Performance appraisal is something nearly all companies have to do at some point. From rank and file to the top of a business, this kind of evaluation is as key for people as it is for equipment. So who needs performance appraisal consultants? Well, every business that has trouble fine-tuning their own "core competencies" in doing the marks for personnel, and even others who just want to make sure that quality remains in place.

Business leaders looking critically at performance appraisal processes can find online help for seeing how performance appraisal consulting companies work within the general business community and just what makes their work so special. Readers can get news on trends in outsourcing, tech tools and "automation" in performance appraisal, for the purposes of:

1. Making a switch from one performance appraisal technology or services provider to another.

2. Getting more knowledgeable about how performance appraisal tools work in order to see what the best option is for a particular business of any size.

3. Talking to HR reps about how performance appraisal consultancy enhances the effectiveness of a staff.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find performance appraisal consultants news and trends from business journals

One key point for 'jumping off' into the world of performance appraisal is through online business 'magazines' or publications: as a lot of the print world moves online, these online sites continue to offer help with solutions like free performance appraisal phrases for a range of businesses with an ear to the ground.

I recommend: Articles like this one presented on Encyclopedia.com, originally from the Fairfield County Business Journal, talks about the limitations of value that some businesses feel applies to performance appraisal consulting. Find more on using the "products" of performance appraisal experts and other strategies for performance monitoring at ManageSmarter, an offshoot of Nielsen Business Media.

Look for more on performance appraisal consulting from broad-spectrum business info 'communities'

Other websites operate more like virtual communities: feature-rich sites drive traffic and inform businesses at the same time. Readers can get some relevance on performance appraisal and what drives that industry as well.

I recommend: Try the Workforce Management Community Center for ideas on how to use a performance appraisal consulting service or other options within a business to the best advantage. Find out more at WorkHelp.org.

Get more text and video resources on performance appraisal consulting services

Another strength of the web is that readers can get a variety of resources to bring to in-house trainings or huddle sessions regarding performance appraisal options and what choice the company should make.

I recommend: Look for articles like this one, "Know When to Get Help" from Flower Advisor, that cover the specific role of performance appraisal consulting firms in a business. Or find out about the 360 and other common tools from performance appraisal specialists, while getting access to "samples" and learning about what is going on in the marketplace--all by video from Expert Village.

While performance appraisal plays a crucial role in a company's success, many business owners and managers find they need expert guidance in developing and carrying out an effective performance appraisal system. Fortunately, modern businesses have easy access to many different providers of performance appraisal consultancy services.

A number of options are available for getting the help your company needs from the performance appraisal specialists. Some of them follow:

1. Approach various performance appraisal consulting companies, and find out what they have to offer.

2. Avail yourself of performance appraisal consulting services when purchasing appraisal software.

3. Bring in an executive trainer or coach who has experience in performance appraisal consulting.

4. Consider performance appraisal consulting companies that have different ideas and methods.

5. Find out what performance appraisal consultants have said about successful appraisals.

6. Visit websites that provide free performance appraisal phrases or forms to improve your appraisals.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Approach various performance appraisal consulting companies, and find out what they have to offer

Many companies specialize in performance appraisal consulting, so this would be the most logical place to begin your search for the expertise you need.

I recommend: Grote Consulting is well-known in the world of performance appraisal consultants. Other companies offering performance appraisal consultancy services are The Waters Consulting Group, Westminster Associates and COHRE (Center for Organizational and Human Resource Effectiveness).

Avail yourself of performance appraisal consulting services when purchasing appraisal software

Often companies that sell performance appraisal software also offer expert consulting services to help you use their software more effectively. If you were planning to purchase their software anyway, this can often amount to free performance appraisal consulting service.

I recommend: CyberLink offers consulting in addition to its performance appraisal software. And Halogen provides your choice of web-based training and consulting or instructor-led training, available either on-site or at the nearest Halogen office.

Bring in an executive trainer or coach who has experience in performance appraisal consulting

Executive coaching by an experienced performance appraisal consultant can be a real boon to your company's appraisal program. In addition to giving you or your managers advice on performance appraisal issues they face, the executive coach's job is to appraise and help improve your manager's own performance in every aspect of his or her job.

I recommend: GottaGettaCoach! and Working Resources provide executive coaches who can help you better address your company's performance appraisal problems.

Consider performance appraisal consulting companies that have different ideas and methods

New ideas and fresh perspectives can often help revive a less than successful assessment program. Stay open to the ideas of those performance appraisal consultancy firms that buck the conventional wisdom. Their ideas just might work for your company.

I recommend: Moravec & Associates sees performance appraisal a bit differently than most other companies do. This firm believes that the real performance appraisal experts are not the managers but the employees, and its approach reflects that philosophy.

Find out what performance appraisal consultants have said about successful appraisals

Seeking out information previously presented by various performance appraisal specialists might be considered a passive form of performance appraisal consulting. Consider checking out what the experts have said about the subject if paid consulting services are outside your budget. Even if you are able to pay for performance appraisal consulting, this information can still prove valuable.

I recommend: Free Management Library offers "The Basics of Conducting Employee Performance Appraisals," which guides you step-by-step through the activities necessary for a successful performance appraisal. SME Toolkit and Excellence 2.0 offer tips for more effective performance appraisal. And well-respected performance appraisal expert Dick Grote, of Grote Consulting offers his ideal assessment form for performance appraisal.

