Figure 1
The shift from performance appraisal to a performance feedback culture (Source: own research)
| Element of PM | From performance Appraisal in South African HEI | To performance feedback culture in South African HEI |
|---|---|---|
| Overarching orientation | Reactive, evaluation exercise of what has already happened | Proactive, continuous, driving current and future performance |
| Type of process | Linear | Fluid, non-linear |
| Temporal focus | Backwards-looking; top-down feedback provided as part of a PM process | Forward-looking, integrated and illuminating past, present and future; input from the team facilitated by the boss |
| Timing | Prescribed time in a year | Ongoing check-ins in between goals and final review, cycle linked to the rhythm of an individual's work |
| Leader of the performance process | Led by HR with some input from management | Led by supervisors and management |
| Level of focus | Operational | Strategic |
| Who triggers the feedback process | Year-end review, initiated by the organization | Stand-back review at the end of the work cycle, triggered by the individual |