The Perception Of Employees On Performance Appraisal Practice: The Case Of Major General Haylom Araya Military Academy

Abstract

Performance appraisal is very important in the army for rewards and promotions which consequently lead to professional and career development, to determine whether military personnel have the capability to accomplish their mission as per their rank and level of training. The main objective of the study was to assess the perception of employees on performance appraisal practice at MGHA Military Academy. The researcher used descriptive survey type the reason that the researchers used descriptive because it describes the nature and characteristics of the population. Census methods were used to collect and analyze data. The data collection tools were interview and questionnaire. Total of 163 questionnaires were distributed to all permanent employees and the response rate was 100%. The researcher mainly deployed mixed type of research approach. SPSS 20 version was used to process the primary data. Interview was also conducted with higher officers. Study found out that MGHA military academy uses PA to measure employees' job performance twice a year. However, MGHA military academy faces huge problems in its performance appraisal practice, mainly in areas such as deficiency of rater capacity to evaluate employee performance, rater bias in evaluating performance, lack of communicating performance standards and expectations to the employees. Moreover, there is absence of employee participation in setting performance evaluation criteria and performance review discussions. In addition to these problems the performance appraisal result of the staff members of the academy does not have any contribution in terms of rewards, incentives, training, promotion and positions. Overall the conclusion of the research confirmed that the performance appraisal practice at MGHA military academy has problems and weaknesses that need to be improved. Finally, recommendations are made based on the result of the study. It was recommended that Performance evaluation criteria should be revised in participation of the employees for they are the actual persons who do the job and evaluated. In order to inform employees who do not know why performance evaluation is conducted the MGHA military academy should create awareness on purpose of performance appraisal. The military academy management should give training to appraisers who are responsible for conducting performance evaluation. These will improvement raters' ability to evaluate and alleviate raters' bias