Peer appraisal

Peer appraisal - way of giving feedback in order to gain information about tasks performed or job done. The crucial feature of peer apprisal is that it's based on peers or colleagues reviews. It refers to coworkers hepling coworkers idea, despite the management helping their charges. The key point is that all appraisal's participants are having equal rank. It is "an effective way of helping people analyse and reflect on their work with those colleagues who can give insights into performane, attitudes and behaviours"(H. Haman and S. Irvine 2001, p.8). The core of peer appraisal, which is peer reviev process was found around 1950's in South Yorkshire, England. It can be hold in different forms, most popular are the oral or written one, can be held olso in on-line version.

Qualities of peer appraissal

The peer review's quality is that is has to be anonymous unless it is open peer review, because then reviewers identity is no longer confidential(I. Hames 2008, p.14).It was proven that providing comments instead just scores and non-anonymous and volountary peer review made the whole feedback more effective. When peer assessment is going to be made the timelines have to be taken into account - peer review must to be planned to "occur before project decision are made"(Committee on the Department of Energy-Office of Science and Technology's Peer Review Program 1997, p.25). Of course implementing process od peer review have to be individually carried out, because in every place it has to be adapted to workers or other individuals, which means that not always it has to be successful. For this kind of appraisal it is importatnt to place it in the blame-free atmosphere because this can lead to creating "environment which is open, honest, safe, suportive and confidential yet rigorous and challenging"(H. Haman and S. Irvine 2001, p.5). This way of appraisal is used not only officially in workplaces, but as well it is implicated in healthcare or education system. The most vital aims of appraisal are:

• motivation by charting the progress
• way to gain iformation what anf how to improve weak points
• way to identify flaws and weaknesses
• way to prevent mistakes to be made before project begin
• building and strengthening relations in team

Examples of Peer appraisal

• 360-degree feedback: This is a performance appraisal process in which feedback about an employee is collected from his/her peers, supervisors, and sometimes even customers. It is an effective way to evaluate an employee's performance and identify areas for improvement.
• Peer Review: This is a process in which peers of an employee review the quality of their work and provide feedback. It is used to identify areas of improvement and encourage collaboration between employees.
• Team Assessments: This is a process in which peers evaluate the team's performance as a whole. It is used to identify areas of strength and weakness and improve team performance.
• Employee Appraisals: This is a process in which peers evaluate the performance of an individual and provide feedback. It is used to identify areas of improvement and encourage individuals to reach their goals.

Advantages of Peer appraisal

The following are some of the advantages of peer appraisal:

• It can provide valuable feedback from those who work with the employee on a daily basis. This can give a more accurate assessment of the employee's performance than those from a supervisor or manager.
• It can provide a sense of fairness and objectivity in the appraisal process. Since employees are being assessed by their peers, they are more likely to trust the feedback and take it seriously.
• It can also help to promote a sense of camaraderie and team spirit among employees. By involving colleagues in the appraisal process, it can create a sense of community and shared responsibility.
• It can also provide a platform for employees to learn from each other and share best practices. This can help to create an environment of continuous improvement and collaboration.
• It can also help to identify potential areas of improvement in the organization. By having employees assess each other's performance, they may be able to identify aspects of the organization that need to be improved.

Limitations of Peer appraisal

Peer appraisal is a common practice in the business world, but it is not without its limitations. Some of the major limitations of peer appraisal include:

• Subjectivity: Peer appraisals are often based on the subjective opinions of colleagues, supervisors, and subordinates, rather than on objective measurements. This can lead to discrepancies in the accuracy of the appraisals, as well as potential bias from the individuals conducting the appraisals.
• Time-Consuming: Peer appraisals can be labor-intensive, as they require a significant amount of time to coordinate and implement. This can make them difficult to carry out on a regular basis.
• Lack of Professionalism: Peer appraisals can be vulnerable to gossip and personal opinions, which can undermine the overall professionalism of the appraisal process.
• Limited Insight: Peer appraisals typically offer limited insight into the performance of an individual, as they are focused on the opinions of the peers rather than on the actual performance of the individual.

Other approaches related to Peer appraisal

Peer appraisal is a form of evaluation where colleagues provide feedback to each other in order to assess performance. It is an important part of many organizations’ performance management processes. Other approaches related to peer appraisal are:

• 360-degree feedback: This approach collects feedback from peers, supervisors, subordinates, and customers in order to provide a comprehensive view of an individual’s performance.
• Self-assessment: This approach requires individuals to evaluate their own performance and compare it to established goals.
• Performance ranking: In this approach, peers rank each other’s performance against a set of criteria.

Peer appraisal is an important tool for performance management, and there are several other approaches related to it, such as 360-degree feedback, self-assessment, and performance ranking. All of these approaches help to provide a more comprehensive view of an individual’s performance.

Peer appraisal — recommended articles

Appraisal method — Merit rating — Performance appraisal process — Belbin team role inventory — Performance management methods — Team development — Management by objectives steps — Management by objectives — Performance appraisal systems

References

• Blackmore J.A.(2005), A critical evaluation of peer review via teaching observation within higher education
• Committee on the Department of Energy-Office of Science and Technology's Peer Review Program, National Research Council (1997), Peer Review in the Department of Energy-Office of Science and Technology: Interim Report,National Academies Press
• Druskat V.U.(1999),Effects and Timing of Developmental Peer Appraisals in Self-Managing Work Groups, "Journal of Applied Psychology", vol.84
• Gould T. H. P. (2012), Do We Still Need Peer Review?: An Argument for Change,Scarecrow Press, Plymouth
• Haman H. and Irvine S. and Jelley D. (2001), The Peer Appraisal Handbook for General Practitioners, Radcliffe Publishing, Abingdon
• Hames I.(2008), Peer Review and Manuscript Management in Scientific Journals: Guidelines for Good Practice,John Wiley & Sons
• Kastman Breuch L.A.(2012), Virtual Peer Review: Teaching and Learning about Writing in Online Environments, SUNY Press, New York
• McKinstry B.,Peacock H., Shaw J.(2004),GP experiences of partner and external peer appraisal:a qualitative study,"Original Papers"
• Schneier C. E.,Douglas G. S., Richard W. B., Lloyd S. B. (1995), Performance Measurement, Management, and Appraisal Sourcebook, "Human Resource Development"
• Williams S.S.(2018), Impact and Perceptions of Peer Feedback on Writing with an At-risk Student Population, Southern Utah University

Author: Barbara Fidelus