Performance appraisal entails the regular practice of reviewing employees' performance and contribution to the company. Notably, each organization has its objectives regarding the employees and goals. Therefore, performance appraisal is an essential process for the organization to determine employees who deserve a pay rise, awards, or other recognition forms. Additionally, performance appraisal helps organizations determine which employees should face dismissal since they have failed to meet the organization's objectives. The United States Navy is one of these organizations that need performance appraisal. Therefore, this research intends to provide a detailed performance appraisal for the American Navy. For instance, the analysis will discuss the benefits of formal and informal performance assessment in the American Navy. Moreover, the analysis will also focus on line managers' roles in performance management and the importance of giving valuable feedback, amongst other things.
The value of formal performance assessment in the American Navy
Formal performance assessment entails setting guidelines that intend to assess the employees' performance. For instance, formal performance assessment entails creating interviews and meetings to engage all employees on performance matters. The American Navy also engages informal performance appraisal, which is of great value. Notably, the Navy's primary value of formal performance assessment is that it increases employee's performance and relationship with the management (Addabbo & Ales, 2018). Through organized meetings, the government manages to engage the employees and help them improve their delivery.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Moreover, the relationship is also enhanced within the Navy through these organized meetings and interviews. Through formal performance appraisal, the workers get to learn new skills and better performance at the Navy. Arguably, organizing a formal meeting creates a chance for the management to restate some of their objectives and empower employees at the Navy.
The value of informal performance assessment in the American Navy
Informal performance appraisal refers to the impromptu activities that take place at an organization in a bid to assess employees' performance and contribution to the company. Some of these spontaneous activities might entail meetings, discussion, consultation, and coaching. The principal value of informal performance appraisal is that it ensures that the Navy's management immediately solves minor performance gaps. There are instances where the supervisor can note a little performance gap that does not require the company to summon a meeting. Therefore, informal performance assessment is of great value to the Navy since it ensures an immediate solution to minor performance errors.
The role of the first-line manager in performance management
First-line managers are the ones who closely interact with navy workers. Therefore, the first-line managers are expected to play crucial roles in performance management from the close interaction with the workers. First, supervising the employees is one of the critical parts of first-line managers' handling performance management (Fisk, 2016). These first-line managers must ensure that the navy workers are meeting the organization's objectives through supervision. Second, first-line managers are also supposed to mentor the navy workers to achieve perfect performance management at the organization. There are instances where an employee might fail to meet the organization's objective. Therefore, the first-line manager must mentor such a worker and understand how the system works.
How to ensure fair and objective formal assessment
Whereas performance assessment is crucial for every organization to ensure that the employees are delivering, there is a need to remain objective and fair. Therefore, balancing criticism is one of the strategic means that the Navy ensures fair and accurate criticism. There is a need for the Navy to balance its criticism by ensuring that all employees who have failed to meet their targets are questioned. Notably, balancing criticism amongst the employees ensures fairness achievement, hence limiting rivalry amongst the workers. Moreover, the organization must also ensure that all workers are granted equal opportunities to defend their performance to ensure an objective and fair assessment. Notably, the need to achieve performance improvement is the reason why organizations engage in assessment. Therefore, the Navy can only improve its performance if the workers are also granted a chance to defend their positions, implying that the evaluation was objective.
Explanation of how to set correct SMART goals
It is also possible for the Navy to set correct SMART goals by focusing on various considerations before implementing their goals. For instance, the goals must remain specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely (Trost, 2017). There is a need to ensure that every goal that is et is specific regarding what they intend to achieve. Nevertheless, they must also ensure that the goal is measurable based on the extension they intend to accomplish that goal. Whereas it is crucial to remain realistic, the goal also becomes SMART if it is achievable within a set time.
How to set performance standards
Setting performance standards is also essential for any organization to ensure that all its employees meet the required performance expectations. Therefore, creating the Navy's general goals is one of the strategic means to achieve a perfect set of performance standards (Venne, 2018). Notably, creating a general-purpose means that every navy worker must ensure that they meet the indicated standards. Additionally, the American Navy can also set performance standards through enhancing performance with coaching. Whereas a particular standard is et, there is a need to coach the employees to ensure that they meet these standards.
How to measure performance against a team member based on the agreed standards
It is crucial to measure the employees' performance to determine whether or not they have met the organization's objectives and standards. Therefore, comparing previous and current results is one of the appropriate means for the American Navy to measure performance against a team member. Notably, comparing the current and prior results helps in noting where they have achieved growth or a loss in terms of performance. Moreover, comparing the employees' performance with each other also helps in measuring performance.
