Saturday, December 28, 2019

The Decline Of The Family - 941 Words

The Declining Family Throughout human history individuals around the world, of various ethnic, racial, cultural backgrounds have linked together to form what people call today families. A lot of questions come to mind when contemplating the complex relationship people have. Since families have a direct bearing on society now and on future generations it is essential to take seriously what is happening to the family. Is the American family in decline, and if so what should be done about it? â€Å"Traditionally, family has been defined as a unit made up of two or more people who are related by blood, marriage, or adoption: live together; form an economic unit, and bear and raise children (Benokraitis, 3).† The definition of decline is to â€Å"fail in strength, vigor, character, value, deteriorate, slant downward.† The traditional nuclear family consists of a father provider, mother-homemaker, and at least one child (Brym and Lie, 252).† The nuclear family is a distinct and universal family form because it performs five important functions in society:sexual regulation, economic cooperation, reproduction, socialization, and emotional support. Research from the 1950 s to the present will emphasize what trends are taking place among American families. Family trends might not have expected Also the areas of: marriage is declining. Individuals are opting for cohabiting rather than marriage. Economic disparity takes it toll on marriage. How macro level factors such as economy,Show MoreRelatedThe Decline Of The Nuclear Family1084 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"The Decline of the Nuclear Family† In 1970, 40% of couples were married with children. 2013 marked a new low as only 19% of household were married with children. A nuclear family is usually described as a heterosexual marriage with the average of 2.5 children, became synonymous with the American dream philosophy in the mid-1940s. The nuclear family standard is rapidly on the decline in the United States. These declining number have a range of causes. The causes of the decline of the nuclear familyRead MoreThe Decline of the Family Farm1811 Words   |  7 PagesGrowing up on a small family wheat farm in southwestern Oklahoma, I have experienced the harsh conditions of farming firsthand. The job that used to employ the largest amount of people in the United States has lost the support and the respect of the American people. The Jeffersonian Ideal of a nation of farmers has been tossed aside to be replaced by a nation of white-collar workers. The family farm is under attack and it is not being protected. The family farm can help the United States economicallyRead MoreThe Decline Of The Nuclear Family932 Words   |  4 Pages5: The Decline of the Nuclear Family In college classes, the traditional nuclear family is defined as a family consisting of one or both parents and their dependent children in a single family unit without any extended relatives (Kendall, 2013). Some sociological perspectives suggest that any departure from what is known as the â€Å"traditional,† or nuclear, family indicates a social problem, while others maintain that the definition of family has simply evolved beyond the nuclear family. Some evenRead MoreFamily Decline vs Family Change3666 Words   |  15 Pages The world has been undergoing great changes in different spheres of life just in the past several decades. One of the most amazing and quick changes seems to be happening within the institution of the family. I have a special interest in this topic, as soon as I witness the radical change going on literally before my eyes: my home country, which was a country with traditional society, after the collapse of the Soviet Union went and is still going through the process of transformation, which introducesRead MoreThe Decline Of Marriage And Family Life1347 Words   |  6 PagesThe concept of a traditional American family has been profoundly changed over the last 100 years. Fewer marriages are forming, divorce rates are higher than ever, and childlessness is much more common. The decline of marriage and family life seems to be the inevitable product of progressive ideas and modern socio-political conditions. Feminist and contemporary liberal critics of marriage and family life appeal to individual rights, liberty, consent, equality, and love as they seek to dismantle andRead MoreThe Declining Population in Europe and the Decline of the Family2232 Words   |  9 Pagesproblematic for the environment and for quality of life. The decline of fertility points to a view of children that is particularly troubling. Europe simply does not want children despite its desperate need for a growing, productive workforce. Certain social factors have had a strong impact on this problem including migration, birth control, the role of motherhood and the economy. Population decline is indicative of the decline of the family in modern society most specifically in Europe. Since 1982Read MoreThe Decline of Traditional Family Being Detrimental to Society517 Words   |  3 PagesThe Decline of Traditional Family Being Detrimental to Society Some people believe that the decline of the traditional family (Nuclear family) is detrimental to society because a lot of people are not socialising. This is one of the basic roles that a traditional family performs for individuals to meet the expectations of society. Only through a family can a person play a full part in society. In addition, society cannot exist without the rules and expectations ofRead MoreExamining the View that the Traditional Nuclear