I read a recent article in the Harvard Business Review which made me  reflect on how placing performance appraisals on-line made things easy for everyone concerned, and here's why...

It discussed how lasting behavioural change can often come about through changes to ones environment.

The author described examples from everyday life, where for example, he moved their garden furniture to outside their patio doors rather than in the garden - suddenly where they once aspired to eat outside and enjoy the weather, but didn't because the table and chairs were 'too far down the garden' - they found themselves eating outside all the time....why?

He attributed to the simple fact that it was perceived as being 'easier' to do it....just open the patio doors and sit down!

The act of making the environment more conducive to sitting down outside, made it more likely to happen.

He extends the same observation to work life; if you can make it easier for people to do something, or have them perceive it as being easier, then there is a greater chance of them doing it.

He cites many examples but not unsurprisingly my interest was in the comment regarding making day-to-day tasks simpler by using technology; for us this is the most straightforward argument for on-line performance appraisals - it just makes things easier.

We consistently see improved completion rates, higher levels of engagement, and a more cohesive approach to appraisals because on-line systems make it easier to administer and use.