Visit websites that provide free performance appraisal phrases or forms to improve your appraisals

If you're a 'do-it-yourselfer' or simply need a little help with your appraisals while deciding whether or not to use a consulting company, try using some of the free performance appraisal phrases offered on various websites.

I recommend: Safari Books Online and BNET Business Network both provide online access to performance appraisal phrases.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Since there are various schools of thought on performance appraisals, you'll want to get as much information as you can before deciding which approach to use.

Performance appraisal consulting companies can be a valuable asset to any business owner. A performance appraisal consultancy can evaluate the state of your company and the quality of employee performance, and identify any performance issues affecting the success of your business. Performance appraisal consultants will work with you to identify individual and company-wide performance issues and find solutions.

Many performance appraisal specialists offer free performance appraisal phases and educational training workshops designed to correct employee performance and improve the efficiency of the workplace. Make the most of working with performance appraisal consultants by:

1. Learning what a performance appraisal is and how it can benefit your business.

2. Identifying what services are offered by performance appraisal consulting services.

3. Hiring a performance appraisal consulting company that meets the needs of your business.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find out how a performance appraisal will benefit your business

Performance appraisal consulting services can benefit your business no matter its size or industry. A performance appraisal can be conducted for individual employees or o a company wide level. Performance appraisal experts can identify performance issues or areas of weakness and help you find solutions that will work for your business and improve overall performance.

I recommend: Grote Consulting provides several guides to determine if performance appraisal is a service your business needs. Learn how its consulting services and management seminars can help your business succeed. Fox Lawson offers a regular newsletter to keep you informed about performance appraisal news. In addition to performance appraisal consultancy, the firm also offers compensation and salary package evaluations.

Determine which performance appraisal consulting service is right for your company

Most performance appraisal consulting firms offer services like management consultation and employee training seminars in addition to appraisals. These additional services can be helpful, but it's important to determine if your company needs these extra services so you don't pay for unnecessary consulting. Find out what services are offered by performance appraisal consulting companies.

I recommend: Accessible Business Consultants can help you develop marketing plans and strategies in addition to offering a variety of other performance appraisal consulting services. Performance Consultants reviews the many performance appraisal and training programs it provides, so you can determine if its programs fit your business needs.

Find a provider of performance appraisal consultancy services that meets your company's needs

Performance appraisal consultants can provide general appraisals and employee performance evaluations, but many also offer detailed appraisals for specific businesses or fields. Find find a performance appraisal consultant that meets the individual needs of your business.

I recommend: Align Mark offers performance appraisal consulting in employee skill and knowledge assessment, as well as offering training in employee sourcing and department management. CCHS Consulting is a performance appraisal consulting service specializing in performance consulting for healthcare businesses and community organizations.

When done properly, performance appraisals tell managers and support staff whether they are meeting production goals. The top-down performance appraisal of the past has been substituted for assessments that take a more employee-centered approach. The preferred assessment today encourages more communication between managers and employees, engages support staff in setting goals and includes them in self-assessment reviews where both sides analyze their achievements and shortcomings. Get to know some key terms that performance appraisal consultants rely on so you can improve goal management strategies.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Performance improvement

Consultants focus on performance improvement to identify reasons why employees perform at lower levels than expected. Once a company's performance improvement potential has been studied, consultants suggest strategies that will encourage productivity and close the performance gap. Today's consultants urge companies to avoid the 'progressive discipline' of the past which saw punishment rather than positive reinforcement as the way to improve workplace performance.

I recommend: Grote Consulting takes the performance improvement approach seriously by advising supervisors about corrective measures that encourage employees to perform well without triggering hostility toward management.

Performance management

The term performance management refers to the trend among business consultants today to see performance as a process that supervisors can control. Today's managers no longer assume that employees will perform at high levels so the company can meet its enterprise goals. The trend is now for managers to proactively get involved in all phases of performance management, such as setting goals that employees are informed of and then providing the mentoring that's necessary so employees achieve those goals.

I recommend: Find out how performance appraisal consultants like Align Mark design custom performance management programs that include assessment tools and goal setting strategies.

Performance incentive

Consultants depend on performance incentive to engage employees, believing that employees are capable of performing at higher levels when they receive the right kind of motivation. The most common forms of performance incentives are awards and bonuses.

I recommend: Fox Lawson explains how its performance incentive program starts out by identifying goals employees are able to attain and then communicating rewards given to employees who meet and surpass these expectations.

Competency based performance appraisal process design

One type of performance review analysis is known as the competency based performance appraisal process design. Consultants who perform these designs believe that the particular culture of an organization has an impact on employee productivity. That's why the skills and goals identified in these designs are different for every company.

I recommend: Quest Management has been a leader in performing competency based performance appraisal process designs. Find out how Quest uses positive feedback to improve productivity.

Goal management

Some consultants believe the key to improving productivity is proper goal management. This approach emphasizes the need to show each employee what he has accomplished as an individual and how his accomplishments have contributed to the company as a whole.

I recommend: Halogen has contracted with performance appraisal consultants who rely on goal management to measure individual and team performance as a way to drive accountability.

Alternative performance reviews

In keeping with the modern trend toward customization, some performance appraisal consultants are relying on alternative performance reviews to assess productivity. The goal is to find appraisals that improve communication between management and support staff, thereby finding solutions to current challenges. Some alternative performance review models include self-assessments, peer reviews, upward appraisals and the 360 degree feedback review.

I recommend: Learn more about the purpose of this approach and the benefits of each type of alternate appraisal at Tool Pack Consulting.