Family is in Decline1344 Words   |  6 PagesView that the Traditional Nuclear Family is in Decline When evaluating the view that the traditional nuclear family (of two opposite sex married parents living in a household that contains only them and their own dependant children), is in decline, I will be taking various pieces of research and evidence from Sociologists, Journalists and other sources, into consideration in order to try to determine how true this view is. The nuclear family would appear to be found internationallyRead MoreDecline of the Traditional American Family: Homosexual Parents1246 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿RS-151 Final Paper Decline of the Traditional American Family: Homosexual Parents The conception that lesbians and gay men may be parents is frequently perceived in today s society as impossible or immoral. Gay men and lesbians are often viewed as excluded from having children because sexual reproduction is related to men and women couples only. My approach to this uniquely controversial topic of gay parenting will be that of attempting to analyze the pro side. Gays and lesbians areRead MoreThe Main Reason For Collapsing Of Roman Empire And America843 Words   |  4 PagesMoreover, moral decline was the main reason for collapsing of Roman Emperor; America suffered the decline of moral value for a long time. In 2015, the decline of the moral is most considerable issue for America because the rate of single-parent families is rising and the greed in the corporations or organizations is increased as the same as Rome. Like the moral value decline in Rome was caused by the fall of father role in the families, America have been suffering from the moral decline because of the

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Relationship Between Sexual And Sexual Satisfaction

The Issue: Romantic relationships are a prominent feature in many people’s lives. Some romantic relationships are healthy and others are not. Using the attachment perspective to predict relationship and sexual satisfaction, is an ongoing theme in psychology. The attachment perspective can provide knowledge and research opportunities to better understand the effects of attachment types on romantic relationships. This report specifically focuses on the effects of avoidant attachment individuals. Individuals labeled as avoidant tend to feel uncomfortable with closeness and emotional intimacy (Butzer Campbell, 2008) and are found to be less invested in their relationships and strive to remain independent (Hazan Shaver, 1994). By understanding the negative effects of avoidant attachment in relationships, therapists can help guide couples to a more satisfying relationship. Definitions: Attachment perspective – The quality of infant-parent attachment/quality of caregiving affects a child’s later relationships and emotional state. Three major types – secure, anxious, and avoidant. Avoidant attachment – Caregivers show more rejecting behaviors, display self-comforting strategies in turn the child tends to be independent and less support seeking. What Science Tells Us: Attachment history Attachment, originally proposed by Bowlby, refers to the sensitivity of caregiving. For example, if a mother is consistent and appropriately available for her child, the child forms aShow MoreRelatedThe Relationship Between Sexual Satisfaction And Relationship Satisfaction Essay1291 Words   |  6 PagesAssociations Between Sexual Satisfaction and Relationship Satisfaction Sex has been viewed as fundamental for most romantic relationships, but sexual gratification and relationship satisfaction have often been examined separately. In more recent years, researchers have explored the association between sexual satisfaction and relationship satisfaction to gain a better understanding of how couples can obtain happy stable relationship (Schmiedeberg Schrà ¶der 2016). The purpose of this literatureRead MoreSexual Satisfaction And Relationship Satisfaction700 Words   |  3 Pagesfor most romantic relationships, but sexual gratification and relationship satisfaction have often been examined separately. In more recent years researchers have explored the association between sexual satisfaction and relationship satisfaction to gain a better understanding of how couples can obtain happy stable relationship (Schmiedeberg Schrà ¶der 2016). The purpose of this literature review is to explore the connection between sexual satisfaction and relationship satisfact ion, as well as to inquireRead MoreRelationship Between Platonic And Romantic Relationships1477 Words   |  6 Pageslife regarding their network of platonic and romantic relationships. Extra-familial relationships become more central in an individual’s social world; thus, an individual’s capacity for intimate relationships begins to develop with both friends and romantic partners (Allen Land, 1999). Simultaneously, a romantic partner quickly becomes the focus in one’s relationship hierarchy (Collins van Dulmen, 20006). Each emerging adult’s relationship quality as well as their attachment bond with theirRead MoreSexual and Relationship Needs between the Two Genders620 Words   |  3 Pagespaper will be referring to Dr. Kristen Mark and Sarah H. Murrays’ article, â€Å"Gender Differences in Desire Discrepancy as a Predictor of Sexual and Relationship Satisfaction in a College Sample of Heterosexual Romantic Relationships†. The article was published in the Journal of Sex Marital Therapy, 38:198–215, 2012. Dr. Kristen Mark is currently â€Å"a sex and relationships researcher and assistant professor of health promotion at University of Kentucky, survey director and managing editor at GoodInBed.comRead MoreCorrelation Between Frequency And Sexual Activity886 Words   |  4 Pagesfrequency are positively and significantly correlated with both relationship and sexual satisfaction. It was also to clarify the question,†Which metric provides more information about relationship outcomes?