Open performance appraisal practices, fairness perceptions and appraisee satisfaction among Uganda public service employees

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of open performance appraisal practices on perceptions of appraisal fairness and appraisee satisfaction. Specifically, the study examined the relationship between open performance appraisal practices and perceptions of appraisal fairness, the relationship between open performance appraisal practices and appraisee satisfaction, and the role of perceptions of appraisal fairness in mediating the relationship between open performance appraisal practices and appraisee satisfaction. The study utilised the cross-sectional survey research design. The study was conducted in the Ministries of the Public Service and Health. Data was obtained via survey questionnaire from 101 participants using the purposive and simple random sampling techniques. The response rate was 61 percent. Pearson product moment correlation and regression analysis methods were used for testing the hypotheses. The findings of the study indicate a significant relationship (p < .01; r = .053) between open performance appraisal practices and perceptions of appraisal fairness, the relationship between open performance appraisal practices and appraisee satisfaction was also found to be significant (p < .01; r = .48). The findings further show that perception of appraisal fairness plays a partial mediation role in shaping appraise satisfaction with open performance appraisal practices with significance of p = .015, β = .22. In view of the above findings, it is recommended that organizations should develop programs to enable appraisees participate and discuss performance plans or objectives and, receive continuous and specific performance feedback to improve their perceptions of appraisal fairness and satisfaction