Appraising the Performance of Older Workers

Abstract

Performance appraisal should receive critical and effective priority in personnel management. This recommendation is based on a number of reasons: the aging of the workforce, the desire of many individuals to continue working past normal retirement age, the disclosure rights granted by the Freedom of Information Act, the 1978 amendments to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the large magnitude of individual differences among older workers, demands for equal employment opportunity, the growing emphasis on communication and participation in employee relations, and the motivation of organizations to make the best use of the available work force. Performance evaluation provides an accurate measure of how well a person is performing on the job. This information allows the management to (a) make personnel decisions regarding salary, productions, layoffs, etc. and (b) help employees improve performance, plan work, develop skills for career growth, and strengthen the quality of their relationship as managers and employees. This dual purpose of performance appraisal creates problems for managers as they find it difficult to serve both as judge and as counselor simultaneously. Many organizations have, therefore, developed separate appraisal programs for performance evaluation and performance planning and review (Meyer, Kay, and French, 1965).