On the shop floor we have found some years ago that piecework incentive schemes don't work. In spite of trying very hard over a number of years, they have failed and have, quite rightly, been abolished. This is a good example of history showing us that we don't learn from history. It is totally and utterly irrational to attempt to apply the same performance incentive criteria for office workers and professionals. Think about it. If you can't accurately measure the output of a factory worker, how on earth can you measure that of an insurance claims clerk, a secretary, a receptionist, an HR specialist, an accountant or any other office based employee?

Even so, performance appraisal and performance related pay systems are based on the false premise that the performance of professional and administrative people can be measured objectively. This is a good example of this so-called "scientific approach" to improving performance that actually doesn't work and may contribute to reduced performance. There is sufficient evidence around the world to show that performance appraisals don't increase performance. This really begs the question. If they don't increase performance, what do they do? There is a gradual realization that they only fulfill the head office desire to fill out forms and report subjectively on people.

Customer service is a good example. Many organizations would be grateful for the establishment of a scientific basis for delivering better customer service. There isn't one. So they try and invent one with systems, procedures, measures, rules and regulations that comply with all the rational thinking for the last 2000 plus years. This is done in denial of all the evidence that scientific management alone will have little or no impact on customer service and business success.

Systems are tools that have to be used effectively. A system, like a tool won't work by itself. It is necessary to apply a high degree of skill to a tool to make it effective. A system is no different. This applies to all tools and all systems. Performance management systems are no different.

Yet we persist, with checkbox and rating systems to measure performance even though they are limiting and extremely misleading. It has been suggested that the best way to measure performance of an office worker or a professional is to observe and make notes. This is not very fashionable but it's certainly not limiting or misleading. No, it is not computer-based but the handwritten notes can easily be transferred to a computer record.

To sum up. We are deluding ourselves if the systems that we operate are actually delivering the performance that we need and pay for.