What technique is used to ensure a former employee's opinion has significant weight during an appraisal?

The technique that ensures a former employee's opinion carries significant weight during an appraisal is the exit interview. This process involves conducting a structured conversation with an employee who is leaving the organization to gather insights about their experience, the work environment, and the organization’s practices.

Exit interviews provide valuable feedback regarding various aspects of the workplace from the perspective of someone who has firsthand experience but no longer has a vested interest in the organization. This can lead to a more honest and constructive critique of the company’s processes, culture, and management effectiveness, making it a critical tool in assessing performance and areas for improvement.

While other methods such as narrative evaluations, peer reviews, and 360-degree feedback are also valuable in assessing employee performance, they do not specifically focus on the insights provided by those who have exited the organization. Peer reviews look at feedback from colleagues currently in the organization, 360-degree feedback includes assessments from multiple sources within the company but excludes the viewpoint of former employees, and narrative evaluations typically summarize performance from the perspective of present supervisors or managers. Thus, exit interviews uniquely capture the perspectives that can lead to significant changes and improvements within the organization based on former employees’ experiences.