An Opportunity to Grow or a Label? Performance Appraisal Justice and Performance Appraisal Satisfaction to Increase Teachers' Well-Being.

Laura Dal Corso,Francesca Carluccio,Damiano Girardi,Alessandro De Carlo,Alessandra Falco

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02361

Abstract

Performance management is a key factor to enhance professional development and improve teaching quality. This process is successful only if teachers perceive it as fair, clear, and effective: namely, if it is satisfying. Carefully considering teachers’ attributions in the performance appraisal process is fundamental to better clarify the relations between performance management and positive individual outcomes. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effects of perceived performance appraisal justice on teachers’ well-being, in terms of job performance, job satisfaction, and life satisfaction, hypothesizing the mediation role of performance appraisal satisfaction. Data from a sample of Italian teachers were analyzed through structural equation modeling. Results confirm the mediation role of performance appraisal satisfaction. In particular, perceived performance appraisal justice was positively associated to performance appraisal satisfaction, which, in turn, was positively associated with job performance, job satisfaction, life satisfaction. Consequently, performance appraisal satisfaction totally mediated the relations between performance appraisal justice and the outcomes considered. Findings are relevant for two reasons. First, they contribute to better understanding the performance management process in educational settings – an issue requiring further attention. Second, they contribute to highlighting the importance of performance management efficacy, which is essential not only to improve individual well-being but also to enhance teaching quality.

Highlights

Performance appraisal is one of the most important HR management tools and its efficient implementation is one of the greatest HR professionals’ challenges, in terms of validity and reliability (Gupta and Kumar, 2013; Ivaldi et al, 2015)
This study focuses on individual perceptions of performance appraisal: the entire process conveys contextual factors, considering its subjective elements is of utmost importance (Kim, 2016)
The study underlines the relationships between performance appraisal justice and some positive individual outcomes

Summary

Introduction

Performance appraisal is one of the most important HR management tools and its efficient implementation is one of the greatest HR professionals’ challenges, in terms of validity and reliability (Gupta and Kumar, 2013; Ivaldi et al, 2015). Performance appraisal identifies the individual’s contribution to the organizational goals and establishes individual performance standards (Ikramullah et al, 2012). It can become a real job resource (Farndale, 2017). Performance appraisal is a formal assessment of what employees have performed (Snape et al, 1998). Its ultimate purpose is to allow employees to continue to improve their job performance (Selvarajan et al, 2018) and teaching. Teachers’ Performance Appraisal Satisfaction and Well-Being innovation (Benadusi and Giancola, 2016). Performance appraisal has specific aims, such as accountability, professional development (Delvaux et al, 2013), and organizational growth (Rubel and Kee, 2015)

Objectives

Discussion

Conclusion