Performance management is an ongoing process that intends to facilitate employee performance. There are concerns that this may lead to negative employee experiences. In education, an effectively operating performance management process is crucial, considering the challenging and demanding nature of the teaching profession. Drawing on social exchange theory and the job demands-resources model, we propose that when teachers perceive performance management as a process that adheres to the principles of a so-called strong HRM system (i.e. one that communicates distinctively, consistently and reaches high levels of consensus), they will feel more appreciated, valued and energized, as signaled by higher levels of affective organizational commitment and less exhaustion. We hypothesize that, in turn, these outcomes improve teacher performance. We collected data from 458 Flemish teachers and matched these with performance ratings provided by school principals. The results show that the perceived strength of a performance management process relates negatively to teacher exhaustion while relating positively to their performance. Moreover, the relationship between perceived performance management process strength and teacher performance appeared to be indirect, operating primarily through affective organizational commitment. We discuss several theoretical and practical implications.