Fears over performance management scheme

Prospect members in the civil service are facing a new performance management process, with line managers under pressure to deliver a “forced distribution” of performance markings, which means the proportion of high, medium and low performers is decided in advance.

The union is worried it may be used to force “managed exits” and drive down pay.

Prospect deputy general secretary Leslie Manasseh said: “We are concerned because in most cases the new systems have been introduced into the civil service without meaningful consultation. We support performance management systems that are focused on improving performance in a positive way and focus on the development of staff.”

Previous experience suggests that appraisal systems introduced under the guise of performance management are vulnerable to abuse and may be used negatively to impose penalties, he added.