Test 4 Study Guide

A suggested analogy that may help managers understand what is required with the progressive discipline process is the "hot stove" analogy. Which of the following is NOT part of that analogy?

The employee should be able to have several minor offenses before a major offense

Employees with a high level of engagement are more likely to show up to work everyday which:

increases their productivity

Juan's awareness of his emotions and the emotions of others, and how well he is able to express, control and read emotions, is called:

emotional intelligence

You are briefing new HR employees on the concept of employment at will. The key point you want to communicate is that:

Employment at will gives both the employer and employee the right to terminate employment at any time without incurring legal liability

Components of Employee Engagement

Prior to measuring employee engagement, it is important to understand the components that work together to determine it. In the last section, we discussed the key players in engagement. There are measurable attributes each of these players can use to determine engagement.

You're reviewing appraisal documentation to identify training gaps. Which of the following scenarios does NOT suggest a perceptual error?

A manager who rates staff at different levels based on documented performance relative to goals and standards

Respect and Understanding

Change impacts everyone differently. It is important to be understanding of the way individuals will handle the impacts of downsizing. Being respectful of the feelings of others, while still maintaining behavioral expectations, is important to rebuilding company morale. Managers should try to understand the root of employee frustrations and provide support and guidance when needed.

Select the option that does not describe a disadvantage of laying off an employee.

Hiring to fill an open position costs time and money

Your employer, in California, has made it clear that they support candidate X in the upcoming election. You are worried they will find out that you support candidate Y, and will fire you. Would this be allowed?

No, this would not be allowed because California protects an employee's right to engage in political activity

A fellow coworker explains to you that they signed an at-will employment agreement upon being hired. They recently were offered a better position at a different company. They are wondering if they can quit their current position to take the new job. What is your advice to them?

Since they signed an at-will agreement, they are free to leave the company at any time for any reason, but should still give proper notice they are leaving

Justification

There should always be justification for terminating an employee. Any company that fires an employee "just because" can face serious consequences. To protect themselves from lawsuits, a damaged reputation, and a hostile work environment, companies need to ensure they have policies in place surrounding termination procedures. These policies should address ways to legally and ethically fire an employee.

The primary purpose of performance management is

To manage employee alignment, motivation, and development. From a process perspective, the objective is to establish employee goals that are aligned with departmental and overall organizational goals and objectives and to develop, recognize, and incentivize desired behavior and performance

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 does not protect an employee from:

background checks

Publicly posting about the need for better working conditions would be considered:

protected concerted activity

An emotional response to conflict is normal. When one is in the middle of a conflict and having an emotional response, one should:

take a step back

When addressing and resolving a conflict, it is important to focus on ___________not the individual's personality.

the behavior

Which of the following is an example of an illegal way to conduct a termination?

Based on gender

Which of the following is NOT a protected behavior outside the workplace in the state of California?

Illegal drug use

Who is responsible for driving employee engagement?

Managers, HR, and employees

It is evident that employee engagement is

a vital component to increasing company profitability

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)

FCRA is a federal law that regulates the collection of consumers' credit information and access to their credit reports. Specific provisions related to employers: - An employer must obtain a candidate's written consent to request his or her credit report. - An employer must notify a candidate if the information in his or her credit report was the basis of a negative decision.

Which of the following acronyms represent a law intended to protect employees from termination for missing work for health reasons?

FMLA

One way to avoid errors in performance appraisals is to:

rely on data and documentation you've compiled

Which of the following is not protected under The Civil Rights Act of 1964?

Experience

You have been asked to recommend an absolute appraisal method that would best balance the organization's interests in employee development and minimizing system complexity. Which of the following should you recommend?

Critical Incident Appraisal

The End of a Product or Service

If a company is well staffed for a particular product or service that is then discontinued, they may need to downsize since there is no longer a need for such a large staff.

How does the "Weingarten Right" impact the progressive discipline process for unionized employees?

If the employee is protected by a union, it allows the employee to have union representation during any investigative interviews

When a company downsizes, they layoff employees with a wide variety of experiences and expertise. How does a loss of employee knowledge impact the remaining employees?

