Impact of Behavioral Change on Performance Improvement: A Longitudinal Analysis Using Personnel Appraisal Data

This study examines whether within-person changes in behavioral evaluation factors are associated with performance improvement using longitudinal personnel appraisal data from a Japanese firm (fiscal years 2019–2021, N = 218). Fourteen behavioral appraisal items were standardized annually and analyzed using exploratory factor analysis, yielding three factors: Comprehensive Behavior, Job Skills, and Discipline/Values. Behavioral change was defined as the difference in factor scores between FY2021 and FY2019. Hierarchical cluster analysis identified four typical behavioral change patterns. Binary logistic regression results indicate that changes in Job Skills are significantly associated with a higher likelihood of performance improvement (odds ratio = 1.33, 95% confidence interval = 1.02–1.75, p = 0.037). Additional sensitivity analyses controlling for baseline performance and baseline factor levels supported the positive association between changes in Job Skills and performance improvement. These findings suggest that improvement in job-related skills, rather than overall behavioral level, is associated with short- to medium-term performance improvement. The study provides a change-based analytical framework that leverages longitudinal appraisal data to identify behavioral domains linked to performance improvement, thereby contributing to data-driven human resource management and employee development.