How feedback improves performance
Feedback is an essential part of employee performance appraisal since it helps in improving performance in many ways. First, feedback is crucial since it improves performance by enhancing ability. There are instances where employees fail to register for the best performance since they lack the proper knowledge (Woerkom, 2016). However, close supervision and the providence of feedback ensure better understanding since they have learned what they need to do right. Second, providing feedback is also essential in achieving input since it is a source of motivation. Some navy workers might fail to register the best performances since they doubt themselves. However, the situation changes after receiving feedback and noting that they can do the best. Third, feedback is also crucial since it betters performance by making the workers understand that they are on the right track. Consequently, a worker finds a reason to maintain good performance since it is already acknowledged that they are the best. Therefore, there is a need for the American Navy to ensure it continues providing employees with feedback to achieve performance appraisal.
How to give effective feedback
First, the Navy's management must remain specific in granting their feedback to ensure that it is effective. There are many instances where the workers might fail to improve since the feedback was not specific. However, remaining particular means that the feedback focuses on the central issues which are affecting results. Consequently, the feedback becomes effective since the worker understands the specific area they are supposed to improve. Second, focusing on performance instead of personality is another best approach to giving effective feedback (Trost, 2017). It is possible for a navy employee to have a bad character but register a good performance. Therefore, such instances call for granting them feedback based on their performances instead of personality. Consequently, such an employee manages to better performance since they do not take anything personally. Third, maintaining privacy is yet another practical approach to give effective feedback. Whereas there is a need to grant all employees feedback regarding their performance, there is a need to maintain privacy to ensure that they do not take it personally. Notably, maintaining privacy makes feedback useful since the employee understands what they need to improve without focusing on workmates' opinions.
Potential areas for underperformance and critical causes of failure
The potential areas of underperformance include sea protection and educating civilians about remaining safe while at sea. Notably, two specific factors cause underperformance in these areas. First, the Navy's lack of proper feedback is one of the key reasons why failure is probable in these areas. The paper has already mentioned that feedback is crucial to enhance the worker's performance. However, the lack of feedback for the navy workers implies that they might lack direction regarding what is right or wrong (Venne, 2018). Consequently, this is the reason why they choose to continue registering poor performance in the area. Moreover, lack of feedback also contributes to underperformance in the mentioned areas since there are chances of experiencing conflict. Arguably, employees tend to fall into conflict when they do not know what is supposed to be done. The providence of feedback ensures that they learn and change their ways. However, staying in conflict reduces concentration on duty, resulting in poor performance in the mentioned areas. Second, the lack of motivation is yet another factor that causes underperformance in the mentioned areas. These employees need the inspiration to know that management cares about their needs.
Actions to restore performance
Offering navy workers feedback one of the best approaches that will ensure performance restoration. Notably, giving the workers feedback will ensure that they learn what is right and wrong regarding performance. Consequently, the workers will manage to focus on their duties, hence resulting in better performance. Second, motivation is yet another means of bettering performance at the Navy. These workers also need the motivation to understand that what they are doing is right. Consequently, they will improve their performance.
Conclusion
The paper has provided a detailed analysis of performance appraisal for the American Navy. Notably, there was a need to note that performance appraisal is essential to any organization since it enhances performance. Therefore, there was a need to mention that the Navy must focus on both informal and formal assessments to achieve the best performance appraisal. Moreover, the analysis indicates that there is a need to offer employees feedback to enhance performance. Providing employees with enough feedback helps them note areas where they are perfect and where they need to improve. In brief, the analysis proves that the American Navy can enhance performance through performance management.
References
Addabbo, T., & Ales, E. (2020). Performance Appraisal in Modern Employment Relations: An Interdisciplinary Approach. New York: Springer Nature.
Fisk, P. (2016). Appraising the performance of performance appraisals. Monthly Labor Review, 5 (21), 1-2.
Trost, A. (2017). The End of Performance Appraisal: A Practitioners' Guide to Alternatives in Agile Organisations. New York: Springer International Publishing.
Venne, R. A. (2018). Generational Change, the Modern Workplace and Performance Appraisal: Why Changing Workplaces Need a Developmental Approach to Performance Appraisal. American Journal of Management, 18 (5), 88-102.
Woerkom, M. v. (2016). Why Performance Appraisal Does Not Lead to Performance Improvement: Excellent Performance as a Function of Uniqueness Instead of Uniformity. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 8 (2), 275-281.