It requires the remaining employees to attend traditional training events

Performance observations and feedback should be offered with what frequency?

It should be offered as an ongoing process

Which of the following must an employee provide when terminating an employee?

Justification

After a large company downsize, the management team held a meeting with their remaining employees. At the meeting, management discussed the company's vision and how workloads will be redistributed amongst the team. They were very careful to avoid words like layoffs, reductions, terminations, and downsizing. The employees left the meeting feeling uneasy and distrusting of the management team. Which of the following may explain why the employees left the meeting feeling this way?

Management never addressed the downsize or the layoffs

You're developing a presentation on need-to-know employee rights and want to cover recent state legislation. Which of the following is a law you should highlight?

Many states prohibit employers from requesting salary history information

Companies downsize because:

Poor economic times, decreasing profitability, or a merger with another company—these are just a few examples of why a company may decide to downsize. Downsizing oftentimes has a negative connotation as it is associated with large-scale layoffs.

A social media marketing employee (who had signed an at-will agreement upon hire) just landed a huge sales contract, and expects to earn over $60,000 in commission at the end of this quarter. He received notification that the company is downsizing, and his employment was being terminated immediately. Which of the following statements best applies?

This would not be allowed, because of the implied covenant of good faith exception

There are a number of disadvantages associated with large company layoffs. Which of the following is not a disadvantage of layoffs?

After laying off employees, the company will need to spend a lot of time and resources to fill vacant positions

Take a step back

Conflict is oftentimes accompanied by emotions. This is a normal reaction in many situations, however, it can create additional conflict when people let their emotions take control. Before addressing the conflict, take a moment to address any emotional reactions you are experiencing. Addressing your emotions in private before addressing the conflict with others is an effective way to approach the issue from a more objective standpoint. It also allows you time to address any anger or frustration before meeting with your coworkers or supervisors, which will help you to maintain a professional demeanor.

You are conducting a mock discipline exercise with a group of new supervisors and managers. In this scenario, the "employee" has committed what the company considers a serious offense. Which of the following responses is correct?

Depending on the severity of the offence, the employee should be suspended or terminated

Giorgio tells his employee, Jean, that her product is not sufficient and that she needs to go back to her desk and make necessary changes. Jean's final product was not of poor quality. This makes her angry, resulting in workplace conflict that delayed the project. What was the cause of this workplace conflict?

Different communication styles

Which of the following are considered "protected concerted activity"?

Discussing with fellow employees the need for union protection to get better working conditions

Which of the following is a law intended to protect employees from termination for missing work?

Family and Medical Leave Act

Productivity is impacted by conflict! What is the best solution for resolving conflict that arises out of employee differences?

Good communication

_______________can spark interest and motivation in the short term, but often fall short of building any kind of long-term engagement.

Incentive programs

How does OSHA's Whistleblower Protection Program help to ensure whistleblowers are protected?

It protects whistleblowers from facing termination for coming forward with information about their company's unlawful acts

Loss of Trust and Security

Layoffs tend to put people on edge. For obvious reasons, terminated employees are feeling a sense of insecurity as they are being forced to leave the company and find other work. The remaining employees may also struggle with downsizing. Even if their job has not been cut, knowing that their company is willing to lay off employees to cut costs can be an unsettling realization. Although the remaining employees may be relieved to be spared from termination, there is oftentimes a loss of trust with management and a loss of comfort in job security.

Micah is working on a project with three of his coworkers. They meet regularly to discuss goals, work assignments, and progress. Judy, one of the four members of the team, has only attended a handful of the meetings and often misses project deadlines. Micah is always short with Judy and keeps reassigning her parts of the project to the other two team members. Which of the following caused this workplace conflict?

Poor performance

A large Public Relations firm recently downsized their organization by 35%. The company is worried about the knowledge gap such a large downsize will create. Which of the following is a way to minimize the knowledge gap of their remaining employees?

Provide additional training resources

What measurement tool is designed to take a quick snapshot of the organization's employee engagement level by asking questions to measure employee engagement and satisfaction?

