[Survey on Evaluation System Issues] Around 40% leave goal setting "as is"? The impact of an empty shell evaluation process on employees
A survey by Professional Studio targeting SME employees reveals that while over half set goals, 40% receive no feedback, causing a significant drop in evaluation satisfaction.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 23, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 23, 2026 at 10:49 (17 min after Collected)
To increase employee motivation and ensure talent retention, "personnel evaluation" is an indispensable mechanism. Especially in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), employees' sense of conviction regarding evaluations can be an important key that dictates organizational vitality.
Therefore, Professional Studio Inc. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Ryotaro Ichikawa) ( https://professional-studio.co.jp/ ), which provides comprehensive HR support services for startups and SMEs, including the HR system design consulting and operational IT tool "FirstHR" ( https://first-hr.jp/ ), conducted a survey. The survey targeted 267 full-time employees aged 20 to 59 working in companies with 10 to fewer than 100 full-time employees to understand the actual operational state of evaluation processes—from goal setting to feedback—and their impact.
As a result of this survey, it was found that while the implementation of systems such as goal setting is progressing, there are cases where the operation becomes a mere facade. A significant difference in employee conviction arises depending on whether the evaluation results are subsequently communicated.
[Key findings of this survey]
- Over half of SME employees implement goal setting, but about 40% receive "no explanation" of their evaluation results.
- There is an approximate 28-point difference in conviction rates depending on whether evaluation results are communicated after goal setting is implemented.
- As for the important factors in being convinced by treatment decisions, about 40% answered "clarity of rules reflecting compensation."
*For details on the survey methodology and targets, please refer to the "Survey Overview" section below.
Survey Results (Excerpt)
1. Over half of SME employees (55.9%) implement "individual goal setting"
To conduct personnel evaluations that build conviction and boost employee motivation, appropriate goal setting is the starting point. First, we asked about the implementation status of "individual goal setting" in SMEs.
Regarding goal setting within the past year, 55.9% answered they "did it," while 42.5% answered they "did not." More than half of SME employees are engaging in goal setting, the entry point for evaluation, suggesting that laying the foundation for the system is progressing to a certain extent.
▼An original article explaining this survey in more detail is available on our media platform.
https://first-hr.jp/media/research-report003
In the original article, the following details are also introduced with accompanying data:
2. Difference in conviction degree based on the presence of goal setting
3. The relationship between how evaluation results are communicated and the sense of conviction
4. Trends seen at the top of reasons for dissatisfaction
5. Characteristics of dissatisfaction reasons seen among people in their 20s and 30s
Survey Implementation Overview
Survey Entity: In-house survey
Survey Method: Internet survey (JustSystems Corporation "Fastask")
Target Area: Nationwide in Japan
Target Audience: Full-time employees aged 20 to 59 working in SMEs with 10 to fewer than 100 full-time employees
Survey Period: March 3 to March 10, 2026
Valid Responses: 267
*To accurately grasp the current state of HR evaluations, survey targets were limited to those who had an opportunity for HR evaluation or salary/bonus determination (including status quo maintenance) within the past year.
*In this release, weight-back aggregation was performed to match the gender and age distribution ratio of "full-time employees in SMEs with 10 to fewer than 100 employees" estimated from labor force surveys and pre-screening results.
Unless reprinting this press release as is, when quoting the survey results, graphs, data, etc., we request your cooperation in citing the following link as the source.
https://first-hr.jp/media/research-report003
About Professional Studio
Professional Studio operates with the mission of "Creating an era where startups and SMEs shine," providing comprehensive HR support services for startups and SMEs. We provide talent introduction services for management layers in startups and SMEs, talent introduction for hard-tech/deep-tech companies, HR system design consulting for startups and SMEs, and the planning and development of the design and operation IT tool "FirstHR."
◆Professional Studio Inc.
