Generational Change, the Modern Workplace and Performance Appraisal: Why Changing Workplaces Need a Developmental Approach to Performance Appraisal

The issue of generations in the workplace has garnered much attention since the beginning of the 21st century, but what is often missing from this discussion is an examination of the generational, work and career pattern changes that have occurred in the postwar era. This paper presents a demographic analysis of cultural/generational changes in tandem with an analysis of shifts in business practices and career patterns as these relate to the practice of performance appraisal. It concludes that a performance management process that adopts a developmental approach to improve future employee performance makes more sense in today’s workplaces given cultural/generational and career pattern shifts.