MHC chapter 9 practice
Wilson Consulting is a management consulting firm with seventy employees. As associate vice president of marketing, Suzanne Boyle is responsible for conducting performance appraisals of the twelve employees under her direct supervision. Suzanne plans to use the behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS) to evaluate the performance of her subordinates. Which of the following, if true, supports the argument that BARS is the most appropriate performance appraisal tool for Suzanne to use? A) Suzanne wants to provide her subordinates with specific examples of their good and poor job performance during the appraisal interview. B) Suzanne encourages her subordinates to review and make comments about their appraisal during a formal appeals process. C) Wilson Consulting recently installed an electronic performance monitoring system to help supervisors conduct appraisals. D) Wilson Consulting provides training to all supervisors regarding legally defensible performance appraisals. E) Suzanne provides her subordinates with upward feedback as a way to illustrate the ratings she assigns to each employee.
Answer: A Explanation: BARS, the most accurate appraisal tool, uses critical incidents as support for ratings, which helps supervisors explain appraisals more clearly to subordinates during the appraisal interview. Upward feedback is feedback about supervisors provided by subordinates.
Which appraisal method combines the benefits of narrative critical incidents and quantified scales by assigning scale points with specific examples of good or poor performance? A) behaviorally anchored rating scale B) constant sums rating scale C) graphic rating scale D) alternation ranking E) forced distribution
Answer: A Explanation: Behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS)is an appraisal method that aims at combining the benefits of narrative critical incidents and quantified ratings by anchoring a quantified scale with specific narrative examples of good and poor performance.
When an employee's performance is so poor that a written warning is required, the warning should ________. A) identify the standards by which the employee is judged B) provide examples of employees who met the standards C) be mailed to the employee and to an EEOC representative D) provide examples of times when the employee met the standards E) be written by a labor law attorney in accordance with federal guidelines
Answer: A Explanation: Written warnings should identify the employee's standards, make it clear that the employee was aware of the standard, specify any deficiencies relative to the standard, and show the employee had an opportunity to correct his or her performance.
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the critical incident method for performance appraisal? A) providing examples of excellent work performance B) comparing and ranking employees within a group C) connecting specific incidents with performance goals D) reflecting performance throughout the appraisal period E) compiling examples of ineffective work performance
Answer: B Explanation: Compiling incidents provides examples of good and poor performance, makes the supervisor think about the subordinate's appraisal all during the year, and provides examples of what specifically the subordinate can do to eliminate deficiencies. The downside is that without some numerical rating, this method is not too useful for comparing employees or for salary decisions.
Stacey is using a behaviorally anchored rating scale as a performance appraisal tool. She has already asked employees and supervisors to describe critical incidents of effective and ineffective job performance. What should Stacey do next? A) create a final appraisal instrument B) develop performance dimensions C) rank employees from high to low D) reallocate the incidents E) rate the incidents
Answer: B Explanation: Developing performance dimensions is the second step of the BARS process. Stacey should have these people group the incidents into 5 or 10 dimensions and then define each dimension, such as "salesmanship skills." The next steps involve reallocating incidents, rating the incidents, and developing a final instrument.
The first step in developing a behaviorally anchored rating scale is to ________. A) develop performance dimensions B) generate critical incidents C) compare subordinates D) reallocate incidents E) scale incidents
Answer: B Explanation: Writing about critical incidents is the first step in BARS. A supervisor will ask persons who know the job (jobholders and/or supervisors) to describe specific illustrations (critical incidents) of effective and ineffective job performance.
All of the following are usually measured by a graphic rating scale EXCEPT ________. A) generic dimensions of performance B) performance of actual duties C) performance of co-workers D) achievement of objectives E) job-related competencies
Answer: C Explanation: A paired comparison method involves making comparisons of employees with their co-workers. The graphic rating scale measures four job-relevant job dimensions including generic job dimensions, a job's actual duties, competencies, and objectives.
Which of the following is LEAST likely to cause a supervisor's performance appraisal of a subordinate to be biased? A) purpose of the appraisal B) personality of the supervisor C) location and time of the appraisal D) personal characteristics of the subordinate E) relationship between supervisor and subordinate
Answer: C Explanation: Appraisal bias has been shown to be caused by the appraisal's purpose but not the location or time of the appraisal. The personality of the supervisor, personal characteristics of the subordinate, and relationship between the two parties all tend to lead to bias.
