PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL’S INFLUENCE ON ACADEMIC EMPLOYEES’ PERFORMANCE AND PRODUCTIVITY IN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES

Abstract

Performance appraisals can be used to reinforce better productivity among academic employees, and encourage them to thrive. The study investigated performance appraisal influence on academic employees’ performance and productivity in public universities. The objectives of this study are to examine the influence of performance appraisal system on academic employees’ job satisfaction in public universities, and to investigate how performance appraisal system motivate academic employees to increase job performance and productivity in public universities. The adopted the expectancy theory by Vroom (1964). Furthermore, the descriptive research method aided the collection of data from 48 respondents with the use of questionnaire distributed purposefully in two public universities in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The data retrieved were analyzed in percentage, mean and standard deviation scores. The findings reveal that academics in public universities in Nigeria do perceive that performance appraisal system influence academic employees job satisfaction that performance appraisal system outcome propel and motivates academic employees to exert more work efforts that gear up the performance and productivity levels of lecturers’ significantly higher. Based on the findings, the study recommends that the management of public universities in Nigeria should explore ways to fairly and responsively ensure that academic employees contribute in decision making processes for the effectiveness of the performance appraisal system in public universities. Universities management should see the performance appraisal system as a motivating Human Resource tool that when effectively done can enhance performance and productivity among academic employees.