Have TQM organisations adjusted their performance management (appraisal) systems? A study of UK‐based TQM‐driven organisations

Reports findings from a survey designed to measure the consistency and congruity of HR performance evaluation systems with quality management precepts in UK‐based quality‐focused organisations. Twelve a priori features of HR performance evaluation were used to measure HR performance evaluation systems. Since a fundamental reason for the purported incompatibility between TQM and HR performance evaluation is the assertion that most variance in performance is caused by system factors, and due to indications from various sources that HR performance evaluation focuses managerial attention on person factors rather than on system factors, the survey was also developed with the intention of discovering the extent to which these system criteria are used for measuring employee performance. The findings confirm that most HR performance evaluation systems fail to meet quality management expectations and contradict TQM assumptions about individual and system performance.