal process and impacts of the
appraisal interview on the attitude, behaviour and perfor-
mance of the employee.
Because of the important role of preparation for the ap-
praisal interview identified in many previous studies, e.g.
by Buzzota and Lefton[10], and the recent trends towards
the inclusion of elements of self-assessment discussed by
Long[l
1],
an
additional
aim has been to examine the
effects
of
pre-interview preparation and self-assessment documen-
18 • PR 16,4 1987
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