Performance Appraisal System and its Implication on Employee Performance: A Study of Zambia Revenue Authority

Abstract

Performance appraisal systems used by a multitude of organisations globally should pose a major concern to all who use this employee evaluation process. This is mainly because performance appraisals do have an effect on employees. Whether this effect is for good or bad is the primary goal of this paper. Using data from a named organisation, the study will strive to determine whether the performance appraisal methods of that organisation have indeed had intrinsic effects on the performance of individual employees and whether this has indeed trickled down to the entire organisation as a whole. Both quantitative and qualitative research approaches were chosen as a primary and secondary data source. Questionnaires and interviews were used for primary data collection. Secondary data were collected from different articles, books, and online sources as well as the organisation under consideration. The results showed that, indeed, inherent in a performance appraisal system may be factors that need special attention if it is to work out for the benefit of the organisation. Whereas the procedures of the system may in themselves be very beneficial, the implementation thereof may be lacking and expose holes that may need to be filled from top management, middle management, and supervisees alike in order for the organisation as a whole to realise the full benefit of the performance appraisal system. The researcher recommended that the organisation take these factors into consideration if they are to achieve organisational objectives and goals.