We completed a recent project with the British Museum which provides a great example of how a well designed performance appraisal form can really help engage people in the appraisal process and increase completion rates significantly.

The British Museum were looking to increase the quality of information provided through their performance appraisal system.

They also sought to achieve a cultural shift which would re-position performance appraisal at the heart of the Museum’s operation and which would be evidenced by an increased participation rate. 

A unique organisation, with a wide range of employees including world experts in their field: customer service staff, curators, and project managers; the British Museum were looking for an organisation which could support them in their redesign of the appraisal form and stay with them should they then look to implement an online system in the future.

A British Museum owned process, supported by Bowland Solutions, featured the following stages:

·         Identification of aims and value of the performance appraisal process

·         Options for form redesign

·         Workshops for 60 people from across the organisation to give feedback on 
    the aims and form options

·         Development of a revised form

·         Workshops to test the revised form and agree on communication

·         Communication, education and roll-out

The revised form, with clear simple language and revised branding was highly tailored to the stated aims and needs of the organisation.  A common form was implemented across the organisation but with bespoke advice based on the job groupings.

Together with a series of presentations, workshops and guidance notes the revised process was rolled out to circa 1,000 staff in March of this year.

The result – the completion rate has risen from 49% (in a year) to 78% (in three months); people are engaging with the process and the data contained within the forms is clearer.