Online Staff Appraisal (OSTAPP) System: A panacea for improving staff evaluation and promotion in Government Establishments in Nigeria.
Overview
In this present era of executing and managing human activities with respect to guaranteeing the convenience and safety of concerned parties, many Institutions in Nigeria are saddled with the challenge of managing her annual staff appraisal processes efficiently and safely while seeking out ways of cutting down cost of managing the process. Embracing online staff appraisal platform for Institutions will enable effective and efficient service delivery regarding appraisal process. Staff of various establishments and ministries in turn will experience and enjoy the convenience, swiftness and safety which the software solution would offer. Appraisal committees in their capacity will easily deliver appraisal report within the shortest possible time. In addressing these issues, many Institutions are looking to adopt technology-based solutions as an efficient alternative to manual processes especially in this post COVID-19 era. This solution is tailored to suit the appraisal processes of Institutions in Nigeria. There are various bespoke and off-the-shelf software solutions but Institutions should endeavor to ensure that any software solution accepted and deployed to them should be robust enough to handle their current needs while being flexible enough to handle future needs as the appraisal needs of the establishment grow.
Application flow of the system
The application flow of the solution reveals in summary the processes involved in managing staff annual appraisal.
The flow includes:
- Staff fills appraisal form and submits
- Head of Department/Unit appraises staff and submits
- Staff is notified of Head of Department/Unit appraisal via email notifications
- Staff accepts or reject appraisal (makes comments) with reason and submit
- Head of Department/Unit submits appraisal form and report to Divisional Appraisal Committee
- Deans/Divisional Heads submit appraisal forms and reports after consideration by the committee and recommendations made.
- Management Appraisal Committee receives all submissions in 6 above.
The above application flow can be tweaked to suit any Institution’s needs. Characteristics of OSTAPP
This application software solution has the following features: - Secure: only authorized and authenticated users can access platform
- Flexible: more features can be incorporated into it as user demands grow over time or as appraisal processes change.
- Reliable: it provides accurate appraisal report online real-time.
- Transparent: all concerned parties can know what is happening at every point within the appraisal period
- Record keeping: ability to archive and maintain records of past staff appraisals easily.
- Efficient: allows every registered staff to fill and submit appraisal form from any comfort zone and aids efficient management of the appraisal process by the Institution.
- Cost effective: it can drastically reduce the cost of handling appraisal processes traditionally. Functionalities of OSTAPP
Online Staff Appraisal (OSTAPP) system for government establishments in Nigeria requires careful consideration of various functionalities, benefits, and recommendations to ensure its effectiveness and efficiency. Below are some comprehensive outlines which constitute the functionalities of the system: - User Authentication: This enables secure login for both employees and administrators to access the system.
- Employee Profile Management: Employees should be able to update their personal information, qualifications, and work history.
- Goal Setting and Performance Evaluation: Allow employees and supervisors to set performance goals at the beginning of each appraisal period. The system should facilitate ongoing feedback and assessment against these goals.
- Feedback module: This incorporates feedback from peers, subordinates, and supervisors to provide a comprehensive view of employee performance.
- Performance Review Forms: This provide standardized performance review forms or templates that capture essential competencies and job responsibilities.
- Document Management: This enables employees, head of departments, directors, supervisors, permanent secretaries and heads of service to upload documents, such as performance reports, certificates, workshops and training records, to support the appraisal process.
- Performance Ratings and Rankings: This allows appraisers to assign ratings (scores) or rankings based on predefined performance criteria.
- Training and Development Planning: This functionality will aid various establishments to identify training needs and development opportunities based on appraisal results to support employee growth and career progression.
- Progress Tracking: Employees and supervisors should be able to track the progress of performance goals and development plans throughout the appraisal period.
- Reporting and Analytics: Generate reports and analytics to identify trends, areas for improvement, and high-performing employees. Benefits of OSTAPP
- Cost effectiveness: This system will enable drastic reduction of the cost of managing traditional appraisal process where volumes of papers are printed and shared to employees.
- Transparency: An online appraisal system promotes transparency by providing employees with visibility into the appraisal process, criteria, and outcomes.
- Efficiency: Streamlining the appraisal process reduces administrative burden and saves time for both employees and supervisors.
- Fairness: Standardized evaluation criteria and objective performance metrics help ensure fairness and equity in the appraisal process.
- Continuous Feedback: Facilitates ongoing feedback and communication between employees and supervisors, promoting continuous improvement.
- Data-Driven Decisions: Access to performance data and analytics enables informed decision-making regarding training, development, and workforce planning.
- Employee Engagement: Involving employees in goal setting and performance evaluation enhances their engagement and commitment to organizational objectives.
- Compliance: Helps ensure compliance with organizational policies, regulations, and legal requirements related to performance management. Recommendations
- Customization: The online appraisal system can be tweaked or tailored to meet the specific needs and objectives of any government establishment, considering factors such as organizational structure, job roles, and performance criteria.
- Training and Support: It provides comprehensive training and ongoing support to employees and supervisors on how to use the system effectively.
- Change Management: it promotes a change management strategy to facilitate the transition to the new appraisal system, addressing any resistance or concerns from stakeholders.
- Data Security: It provides robust security measures to protect sensitive employee data and ensure compliance with data protection regulations.
- Integration: The system explores various avenues to synchronize with existing platform within the establishment.
- Feedback Mechanisms: The system establishes mechanisms for collecting feedback from users to continuously improve the system’s functionality and usability.
- Performance Culture: This will foster a culture of performance excellence and accountability within the establishment, leveraging the appraisal system as a tool to support this culture shift.
By implementing an online staff appraisal system with these functionalities, government establishments can streamline performance management processes, enhance employee engagement, and drive organizational success.
About OSTAPP
This solution is an Enterprise Application Software targeted at assisting Government or private Institutions, Ministries, Departments and Agencies in Nigeria to manage their annual staff appraisal processes efficiently. It was developed in 2020 by Done-Right Systems and has been undergoing upgrading based on users’ demands. It is the property of Done-Right Systems and is targeted at covering many Institutions, Ministries, Departments and Agencies in Nigeria and beyond. The web address is https://staffappraisal.org
Where it has been deployed
Presently, Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana. P.M.B 1007 Afikpo. Ebonyi State has deployed and adopted this system for her 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 appraisal years and it is still in use.
Contact details
Kalu K. Okwara.
Head, Projects & Services
Michael Nwachi
Head, Solutions Deliver
08038883919 08137893788Barr. Donald Asobie
Legal Advicer
08067958215