Established: April 2020
Headquarters: Tokyo Tatemono Yaesu Sakura Dori Bldg. 3F, 1-5-20 Yaesu, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0028
Representative Director: Ryotaro Ichikawa
URL: https://professional-studio.co.jp/
Business activities: Comprehensive HR support services for startups and SMEs
- Planning, development, and operation of HR system design consulting & design/operation IT tool "FirstHR"
- HR consulting (recruitment, systematization of training, etc.)
Therefore, Professional Studio Inc. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Ryotaro Ichikawa) ( https://professional-studio.co.jp/ ), which provides comprehensive HR support services for startups and SMEs, including the HR system design consulting and operational IT tool "FirstHR" ( https://first-hr.jp/ ), conducted a survey. The survey targeted 267 full-time employees aged 20 to 59 working in companies with 10 to fewer than 100 full-time employees to understand the actual operational state of evaluation processes—from goal setting to feedback—and their impact.
As a result of this survey, it was found that while the implementation of systems such as goal setting is progressing, there are cases where the operation becomes a mere facade. A significant difference in employee conviction arises depending on whether the evaluation results are subsequently communicated.
[Key findings of this survey]
- Over half of SME employees implement goal setting, but about 40% receive "no explanation" of their evaluation results.
- There is an approximate 28-point difference in conviction rates depending on whether evaluation results are communicated after goal setting is implemented.
- As for the important factors in being convinced by treatment decisions, about 40% answered "clarity of rules reflecting compensation."
*For details on the survey methodology and targets, please refer to the "Survey Overview" section below.
Survey Results (Excerpt)
1. Over half of SME employees (55.9%) implement "individual goal setting"
To conduct personnel evaluations that build conviction and boost employee motivation, appropriate goal setting is the starting point. First, we asked about the implementation status of "individual goal setting" in SMEs.
Regarding goal setting within the past year, 55.9% answered they "did it," while 42.5% answered they "did not." More than half of SME employees are engaging in goal setting, the entry point for evaluation, suggesting that laying the foundation for the system is progressing to a certain extent.
▼An original article explaining this survey in more detail is available on our media platform.
https://first-hr.jp/media/research-report003
In the original article, the following details are also introduced with accompanying data:
2. Difference in conviction degree based on the presence of goal setting
3. The relationship between how evaluation results are communicated and the sense of conviction
4. Trends seen at the top of reasons for dissatisfaction
5. Characteristics of dissatisfaction reasons seen among people in their 20s and 30s
Survey Implementation Overview
Survey Entity: In-house survey
Survey Method: Internet survey (JustSystems Corporation "Fastask")
Target Area: Nationwide in Japan
Target Audience: Full-time employees aged 20 to 59 working in SMEs with 10 to fewer than 100 full-time employees
Survey Period: March 3 to March 10, 2026
Valid Responses: 267
*To accurately grasp the current state of HR evaluations, survey targets were limited to those who had an opportunity for HR evaluation or salary/bonus determination (including status quo maintenance) within the past year.
*In this release, weight-back aggregation was performed to match the gender and age distribution ratio of "full-time employees in SMEs with 10 to fewer than 100 employees" estimated from labor force surveys and pre-screening results.
Unless reprinting this press release as is, when quoting the survey results, graphs, data, etc., we request your cooperation in citing the following link as the source.
https://first-hr.jp/media/research-report003
About Professional Studio
Professional Studio operates with the mission of "Creating an era where startups and SMEs shine," providing comprehensive HR support services for startups and SMEs. We provide talent introduction services for management layers in startups and SMEs, talent introduction for hard-tech/deep-tech companies, HR system design consulting for startups and SMEs, and the planning and development of the design and operation IT tool "FirstHR."
◆Professional Studio Inc.
Established: April 2020
Headquarters: Tokyo Tatemono Yaesu Sakura Dori Bldg. 3F, 1-5-20 Yaesu, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0028
Representative Director: Ryotaro Ichikawa
URL: https://professional-studio.co.jp/
Business activities: Comprehensive HR support services for startups and SMEs
- Planning, development, and operation of HR system design consulting & design/operation IT tool "FirstHR"
- HR consulting (recruitment, systematization of training, etc.)