Complete Guide to Setting Up Appraisal Cycles in Zoho People
- justink38
- 4 minutes ago
- 4 min read

Introduction:
An appraisal cycle is the structured process an organization follows to evaluate employee performance over a defined period (monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, or annually). It's very important for boosting employee morale, which in turn encourages them to work harder, leading to exponential growth for the company.
In this blog, we'll provide a complete, step-by-step guide on setting up appraisal cycles in Zoho People and offer tips to avoid common errors during the process. Stay with us until the very end; this guide will be a great help. By the end of this blog, you'll understand how to configure Zoho People and build an appraisal system in your organization.
Dilemma for HR professionals:
As an HR professional, it's frustrating to give reviews and feedback to employees, as some are positive and others are negative. This can lead to arguments and even employee departures. Transparency is key when dealing with such situations. When every appraisal seems fair, your employees will trust your business process, making things easier for you. This can be achieved with Zoho People.
Zoho People is a tool developed by Zoho that goes beyond ordinary HRMS software. It gives HR professionals superpowers, making them smarter and more efficient. People often misunderstand the appraisal cycle; it's given when an employee's vision aligns with the company's in terms of mutual learning and growth.
Importance of appraisal cycle for a Company.
Growth turns effort into achievement, and appraisal turns achievement into recognition. Here, you get to recognize those who truly deserve it, check all the areas that need improvement, and make staff accountable for their work. This isn't possible with outdated Excel spreadsheets or missed WhatsApp chats.
The only solution for this is to deploy Zoho People in your business, as it helps you with the following:
It provides the best insights for HR operations so the team can handle things efficiently.
The appraisal cycle gets automated, and the review system is evergreen.
This entire process adds value to your company's operations.
The appraisal cycle in Zoho People is structured data on how performance is calculated based on different company policies. The three main aspects measured are: who, when, and what are the criteria. With Zoho People, you can customize things down to the smallest details, adapting to your company culture and growth at every stage.

Different steps for an appraisal cycle in Zoho people.
The parameters for an appraisal cycle in Zoho People are as follows:
Cycle Period: The time frame for the appraisal evaluation.
Participants: The individuals involved in the entire process.
Competencies and Goals: The parameters against which participants are measured.
Rating Scales and Feedback Mechanism: The system used for scoring and providing feedback.
Workflow Automation Rules: The rules that automate the appraisal process.
How to prepare an appraisal cycle in Zoho people?
Before you begin the appraisal cycle, you should follow these steps:
Utilize Continuous Data Tracking: Zoho People helps you track performance data continuously throughout the year, using daily check-ins, attendance, and goal tracking to ensure accurate and meaningful performance reviews.
Align with Business Objectives: Clearly define the purpose of the appraisal to make it a meaningful process.
Set Clear Expectations: Be transparent about the process, criteria, and potential outcomes to keep employees informed.
Define Your Goals: Always have a clear goal in mind for your appraisal cycle. Determine whether it's based on performance or evaluation, its time frame, who will be involved, the key performance indicators (KPIs) for measurement, and if it's in alignment with the company's values.

Some Best practices to be followed when you are setting up an appraisal cycle.
Executing the appraisal cycle properly is the real challenge, and its success is crucial for the overall success of the organization. Zoho People addresses this by using a weightage system that allows you to prioritize what matters most to your company. For example, you can assign a 40% weight to teamwork or a 45% weight to skills upgrading.
Zoho People also allows you to customize rating scales to fit your specific needs. You can choose from numeric ranges like 1–5 or 1–10, or use descriptive categories such as "Needs Improvement," "Meets Expectations," and "Exceeds Expectations." This flexibility ensures that performance reviews are aligned with your organization’s goals and assessment criteria.
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Launching and monitoring the cycle.
After launching the appraisal cycle, it's best to monitor it by tracking the number of completed versus pending reviews. You should send reminders to those who haven't completed their feedback and resolve any roadblocks that may arise.
Understanding the appraisal cycle outcomes in Zoho people.
During the completion of a cycle Zoho people generally shows the following results.
Both the team and individual level performance insights.and the areas for improvement.
Final thoughts:
Setting up an appraisal cycle requires a lot of effort and clear analysis to ensure all stakeholders are equally satisfied, which leads to company growth. At Techtron Global Services, an advanced Zoho implementation partner, we ensure your organizational goals are not compromised when we set up Zoho People for you with all your appraisal cycle requirements. If you're interested in knowing more, connect with us today by clicking here.