Won't fragmenting the annual appraisal be too laborious?

There may be a requirement to redesign an appraisal process from the ground up. But the idea is not to replace what's there with a new suite of inflexible tools and forms that, in fragmenting the appraisal, just multiply out the work. The priority is to alter the rhythm of how your team communicates and operates. We want to allow for more natural interactions, open communication, and better relationships, by removing unnecessary structures like APAs which do not promote these things. In fact, they can damage them.

While there is no mass multiplication of forms, this new rhythm may be a challenge for management. But the work involved in developing better relationships with individuals and considering their best interests is the most important work of any leader.

Leadership is about service. So, we should be using our positions of authority to do just that: serve the needs and opportunities of the team. And this is part of that responsibility. If we feel overwhelmed in our positions of oversight, then there is perhaps another (all too common) problem at play: overloading. It is typical for those in authority within the old paradigm to have too much on their plate.

Overloading is because those “beneath” don't have enough freedom and responsibility to pursue solutions themselves, so they pass things/decisions “upwards”. Clearing this up is part of the new paradigm change. It releases leaders to focus on what matters and to make room for their well-being and joy. See: "What is the role of Senior Leadership in 21st Century Orgs?".