Perception of the Transformation from Performance Appraisals to a Continuous Feedback Culture

In a large corporation in Switzerland has recently transformed its performance management process. Like other corporations have done in recent years they have transition from a traditional and formal performance appraisal system to a more flexible and informal approach which focusing on immediate and continues feedback, instead of on rating. This case study was conducted to explore how the transition to the new performance management process was perceived by employees, managers and HR managers. A total of 15 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted to provide a holistic perspective on performance management go through cultural, and continuous feedback practices. The researcher followed an inductive and qualitative approach to explore what the participants think and feel about their performance management processes. The central emphasises of this research was on exploring the perception of employees, managers, and HR on the current application of the traditional performance appraisal process while they transition to a continuous feedback driven performance management model. The findings unveiled that the conventional performance management method accumulates crucial information that can be utilised for decision-making operations including rewards or incentives, making it a significant instrument for motivating staff as well as an effective technique for managing and controlling them. However, the study also indicated that immediate feedback was necessary for performance improvement. Additionally, studies on the success of continuous feedback cultures in the context of contemporary performance management systems are discussed. Collectively the research underlines the need for a range of policy instruments and inducements to facilitate good patterns of employee management and motivation in current organisational contexts. The findings of this study have allowed the researcher to develop the Reflexing Performance Management Model. By underscoring the vital importance of personal communication, direct feedback, appreciation, positive reinforcement, and employee empowerment, the model positions these human-centred factors as core drivers of performance management success.