All of the following guidelines will most likely improve the effectiveness of a performance appraisal EXCEPT ________. A) maintaining a diary of employees' performance during the year B) establishing a tool for employees to appeal performance appraisals C) using a graphic rating scale to ensure fair and consistent ratings D) knowing the advantages and disadvantages of different appraisal tools E) developing a plan to assist employees with performance improvement
Answer: C Explanation: Graphic rating scales do not necessarily lead to effective performance appraisals, and they are susceptible to problems like bias and central tendency. Keeping a diary, establishing an appeal mechanism, knowing which tool to use, and forming a performance improvement plan are all methods for improving the effectiveness of a performance appraisal.
Based on corporate surveys, which of the following is a true statement? A) Very few employers require any type of performance appraisal. B) Very few employers conduct performance appraisals on an annual basis. C) Most employers require a review and feedback session during the appraisal process. D) Most employers use behaviorally anchored rating scales for performance appraisals. E) Most employers link performance appraisals to employee pay raises and bonuses.
Answer: C Explanation: In one survey, about 89% of 250 Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) members reported they required performance appraisals for all their employees. None of those responding used behaviorally anchored rating scales. Eighty percent conduct annual evaluations; most of the rest do semiannual appraisals, and 92% require a review and feedback session as part of the appraisal process. A second survey found that of 100 large organizations, 60% do not link appraisals to pay raises, and 68% say they don't even link the appraisals to determining other rewards, such as bonuses.
All of the following are reasons for appraising an employee's performance EXCEPT ________. A) assisting with career planning B) correcting any work-related deficiencies C) creating an organizational strategy map D) determining appropriate salary and bonuses E) making decisions about promotions
Answer: C Explanation: Most employers still base pay and promotional decisions on the employee's appraisal. Appraisals also lets the boss and subordinate develop a plan for correcting any deficiencies, and serve a useful career planning purpose. Creating a strategy map is not a likely purpose for conducting a performance appraisal.
Which of the following terms refers to several peers agreeing to rate each other highly? A) social loafing B) group think C) logrolling D) alliance forging E) impression management
Answer: C Explanation: Peer appraisals have been shown to improve social loafing, group viability, cohesion, and satisfaction. However, logrolling—when several peers collude to rate each other highly—can be a problem with peer appraisals.
Which of the following terms refers to the process of evaluating an employee's current and/or past performance relative to his or her performance standards? A) recruitment B) employee selection C) performance appraisal D) employee orientation E) organizational development
Answer: C Explanation: Performance appraisal means evaluating an employee's current and/or past performance relative to his or her performance standards. Performance appraisal always involves setting work standards, assessing the employee's actual performance relative to those standards, and providing feedback to the employee.
Which component of performance management refers to communicating a firm's higher-level goals throughout the organization and then translating them into departmental and individual goals? A) role clarification B) goal alignment C) performance monitoring D) direction sharing E) developmental support
Answer: D Explanation: Direction sharing means communicating the company's higher-level goals (including its vision, mission, and strategy) throughout the company and then translating these into doable departmental, team, and individual goals. Coaching and developmental support, goal alignment, and performance monitoring are other elements of performance management.
All of the following are benefits of using computerized or Web-based performance appraisal systems EXCEPT ________. A) merging examples with performance ratings B) helping managers maintain computerized notes C) allowing employees to perform self-evaluations D) combining different performance appraisal tools E) enabling managers to monitor employees' computers
Answer: E Explanation: Employers increasingly use computerized or Web-based performance appraisal systems. These enable managers to keep computerized notes on subordinates during the year, merge tnotes with ratings, and generate written text to support each part of the appraisal. Most appraisal software combines several appraisal methods. Electronic performance monitoring (EPM) systems use computer network technology to allow managers access to their employees' computers and telephones.
You are conducting an appraisal interview with an employee whose performance is satisfactory but for whom promotion is not possible. Which incentive listed below would most likely be the LEAST effective option for maintaining satisfactory performance in this situation? A) time off B) small bonus C) compliments D) schedule flexibility E) professional development
Answer: E Explanation: For employees whose performance is satisfactory but for whom promotion is not possible, the objective is to maintain satisfactory performance. The best option is usually to find incentives that are important to the person and sufficient to maintain performance, such as extra time off, a small bonus, praise, and schedule flexibility. Professional development would most likely be motivating for an employee who cannot be promoted.