The Nexus of Employee Attitudes Towards Performance Appraisals and its Impact on Employee Performance in the Zimbabwean Manufacturing Sector

Abstract

Objectives: The study sought to examine the relationship between employee attitudes towards performance appraisal and its impact on work performance in the manufacturing sector using Ecomed Manufacturing (Pvt) Limited as a case study. This was in response to the general negative feelings against the performance appraisals by employees in the manufacturing sector. Methods: The researchers used an inductive research approach which recognizes that meaning emerges through interaction with participants of the study and adopted the realism philosophical position. The study used the case study research design and convenience sampling technique was adopted, thereby allowing the researchers to conveniently select 55 cases up to saturation point. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were used to solicit for information from the participants of the study which included both managerial and non-managerial staff. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the qualitative responses from participants. Results: The major findings of the study highlighted that the company under study is faced with negative employee attitudes towards performance appraisals. Hatred, bitterness, resentment, anger, competition among the employees were prevalent attitudes that the workforce exhibited against the appraisal system in place. Erosion of trust, antagonism and lack of team work among the workforce both in supervisory and non-supervisory levels was the greatest challenge faced by the organization studied. Regardless of the challenges faced, managerial participants concurred in stating that the performance appraisals in place brought about positive changes to the organization, exhibited by a steady increase in production due to competition among the employees which in turn led to meeting of targets. Conclusion: The researchers recommend that the Human Resource department should train and create awareness to about the entire performance management process so as to eliminate resentment towards the process. Furthermore, the Human Resource department should explore the introduction of self-rating performance appraisal methods where the employee can set targets and then monitor and rate own performance against set targets after a given period of time.