† The study uses a sample of men and women in same-sex and mixed-sex relationships to achieve a wide sample of participants. There are many group differences, such as the amount of sexual activities being performed and the varied types of sexual acts being executed, which makes this a diverse study. SinceRead MoreIntimacy Between The Older Aged Adults960 Words   |  4 Pages Today, there is still scarce knowledge, as well as concrete information, about the intimacy between the older aged adults. It is known that intimacy can be portrayed as a key element to a couple’s marital contentment and/or satisfaction in the relationship. This research topic covers a relatively gray area within the older community since these individuals are faced with multiple barriers that could possibly combat with their ability to show intimacy, or affection, with their partner. With a focusRead MoreSexual Activity Between Couples And Dating1455 Words   |  6 PagesSEXUAL ACTIVITY BETWEEN COUPLES AND DATING Counseling couples is a focus that I am seeing in my near future. When I decided that this is what I want to do, I grew a curiosity for all things involving counseling couples. I developed an interest in sexual activity and its impact on relationships. The word sex is used to refer to an assortment of sexual activities and can mean different things to different people. People typically converse about sex when talking about penetrative sex. The act of sexRead MoreSexual Activities And The Relation Between Frequency Of Sex And Happiness1737 Words   |  7 PagesOne of the most common questions associated with sexual activities is in regard to the relation between frequency of sex and happiness. Does more sex lead to greater happiness? Although this looks like a simple question at first, it has been the center of numerous studies and debates for many years, and it is proven to be a complex and often fascinating matter to be investigated. For a very long time, the traditional point of view offered a simple â€Å"yes† answer to this question – by saying that moreRead MoreThe Consequential Pleasures of Pornography707 Words   |  3 Pagesin a relationship, has a negative correlation with the self-esteem of the women and their perception on relationship quality, and sexual satisfaction. The second central question investigated in this study questions whether the womens self-esteem can reveal a connection between the males rate and intensity of porn consumption with the relationship quality and sexual satisfaction in the relationship. The third question is similar to the latter question where the length of the relationship is theRead MoreOnline Psychology Program At Southern New Hampshire University1089 Words   |  5 PagesBrief Sexual Attitudes Scale (BSAS) (Hendrick, Hendrick, Reich, 2006), a 23-item questionnaire, was designed to measure multi-dimensional attitudes towards sex. The scale is a modified version of the original Sexual Attitudes Sca le. For the current study, the Brief Sexual Attitudes Scale will be modified and shortened. The scale is made up of the following four subscales: Permissiveness, Birth Control, Communion, and Instrumentality. Some of the items refer to a specific sexual relationship, while

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Counseling Pleasant or Positive Emotions

Question: Write about the Counseling for Pleasant or Positive Emotions. Answer: Introduction Happiness is emotional or mental wellbeing that can be termed by pleasant or positive emotions varying from satisfaction to passionate joy (Helliwell et al., 2013). When an individual is mentally happy, it can also reflect the judgments of a person on their general wellbeing. On the other hand, religious and philosophers see happiness regarding living better life rather than only being emotion. Psychologist finds happiness as experiences regular positive emotions, like as joy, curiosity and conceit, unconstructive emotions, like as sorrowanxietyandanger(Csikszentmihalyi, 2013). Happiness has also been indicated tolink to life fulfillment, enjoyment of life, periods of delight, but in general, it has to do with the constructive encounters of emotions. How Happiness can be Measured Psychologists have sought ways to measure happiness to look at happiness via scientific methods (Pavot, 2014). It is done to measure the satisfactions which can be utilized to bring a comparison of one group of individuals with another and also track those people within a given time to evaluate the impact of life interventions. However, these evaluations focus on the emotions and the way people assess their lives. Subjective well-being forms on of the important idea in positive psychology. It is defined as the assessments of emotions or moods and individuals life. Subjective well-being consists of three sections, negative effects, benefits and life satisfaction (Jacobsson, Lexell, 2016). Positive and negative impacts have jutted the moods and emotions. Satisfaction is the assessment of the life of an individual such as the conditions in the life, how close is one with ideal life, if a person has gotten crucial things in the life and if one will make a difference in life. All these steps target to evaluate the life satisfaction. Also, it is very crucial to point out that the life