The Relationship Between Performance Appraisal System and Employee Job Satisfaction in Higher Education Institutions in Palestine

Abstract

The Performance Appraisal System (PAS) plays a key role in the overall success of an organization. An appropriate PAS can potentially increase employee Job Satisfaction (JS). This article aims to demonstrate the level of practices and characteristics of the PAS, characterize JS levels in the workplace, and understand the relationship between the PAS and JS in Palestine’s Higher Education Institutions (HEI). This article advocates to the Ministry of Higher Education to establish a Performance Appraisal (PA) model in all HEI that would meet their specific needs. It will also contribute to the development of HEI through facilitating improved services to students and society overall. Furthermore, the article identifies key factors contributing to the success of PAS in Palestine. Convenience sampling was utilized to study 370 HEI employees. A quantitative analysis was employed through SPSS that found a statistically significant relationship between PAS traits and employee JS. Clarity, trust, and fairness positively correlated with JS, whereas two-way communication correlated negatively. Substantial gender-based disparities in JS among the participants were also identified.