Pulse Surveys

Your facilities are non-smoking. One of your staff asked whether the company can extend that ban to employee's off-duty behavior. You respond:

State laws, which vary by state, regulate an employer's ability to control or discipline an employee's off-duty behavior

Which of the following best describes downsizing?

Terminating a large number of employees to cut overhead costs

Public Policy Exception

The public policy exception protects employees from adverse employment actions that violate public interest. Although this exception is interpreted differently across states, there are four categories generally recognized in employment law

What is the purpose of discipline?

To establish, communicate, and enforce standards of behavior and performance

It is important to understand that employee engagement is a long game, not a short game. Engagement cannot be established overnight and cannot be developed as a quick and easy company initiative. As we have discussed in this module, there are

a large number of components that contribute to engagement and it is important to carefully foster each one in order to see desirable results.

A performance appraisal that combines a rating scale to evaluate primary job behaviors and then includes qualitative data about the employee's performance would fall into what category of performance evaluation?

absolute appraisal

In addition to the laws above, there are

certain rights granted to individuals who have been terminated from their job and are now unemployed. For example, when terminated, some individuals may lose their only source of health insurance. To help ensure they still have access to healthcare, terminated employees have the right to choose to continue their health coverage for a limited period of time. Unemployment benefits are another option for individuals who have been fired. If a person can prove they were terminated by no fault of their own, and meet the other requirements, they may be eligible for unemployment benefits and compensation.

The most effective form of communication for avoiding (or solving) workplace conflict is:

face-to-face communication

A big factor in how an employee offers any kind of valuable engagement feedback hinges on:

his or her happiness or well-being

The practice of hiring the right individual is one way that ____________ drives employee engagement.

human resources

Organizations sometimes look to ____________________ to spark interest and motivation, but they often help with short term goals and don't move the dial at all on long-term employee engagement.

incentive programs

The purpose of discipline is:

to establish, communicate, and enforce standards of behavior and performance

Which of the following explains the difference between laying off an employee and firing an employee?

A layoff is usually a cost cutting company decision whereas an employee is fired as a repercussion for their actions

Your department maintains a HR Q&A discussion thread on the company's intranet. One question asked was whether an employee can post negative comments about the company on social media. Your staff provided the following possible responses; which one would you advise them to use?

An employer cannot discipline an employee if the comments represent concerted activity

You're conducting an appraisal training class for new managers. Which of the following is a key point you want to communicate?

Focus on the most significant success factors

How might workplace discipline be beneficial to the employee?

Discipline helps employees improve their performance

Why is emotional intelligence important in companies experiencing international expansion and globalization?

Emotional intelligence allows companies to better navigate cultural differences and the complex ways in which other cultures express their emotions

Companies that downsize oftentimes see a change in the morale of their employees. Which of the following is a common reason for morale change during a downsize?

Employees are more stressed due to an increase in workload

Stay Consistent

It is extremely important for companies to consistently follow any policies and procedures they have in place around documenting poor performance and bad behavior. The way in which employees are terminated should also look similar. Employees should be fired in face-to-face, professional settings. Consistency is key to conducting legal and ethical terminations.

During onboarding, employees must sign an at-will agreement. What does this mean?

The employer may terminate an employee at any time for any reason (as long as that reason is not illegal), or for no reason at all

From the employee point of view, employee engagement can be broken down into two factors:

attitudes and actions

Which of the following options is NOT an exception to the at will doctrine?

change in marital status

If an employee plans to depart, one can gain information helpful to employee engagement by doing what?

conducting an exit interview

Some organizations don't have an effective employee engagement program, and that is because it's not practical to put all the weight of employee engagement on:

managers

The "Weingarten Right" impacts the progressive discipline process for unionized employees by:

Allowing the employee to have union representation during any interviews

Which of the following describes the primary role of the Equal Employment Opportunity Council (EEOC)?

The EEOC is a federal agency that promotes and enforces anti-discrimination laws

Employee information is an area that is governed by federal, state and local laws. Key legislation includes the following:

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) The Drug-Free Workplace Act (1988) The Privacy Act (1974) The Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification (WARN) Act Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA)

Your staff understands the basic concept of employment at will, so it's time to move on to exceptions. Which of the following points should you communicate?

The presumption of at will employment can be violated by a supervisor's statement that employment is for a specific term

Which of the following communication tactics will result in the greatest backlash for employers when conducting layoffs?

Announce layoffs the day terminations begin

Laurie was on the verge of tears after an argument with a coworker over interpreting the data in her employee engagement report. Before discussing the matter any further, she wisely followed this step in resolving conflict:

Take a step back

What is the primary benefit of conducting company layoffs?

reduced company expenses

________________ is the most effective form of communication to use when trying to resolve a conflict.

Face to face

Wei manages a team of representatives at a call center. Recently, HR gave him a list of suggested engagement efforts he should begin implementing among his team. Why is it likely that these efforts will fail?

Managers can't shoulder all of the employee engagement responsibility

Employee alignment, motivation, and development are the three primary purposes of:

performance management

Employee motivation, employee alignment and employee development are three primary purposes of what human resources function?

performance management

What advice would you give someone who wants to leave their job, and signed an Employment-at-Will agreement?

Since they signed an at-will agreement, they are free to leave the company at any time for any reason, but should still give proper notice they are leaving

Lack of Resources and Poor Management

When resources are scarce, people are more likely to get confrontational and competitive about the limited resources available. Fighting for time and resources will most likely always lead to some sort of workplace conflict. A company can help in this scenario to avoid creating conflict by ensuring their employees have the resources they need to be successful and complete their job functions. If there is an underperformer on the team, it can be frustrating for everyone. Poor performers do not contribute to the success of the team and, equally as concerning, they can even create additional work for their coworkers. Underperformers who take advantage of their team members and their work efforts, are going to draw negative attention and conflict.

Do Not Discriminate

While this may seem like common sense, it is extremely important to remain fair and consistent across the board, regardless of a person's background or demographics. If an employee is terminated based on discrimination and not their performance, major lawsuits are possible. In addition to legal and financial problems, companies that are found to be guilty of discrimination may experience a blow to their reputation and company morale.

A large clothing company recently downsized their operations by laying off 40% of their seamstresses. Which of the following does NOT describe how laying off such a large percentage of their seamstresses will affect the company?

increased company morale

Including an employee self-evaluation as part of the performance management process is a good idea because:

it allows the employee to reflect and give managers a heads up on any differences of opinion

Blue Bird Manufacturing is struggling financially and has recently decided to downsize their organization in order to cut costs. Which of the following is soon to occur?

A large number of employees will be laid off

Relative Appraisal Methods

A second category of appraisal methods uses relative or comparative standards. Common methods in use include ranking and paired comparison and forced distribution.

Which of the following is the best way for a company to effectively communicate their impending downsize?

Be transparent about the reasoning for the downsize

Reasons to downsize

Before we can understand the effects of downsizing, we need to first better understand the reasons behind downsizing. Companies downsize for a variety of reasons including less than stellar economic conditions, a company merger or acquisition, or when a product or service is cut. Let's learn more about each reason. Rapid growth of the company Lack of experience in a market Change in market environment Decline of a particular product

The ____________ is a federal law that regulates the collection of consumers' credit information and access to their credit reports

FCRA

You're developing a management training program to improve appraisal effectiveness. Which of the following points should you emphasize?

Giving your employees constructive feedback is not just your job, it's your moral obligation

Step 2: Official Written Warning

If, by the time frame specified in step 1, behavior or performance is still not to expectations, it's time to issue a written warning, which will be included in the employee's personnel file. It may be advisable to consult with Human Resources staff at this point. The supervisor should document the unsatisfactory behavior or performance, including previous informal efforts to correct, and the current problem. As in step 1, the supervisor should meet with the employee to discuss a plan for improvement. The employee should sign the written warning and copies of the warning should be submitted to HR and, if applicable, sent to the union.

When establishing performance standards, the first step in the performance appraisal process, one should establish goals that are:

SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timebound

Sydelle, a relatively new manager, is preparing for her first employee appraisal and asks you for perspective; specifically, what are the purposes of performance management? Which of the following responses is most accurate?

The purposes of performance management are employee alignment, motivation and development

What tool, used to measure an individual's response to conflict situation, can be leveraged to manage workplace conflict?

Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument

Performance appraisals provide an administrative function by providing documentation for what processes?

employee disciplinary action and employee engagement

What is a workplace methodology focused on fostering an inclusive and nurturing environment that motivates employees to put forth their best efforts every day?

employee engagement

Incentive programs are also common practice at many companies. While incentive programs and competitions are great ways to spark

interest and motivation, they oftentimes fizzle out. More times than not, incentive programs are short lived and lose their gusto sooner rather than later. Incentive programs are great for reaching short term goals but fail to improve long-term objectives, like engagement. Finally, engagement initiatives may fail because they are not properly vetted or supported. Having a pulse on the company and understanding the shortcomings of current company operations is essential to implementing an effective engagement plan.

The HR Today article also discusses the research of Jacob Morgan, author of Employee Experience Advantage, which found that,

"companies that invest in employee experience are four times as profitable as those that don't and have more than two times the average revenue

Three tips to avoid these errors:

- Cultivate awareness or potential errors - Rely on the data and documentation you've compiled, rather than your perceptions. That is, focus on the performance, rather than the person. Note that there is a tendency to avoid accurate ratings—particularly on the downside—when there's a significant amount at stake—for example, a promotion/demotion, raise or PIP. Let the person's performance make the decision. Developing and practicing techniques—for example, participating in appraisal and feedback simulations—for having difficult conversations will help you develop skills that will pay off in a variety of work and life situations. On her website, author, speaker, and trainer Judy Ringer provides a step-by-step checklist for having difficult conversations, including how to prepare yourself, 4 steps for a successful outcome and practice tips.

There are four elements that come together to result in a preferred behavior

1. Focus—knowing what to do 2. Competence—knowing how to do it 3. Consequence—knowing why you're doing it 4. Feedback—knowing how well you're doing it

Eleven perceptual errors:

1. The Leniency Error. Giving everyone high ratings regardless of actual performance, in an attempt to avoid conflict or to make yourself look good. 2. The Central Tendency Error. Clumping or clustering all employees in the middle performance categories in an attempt to avoid extremes. 3. The Recency Error. Failing to take into account the entire evaluation period and focusing on a recent performance episode, positively or negatively. 4. The Halo Effect Error. Letting one favored trait or work factor influence all other areas of performance, resulting in an unduly high overall performance rating. 5. The Horns Effect Error. Allowing one disfavored trait or work factor to overwhelm other, more positive performance elements, resulting in an unfairly low overall performance rating. 6. Contrast Error. Evaluating an employee in relation to another employee rather than relative to his/her duties, goals and stated performance standards. 7. Past Performance Error. Rating on past performance rather than present performance. 6. Biased Rating Error. Allowing personal feelings toward employee to influence rating. 7. High Potential Error. Confusing potential with performance. 8. Similar to Me Error. Similar to me and therefore feeling of comfort and compatibility 9. Guilt by Association Error. Evaluation influenced by employee's associations rather than performance.

Managers in your organization generally supervise a staff of 30-50 people. Your CEO has asked Human Resource management to implement a relative appraisal method that will eliminate the weakest performers. Which of the following should you recommend?

20/70/10 Rating

Happiness

A person's happiness also plays an important role in their overall engagement. When a person is happy at work, they are more productive and bring a positive attitude to the work environment, making it more enjoyable for everyone

What is employee engagement?

At its surface, employee engagement is a workplace methodology focused on fostering an inclusive and nurturing environment that motivates each employee to put forth their best effort every day. Employee engagement needs to be a team effort between the employee and the employer in order to be effective. Employees are responsible for their personal actions and attitudes; however, employers play a huge role in cultivating a pleasant and welcoming environment in the workplace. Employee engagement is not something that can be built overnight. Engagement is a continuous process that needs to be a conscious part of a company's daily operations in order to yield effective results.

Alba is working on a project to establish new appraisal norms at her company. