This study provides evidence of human resource (HR) performance evaluation practices - as the most surveyed function of human resource management (HRM) - in the context of total quality management (TQM) by documenting those criteria of HR performance evaluation that are most congruent with quality precepts and assumptions. The consistency between HR performance evaluation criteria and TQM precepts is used as a proxy for employees' positive attitudes towards effective TQM implementation. In a TQM context, in Murphy and Cleveland's (1991) words, "the system that is used to appraise performance needs to be congruent with the culture and principles that guide the conduct of the organisation. Unless congruence is retained, anything that is developed is liable to be rejected." Therefore, the current study aims to explain the main difficulties with the concept of HR performance evaluation from a quality perspective, and to identify those criteria for improving quality-driven HR performance evaluation systems that are consistent with the demands and requirements of a total quality environment as well as customers' (internal and external) needs and expectations.