The Public Service Commission (PSC) has successfully concluded a four-day sensitization program on the Staff Appraisal System for its Secretariat staff, held from 12th to 15th August 2025 at the Kenya School of Government (KSG), Lower Kabete Campus.
The program was designed to equip staff with the knowledge, skills, and tools to effectively implement the appraisal process as a key performance management mechanism in the public service. It also sought to align individual performance targets with PSC’s Strategic Plan, and the Commission’s broader mandate of delivering quality public services.
The sensitization underscored the Staff Appraisal System as a vital tool for decision-making, accountability, productivity, and organizational learning, covering key areas such as target-setting, effective communication, ICT-based performance tracking, workflow review, strategic delegation, and work-life balance. It highlighted the need for consistent appraisals, use of incentives and sanctions, and integration of appraisal outcomes into career progression, promotions, and training, while promoting automation and streamlined processes to strengthen performance management.
Facilitators highlighted common challenges that weaken performance appraisal in the Commission, including lack of targets at the start of the cycle, poor cascading of organizational goals, resistance to change, and weak monitoring practices. They stressed the importance of strengthening cascading so that institutional objectives flow to departmental, team, and individual levels.
The program forms part of PSC’s ongoing reforms in human resource management aimed at fostering a results-driven culture, improving productivity, and enhancing service delivery to the Kenyan public.