Factors Influencing Performance Appraisal System in the Nigerian Civil Service: A Comparative Study of Edo and Ondo States Civil Service of Nigeria

Abstract

The study assessed the factors influencing performance appraisal process in the Edo and Ondo States’ Civil Service of Nigeria. Primary and secondary data were utilised for the study. Primary data were collected through questionnaire. A total number of 490 copies of questionnaire were administered on purposively selected four core ministries from both Edo and Ondo States and officers on GL 07-12 and 13-17 were purposively selected. The ministries selected from both states were: Information and Orientation; Education; Transport; and Works. Four hundred and ninety (490) senior officers were randomly selected, meaning 245 respondents from Each State respectively, from the population of (2,452) of both states. Out of the 490 questionnaire distributed, 190 from each State totalling 380 (77.5%) questionnaires were retrieved. Secondary data were obtained through the technique of the content analysis from academic journals, internet and relevant textbooks. Data collected were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results showed that there is significant difference between the factors influencing performance appraisal process in the two States’ Civil Service - as fear of blackmail and physical attack (t=3.744; p<0.05); fear of reprisal (t=2.156; p<0.05); tribalism and nepotism (t=2.884; p<0.05); leniency (t=4.835; p<0.05); bribery (t=3.509; p<0.05); admiration of personal loyalty more than job performance/output(t=3.453; p<0.05) were all significantly different between Edo and Ondo States. The study concluded that performance appraisal has not been properly practised as a result of the inherent factors influencing appraisal process in the two states, leading to pseudo reports on subordinates with grievous consequence of inefficiency in service delivery. The study further concluded that the factors influencing appraisal process are more pronounced in Edo State than Ondo State.

Keywords: Employees, human resource management, performance appraisal systems, civil service