satisfaction is more than the sum of emotional wellbeing within a given period; for example, habitually happy people can be satisfied with their education despite the fact that they might feel moderately pleased with some particular arts such as classes or books. Many researchers utilize satisfaction with life scale (SWLS) to evaluate the life contentment. However, positive and negative affect schedule PANAS is employed to assess the negative and positive influence (Corrigan et al., 2013). Another option is to track the positive and negative impact during the day, half an hour and also life fulfillment during the conclusion of each and every day. By doing this, one will get a vivid understanding of the specific activities one provides the mainly emotional wellbeing. Also, one of the best ways which one can do this is setting an alarm at an interval of 30 minutes. To evaluate the affect, one can use 0 to 3 scales to the queries such as do you feel negative or positive emotions now? The closed answerers could be 0; not all at all; 1 a little; 2 somewhat; 3: strongly. After all this, it is important to describe and elaborate specific positive or negative emotion one is feeling (Toms et al., 2015. Also, for the tracking process to be excellent, it is very crucial to utilize categories such as the, socializing, working, doing housework and much more especially when describing things that an individual is doing. However, it is also critical to develop categories which suit the activities of the life of an individual and also the ones which outlined the needs of a person. Eventually, it is very crucial to write down how a person is satisfied with the life. Furthermore, it is advisable to use a scale like, very pleased, dissatisfied, moderately satisfied, slightly dissatisfied, neither dissatisfied, somewhat satisfied and very satisfied. It is also important to maintain this particular regime for some weeks and checking the trends which emerged, the deeds that make an individual happy, the ones which bring happiness and also the days which a person is not satisfied. Role of Positive Psychology in Promoting Happiness The positive psychology concentrates on civilizing the universal quality of life in persons, contrary to improving upon possible human flaws, which has been the aim of conventional psychology (Seligman Csikszentmihalyi, 2014). The positive psychology try to refute the hedonic treadmill theory of human happiness, which states that every person has a place point of happiness, that is near to impartiality, which modifies for short durations, reflecting life situations, but ultimately returns to objectivity A positive psychologist has come up with different ways that happiness of an individual can be facilitated, for instance, friends, family, social organization, social ties and work networks. The hedonic wellbeing outlines that increased pleasure and reduction in pain contributes to happiness. The concept of hedonic is grounded on the notion of subjective wellbeing. It encompasses effective components which are high low negative and high positive affect and satisfaction with life. It is also based on the fact that a person goes through happiness when satisfaction with life and positive affect are high. In regards to eudaimonic well-being, happiness builds on the structure that persons are contented if they encounter life function growth and challenges (Rysamb Nes, 2016). The very strategy accommodates the self-determination theory to conceptualize contentment. This theory pointed out that happiness is linked to accomplishment in the parts of independence and competence. Through engagement in eudaimonic pursuits, happiness will happen as a product. It appears that happiness does not occur from pleasure pursuit but from the growth of strengths of an individual and also the qualities which link with an idea of positive psychology. The past emotions are adamant on the present and future of an individual. People have strong bitter feelings on things which happen in some time back have a feeling of regret on the deeds which have passed, and they carry them to the present life (Power, 2015). Many people believe that their past will determine their future and they led it to control them. Also, studies indicate that negative actions which happened during childhood have very little happiness on the adulthood happiness. Using positive psychology, individuals can be trained to modify these feelings on the past into joy and satisfaction. To perform this, the appreciation and clemency ought to be cultured in persons. Positive psychology has developed an understanding of the attributes and qualities of wellbeing. However, personality traits show that happy and unhappy individuals have different profiles (Donaldson et al., 2015). For instance, happy people seem to have extroverted, hopeful and high self-esteem. However, happiness is contributed by positive and negatives undertakings in our lives, and this has contributed to the fact that extraverts have a better fit to the social environments which can aggravate emotions of happiness. Also, they are likely to experience more happiness as compared to introverts. Application of Positive Psychology Techniques to Promotion off Happiness Getting into Flow Individuals in flow are ecstatic and are not stressed even when performing a challenging job. They lose themselves in the job they like and feel out of time; it has been found that their brains work precisely, efficiently and interestingly (Csikszentmihalyi, 2014). Managers should ensure that workforce's key performance determinants get defined. This is because flows