The word "effective" might as well not even be there.

Performance Appraisals (aka Performance Development Plans, or Individual Performance Plans, or yearly employee reviews) are done very differently depending on where you work.  But the bottom line is this. 

 Every employee has a RIGHT to receive their performance appraisal.

Here are just a few of the appraisal faux-pas' that I heard this morning...

• My manager just puts it in front of me and tells me to sign it with no discussion of my goals or objectives.
• My boss always gives me all C's (or 3's) - right down the middle!
• I have been working here for 4 years and I've never received one.

GOOD GRAVY!  Are you serious?

As a leader, it is your responsibility to use the performance appraisal to guide and direct your employees.  It is an extremely useful tool to issue feedback, to set goals, and to review performance.  To not use it is like having a hammer in your toolbox, but always choosing to use pliers for every job.  Why would you do that?

Depending on where you work, your performance appraisal may or may not be tied to your merit increase.  In civil service, it is not.  Your merit increase is most likely based on seniority.  But that does not mean that you cannot use this tool to develop your employees.

When I worked in the private sector in Orlando, the performance appraisal was taken very seriously.  As a manager, if I did not issue these to my employees at the scheduled time, I was held accountable.  In civil service, it is the opposite.  Performance Appraisals, though mandated by the Merit System Rules and Regulations, are enforced inconsistently throughout the multiple jurisdictions.

There are serious leadership issues in the Merit System, and effective leaders need to make sure they are using every available resource.  If you have not given your employees their well-deserved performance appraisal, then set aside some time to do that this month. 

Your employees need your feedback...why not give it to them?