Many managers would agree with Rajiv in saying that “these things are a pain, and I really shouldn’t have to bother with them.” What are the disadvantages in doing away with performance appraisal?

“There, at last it’s finished,” thought Rajiv Chaudhry, as he laid aside the last of 12 PA forms. It had been a busy week for Rajiv, who supervises a road maintenance crew for the Georgia Department of Highways.

In passing through Rajiv’s district a few days previously, the governor had complained to the area superintendent that repairs were needed on several of the highways. Because of this, the superintendent assigned Rajiv’s crew an unusually heavy workload. In addition, Rajiv received a call from the HR office that week reminding him that the PAs were late.

Rajiv explained his predicament, but the HR specialist insisted that the forms be completed right away.