What is the purpose of an upward appraisal?

An upward appraisal serves the purpose of gathering feedback from subordinates about their superiors' performance and management style. This feedback provides insights and information that might not be visible to higher levels of management. Employees, who are directly working under their superiors, can offer valuable perspectives about leadership effectiveness, communication, and the work environment that top management may not fully understand. This kind of appraisal encourages open communication and helps identify areas for improvement in management practices, leading to enhanced team dynamics and organizational performance.

The other options, while they touch on aspects of performance evaluations, do not encapsulate the essence of upward appraisals. Performance evaluations from superiors focus solely on the employee’s performance instead of providing a holistic view of management. Employee skills enhancement typically requires a more targeted approach rather than the broad feedback offered by upward appraisals. Lastly, reviewing how an employee contributes to the organization is a more general evaluation that does not specifically address the unique perspective provided by subordinates about their superiors' management practices.