happened when jobs are aligned with individuals objectives. Appraisal Happiness is facilitated particularly when a person gets a positive reward. By rewarding an individual who has performed certain work is a positive approach which promotes happiness and that individual will be in a position to do better work in future (Sheldon Lucas, 2014). For instance increasing salary among healthcare workers makes them happy individuals since most of the needs will be fulfilled and they will get satisfied. In schools, students who get a positive complement from teachers for performing particular work will be happy and will assist the student to work hard to do it better. Smiling Techniques Positive psychology believes that people who smile due to cultivating positive thoughts can improve their mood (Sheldon Lucas, 2014). By developing and recalling the past experiences especially pleasant memories improves happiness and drives away the bad moods. The Dynamic Spread of Happiness If individual lives with people who are always happy will likely be happy too. However, by doing so will have an impact on the future life where the person will be even happy irrespective of the problems faced (Sheldon Lucas, 2014). Savoring Interventions It is not easy to find happiness in life. Researchers have found ways which can be utilized to savor positive experiences through valuing their positive encounters (Sheldon Lucas, 2014). It is done via valuing their ongoing positive experiences and also through anticipating the positive events in future. Empathy-Related Interventions Empathy encompasses the inner feedback on what we learn or see or what happen to another person. It develops understanding and kindness (Sheldon Lucas, 2014). The empathy interventions assist comprehension on other people and later extend forgiveness, acts of kindness and compassion. Creative Interventions This encompasses development of new useful information. It enhances technology and culture, also, positive psychology is linked to creativity as it associated with the approach of human flourishing and also the factors which assist people to survive and have a better living(Sheldon Lucas, 2014). Also, they boost individual's resilience and offer more flexibility and choice to their lives. Conclusion Happiness forms a significant aspect of an individual wellbeing. Through positive psychology, happiness can be achieved. It is facilitated particularly when a person gets a positive reward. Also, actions which happened during childhood have very little happiness on the adulthood happiness References Corrigan, J. D., Kolakowsky-Hayner, S., Wright, J., Bellon, K., Carufel, P. (2013). The satisfaction with life scale.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitation,28(6), 489-491. Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2013).Flow: The psychology of happiness. Random House. Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2014). Learning,flow, and happiness. InApplications of Flow in Human Development and Education(pp. 153-172). Springer Netherlands. Donaldson, S. I., Dollwet, M., Rao, M. A. (2015). Happiness, excellence, and optimal human functioning revisited: Examining the peer-reviewed literature linked to positive psychology.The Journal of Positive Psychology,10(3), 185-195. Helliwell, J. F., Layard, R., Sachs, J. (2014). World happiness report 2013. Jacobsson, L., Lexell, J. (2016). Life satisfaction after traumatic brain injury: comparison of ratings with the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire (LiSat-11) and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS).Health and quality of life outcomes,14(1), 10. Pavot, W. (2014). Temporal Satisfaction with Life Scale (TSWLS). InEncyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research(pp. 6609-6611). Springer Netherlands. Power, M. (2015).Understanding Happiness: A Critical Review of Positive Psychology. Routledge. Rysamb, E., Nes, R. B. (2016). Genes, Environments and Core Features of Eudaimonic Wellbeing. InHandbook of Eudaimonic Well-Being(pp. 233-252). Springer International Publishing. Seligman, M. E., Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2014).Positive psychology: An introduction(pp. 279-298). Springer Netherlands. Sheldon, K. M., Lucas, R. E. (Eds.). (2014).Stability of happiness: Theories and evidence on whether happiness can change. Elsevier. Toms, J. M., Gutirrez, M., Sancho, P., Romero, I. (2015). Measurement invariance of the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) by gender and age in Angola.Personality and Individual Differences,85, 182-186.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Understanding the Significance of Performance Appraisal Systems

Question: Describe the significance of performance appraisal systems in enhancing employee performance and overall organisational efficiency. Answer: Introduction In todays organisations, performance appraisal has become a vital human resource practice and has considerable impact on employee motivation, commitment and overall performance (Armstrong, 2012). The effectiveness of a performance appraisal system depends on how well it is linked to organisational goals and performance objectives, and how well its purposes are accepted, understood and strived to be achieved by organisational members(Neely, 2007). A favourable and effective performance appraisal system will have a positive impact on employee workplace behaviour, attitude towards work and workmates and on overall organisational efficiency. Major Stakeholders involved and their perception about the existing performance appraisal system Stakeholders are individuals