A Discourse Analytical Perspective on the Professionalization of the Performance Appraisal Interview

摘要

Over the years, performance appraisal interviews have become increasingly professionalized. This is clearly noticeable in the different rating scales and questionnaires that are distributed among supervisors and employees as a support during the preparatory and interviewing phase of the performance appraisal process, as is also in line with current advice given to practitioners. Using discourse analysis as a methodology to study sequential features and discourse strategies in three performance appraisal interviews, this article zooms in on the effect of such a questionnaire (based on the organization's competencies) on the interview itself. The analyses reveal a nuanced picture, demonstrating on the one hand advantages of these questionnaires such as the use of a well-defined agenda that gives the interview structure. On the other hand, disadvantages such as the inefficient use of expensive institutional time due to lengthy terminological explanations are exposed as well.