Tool 11. Upward Appraisals

About This Tool

Despite the growing popularity of rounded or 360 appraisals, a number of companies still use Upward Appraisals. Some actually use both. Others prefer Upward Appraisals over 360's for a number of reasons including but not limited to the following:

• They typically involve less time and fewer resources to administer
• They can readily be designed and administered with limited technology or outside help
• They tend to be less intimidating and create less tension in the workplace
• They are usually less disruptive to the operation
• They can be easily changed to focus on changing issues/priorities

They do, however, have disadvantages when compared to 360's. A complete comparison of pro's and con's is beyond the scope of this discussion. But for those who want to use, or are considering, an Upward Appraisal instrument of some kind, this tool may be of some help.

Using This Tool

The following Upward Appraisal is just one format to consider. It contains a fairly lengthy list of items or behaviors to give you a broad selection from which to choose. There are others you'll also think of as you review the attached, but this one should get you started. Our experience shows 20 to 30 rated items to be about average. The number of items will depend on several factors including:

• how often you plan to administer it
• how your managers and employees view the process
• what you'll be doing with the results
• the degree of specificity you want in each item

Our experience also shows most companies administer upward appraisals annually with a few doing it semi-annually. Many avoid conducting upward appraisals during or near performance appraisal time to reinforce the idea that these are more developmental than evaluative. There are some companies, however, that do consider the results of upward appraisals when making compensation and/or promotion decisions. Obviously, the schools of thought on this vary.

Click here to download the complete Upward Appraisals Tool as a PDF.

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