and groups that are interest in the business and are affected by activities of the business (Brown, et al., 2013). Stakeholders can have considerable impact on companys objectives actions and policies. Key stakeholders within an organisation are owners, investors, managers, suppliers, partners, workers, customers, society and the environment(Paladino, 2011). Workers and Managers are the two main stakeholders identified in the case. Workers who are being rated perceive the current performance appraisal system as unfair and forced. According to them they are not being rated as per their performance but based on the type of relationship they share with their managers. Workers perceive the current performance appraisal system as a source of conflict. Once they get to know each others ratings there is a considerable change in their behaviour towards their co-workers. It gives rise to feelings of envy and reluctance to communicate and cooperate. Workers who are rated 3 feel highly de-motivated as they feel they are average performers, and so most of them quit the company. Workers how are rated 5, express that managers should lenience while treating employees who belong to a union, when it comes to termination and salary hikes in comparison to employees who are non-union members. Thus, workers at Yarra Bank perceived its performance appraisal system as a system that is based on favouritism and not on performance evalu ation. Managers who are responsible for rating their employees perceive the performance appraisal system as unfair and a source of conflicts and ill feeling, as it forces them to divide their employees in five different ranks. Managers who are politically more powerful refuse to follow the system and rank anyone as a 4 or 5 as they feel their department is different and most of their workers deserve to be rated as stars or starlets. Managers who follow the performance appraisal system strictly feel their workers are disadvantaged as an outcome. Managers feel that owing to a lack of training, promotion and some loop holes in the performance appraisal system it is failing to deliver desired results and enhance employee motivation and performance; rather it has become the primary source of tension, conflicts and dissatisfaction among managers and workers of Yarra Bank. A number of external and internal environmental factors affect the effectiveness of performance appraisal systems at Yarra Bank such as Union government, culture of the organisation and workers and managers attitude towards the system. Strengths and weaknesses of current performance appraisal system Strengths A performance appraisal system evaluates employees based on their performance over a specific period of time(Cooper Burke, 2011). They help management differentiate between performers and non-performers and accordingly make important decisions regarding salary increments and promotions. It helps the management in designing improvement plans and relevant training and development programs for non-performers(Deeprose, 2006). Performance appraisal systems play a very vital role in enhancing overall organisational efficiency by increasing employee motivation and performance. Performance appraisal system at Yarra Bank is a five-level system that used a forced-ranking distribution. It presence somewhere motivates employees to deliver good performance as they would not like themselves to be ranked as 4 or 5. Also, as the rating allocated by the performance appraisal system has direct influence on salary hikes and bonuses employee make best efforts to deserve a rating of 1, 2 or 3. As it is a forced ranking distribution systems it require managers to evaluate their employees very closely and then provide relevant ratings to them(Truss, et al., 2013). It helps managers know their employees better and accordingly allocate tasks to them. It also facilitates development of a competitive organisational culture where employees continuously strive to deliver high performance to stay ahead of each other(Shields, 2007). The current performance appraisal system helped managers in monitoring the activities of workers and show them their weak points which would not have been possible otherwise. Weaknesses As depicted in the case study the current performance appraisal was a forced ranking distribution system. No pre-performance appraisal meetings were conducted by managers to discuss performance criteria with workers and their performance over the last year(Saks, et al., 2010). Post-performance appraisal meetings were also not conducted to discuss ratings with individual employees, receive their feedbacks and plan further improvements The company had not defined clear performance targets and expectations. Roles, responsibilities, work duties, accountabilities and activities related to performance appraisal systems were not clarified(Paladino, 2011). It became difficult for managers as well as employees to measure and deliver results when desired results were capricious or unclear. The current performance appraisal system failed to establish effective ways in which results are to be measured and evaluated, thus making is appear as an unfair system where workers were rated based on managers favouritism(Zaffron Logan, 2011). No training was provided to managers or workers on how the performance appraisal system actually functioned(Zaffron Logan, 2011). Managers were not trained in their responsibilities for completing performance appraisal and employees were not trained to clarify work expectations. No efforts were made to communicate the benefits of having a performance appraisal system to workers