10 - Performance Management and Feedback
True
T or F? An effective performance management process can be conceptualized as one that connects three time periods: past performance to set goals, plans, and objectives for the present that should result in high levels of performance in the future.
strategic objectives
The most important concern in designing a performance management system is its fit with the organization's ___________
immediate supervisor
Traditionally, performance evaluation was performed by the employee's ________
Appraisals, feedback
_______ often put employees in a defensive position, whereas ________ is usually perceived as more neutral and a process over which employees have some control and influence.
Stereotyping or personal bias
a bias that older workers are more resistant to change, less mentally agile, and less capable than younger workers of working longer hours
BOS
addresses the problem of inconsistent employee performance by measuring frequencies along the scale
Self-evaluations
allow employees to provide their own assessments and measures of their own performance
Critical incident measures
do not generally utilize a scale; the evaluator provides specific examples of the employee's critical behaviors or results—either outstanding or problematic— during the performance period
contrast error
employee's assessment is based on those being given to other employees
leniency or strictness error
employees are generally all rated well above the standards (making the supervisor look effective and/or attempting to appease employees) or well below the standards (making the supervisor look demanding)
Results-based measures
focus on specific accomplishments or direct outcomes of an employee's work, and might include measures of number of units sold, divisional profitability, cost reduction, efficiency, or quality
Traits-based measures
focus on the general abilities and characteristics of the employee, such as loyalty to the organization, industriousness, and gregariousness
Behavior-based measures
focus on what an employee does by examining specific behaviors of the employee, might include the employee's ability to get along with others, punctuality, willingness to take initiative, and ability to meet deadlines
Halo effect
if an employee is often late for work, that fact may impact ratings having nothing to do with tardiness
performance appraisal and performance evaluation
imply a one-sided judgmental approach to performance management, where employees have little involvement in the process
Relative measures
involve slotting employees into categories, such as the top 10 percent of the employees in the work unit receiving an overall outstanding evaluation
Feedback
involves a mutual exchange of information that both parties share, discuss, and jointly assess in planning future work activities
Performance appraisal
involves hierarchical, downward communication from supervisor to subordinate concerning the value the supervisor places on the subordinate's performance
Forced ranking
involves placing employees into clusters or groupings based on a distribution schema
Graphic rating scales
one of the most widely used assessment and feedback devices; involve a scale that gives the evaluator the performance measures for traits, behaviors, or results
multirater systems or 360-degree feedback systems
performance management systems that solicit the input and advice of others besides the immediate supervisor
Competencies
provide a more critical measure of performance—as well as more valuable feedback for employees in their careers
Weighted checklists
provide the evaluator with specific criteria on which performance is to be assessed and ask the evaluator to check those criteria that apply to the employee; the different dimensions have an equivalent point based on their importance to the organization
Traditional performance appraisal
simply involves evaluative supervisory comments on past performance and does not involve any kind of management
regency error
the evaluation is biased toward events and behaviors that happened immediately prior to the time the evaluation is completed, with little or no consideration given to events occurring earlier in the evaluation period
central tendency error
the evaluator avoids the higher and lower ends of performance assessment ratings in favor of placing all employees at or near the middle of the scales
BARS
the evaluator is given specific descriptions of behaviors along a numerically rated scale and is asked to select the behavior that most corresponds to the employee's performance for the time period being evaluated
Culture
the most important concern in providing performance-related feedback is its fit with the organization's _________
halo effect
the rater allows one positive or negative trait, outcome, or consideration to influence other measures
stereotyping or personal bias
the rater makes performance judgments based on characteristics of the employee rather than on employee performance
customers
they can provide the feedback that is most free from bias
management by objectives (MBO)
this process involves having the employee meet with his or her immediate supervisor prior to the time period for which performance is to be assessed