It’s a way for an employer to show that their employee’s labor is valued. Strengths, flaws, and places for improvement are discussed in the letter. The appraisal procedure is usually done once or twice a year. Appraisal letters are sent out to the appropriate employees based on this information.
An appraisal letter is a detailed letter containing everything an employee has achieved in their work. The appraisal letter contains information on how they can improve on their weaknesses and feedback on how they are performing about their peers. The letter also includes information on salary increments, promotions, and other factors related to career growth.
Performance appraisal is used to give feedback on the performance of employees and help them improve their performance. It can be done formally (by managers) or informally (by peers and subordinates). Some of the most commonly used appraisals are:
1. The 360-degree appraisal
2. Project Evaluation appraisal
3. General performance appraisal
4. Manager performance appraisal
5. Employee self-assessment
Here are the differences between an appraisal letter and an appreciation letter.
1) An appraisal letter provides information about the achievements and shortcomings of the employee. An appreciation letter is written to acknowledge someone in a particular way, and it is based on the specific situation.
2) The appraisal letter follows a particular pattern and a format. But, the appreciation letter can be personalized as per the receiver.
3) An appraisal letter is given to an employee by the HR department, but an appreciation letter could come from any superior.
4) The appraisal letters address employees’ performance issues to become more productive and efficient at work. In contrast, appreciation letters are used to acknowledge someone specially.
5) The appraisal letters are usually brief compared to appreciation letters.
Appraisals are the annual or biannual checks done to evaluate an employee’s performance. This is a two-way process wherein the appraisal tells how much one has contributed to the organization and how much they need to improve to reach their goals. Giving appraisals can be a very tedious task as you have to discuss their strengths and weaknesses with your employees.