and managers and how it can influence performance of the organisation as a whole. Also, the current performance appraisal system, failed to maintain the confidentiality of ratings allotted to different employees, which resulted in conflicts among workers and managers. Recommendations for improving the performance appraisal system In order to make the performance appraisal system more effective and derive desired results, it is important to make considerable improvements in it. Firstly, it is needed to design specialised training program for both managers and workers, in order to provide them complete knowledge about the functionality of the system (Barrows Powers, 2008). Secondly, it is important to link the performance appraisal system to desired organisational goals and objectives. During this step performance criteria should be finalised and it must be different for different departments. Performance targets must be clearly defined for all five ratings and it is important to ensure that these performance targets do not overlap. Thirdly, performance criteria must be made transparent to all managers and employees and they must be well trained to enquire about the performance criteria (Armstrong Stephens, 2005). In this step it is also important to effectively communicate the benefits of using performance a ppraisal systems to workers and managers. The purpose of using a performance appraisal system should be clearly defined and communicated showing how it will be beneficial for the workers and managers as well as for the organisation as a whole. Fourthly, it is important to define strict deadlines for each step in the performance appraisal system. For example, employees and managers must be informed at least 30 days before the beginning of performance appraisal process. This will give both workers and managers to prepare point they want to discuss and consider while reviewing worker performance. On the first day of the performance appraisal process a self-evaluation form must be provided to employees, which they have to fill and submit to their manager at least 15 days before the evaluation meeting. Evaluation meeting with workers must be completed before fifteen days the final ratings are shared with employees. The performance appraisal process should end with the post evaluation mee ting where employees feedback must be collected, along with their level of satisfaction with their ratings and how they will be planning improvements in the coming year. Maintaining the confidentiality of ratings allocated to different employees is the most important element of any performance appraisal system. Any violation to confidentiality of rating should be considered a violation of ethical code of conduct leading to termination of the employee. Employee and managers must ensure that they do not share any information related to rating provided to individual employees. Consequences of violating this ethical code of conducts should be clearly communicated to employees during training sessions. Conclusion Workers and managers should be motivated and encouraged to develop a positive attitude towards the performance appraisal process, rather than viewing it as an unfair process which lacks transparency. Managers must ensure that they follow the performance evaluation process ethically and do not show any form of favouritism towards specific employees. It is important to inform workers and managers that they can achieve their career objectives only when the desired goals of the organisation are achieved. Performance appraisal system not only help managers in differentiating between performers and non-performers but also help workers in identifying their skill gaps which when reduced will help them achieve desired career goals. References Armstrong, M., (2012) Armstrong's Handbook of Reward Management Practice: Improving Performance Through Reward. London: Kogan Page Publishers. Armstrong, M. Stephens, T., (2005) A Handbook of Management and Leadership: A Guide to Managing for Results. London: Kogan Page Publishers. Barrows, C. W. Powers, T., (2008) Introduction to Management in the Hospitality Industry. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons. Brown, S., Blackmon, K., Cousins, P. Maylor, H., (2013) Operations Management: Policy, Practice and Performance Improvement. New Jersey: Routledge. Cooper, C. L. Burke, R. J., (2011) Human Resource Management in Small Business: Achieving Peak Performance. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing. Deeprose, D., (2006) How to Recognize and Reward Employees: 150 Ways to Inspire Peak Performance. New York: AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn. Neely, A., (2007) Business Performance Measurement: Unifying Theory and Integrating Practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Paladino, B., (2011) Five Key Principles of Corporate Performance Management. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons. Saks, Saks, A. M., Haccoun, R. R. Belcourt, M., (2010) Managing Performance Through Training and Development. New York: Cengage Learning. Shields, J., (2007) Managing Employee Performance and Reward: Concepts, Practices, Strategies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Truss, C. et al., (2013) Employee engagement, organisational performance and individual well-being: exploring the evidence, developing the theory. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 24(14), pp. 2657-2669. Zaffron, S. Logan, D., (2011) The Three Laws of Performance: Rewriting the Future of Your Organization and Your Life. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons.