Performance appraisal and workplace culture: A qualitative study investigating differences in job roles and outcomes

Research in the field of positive organisational scholarship highlights the benefits of a positive culture to both the organisation and the employees. Workplace culture also affects the likelihood that the performance evaluation process will generate positive outcomes. One of the more challenging areas of healthcare management is the difference in perspectives of clinical and nonclinical employees. Both types of employees bring vital skills important in generating positive patient outcomes, but they may value different things in the workplace. This complicates the evaluation process in providing feedback to employees to help improve performance. To investigate what employees value, this paper compares data from a healthcare organisation in the USA. Early evidence indicates that nonclinical respondents report a more positive perception of workplace culture than clinical employees. This difference in perceptions, however, does not appear to result in different intentions with respect to retention. Both groups show a strong indication to remain with the organisation and are equally committed to it. Performance appraisals are not perceived as accurately reflecting the efforts of both types of employees. In the sample organisation, employees are committed, but clinical employees do not perceive an environment where the performance review system leads to better performance.