Frustrated by an unwieldy performance appraisal system that managers disliked, a North American company knew that its performance management system had to be improved.  While many operational managers disliked the system, the HR department that had introduced it was reluctant to change.  Because the existing system was not user-friendly for many managers, they often did not complete employee performance appraisals on time.  These delays also delayed promotions and salary adjustments, leading to employee complaints.  Through effective engagement of stakeholders, collection of quantitative data on what managers needed, and a unique solution tailored to this company’s needs, a revised performance management system was implemented throughout the U.S. and Canada.  Not only were managers now more likely to complete employee appraisals on time, quantitative measures found that they were much more satisfied with the new method.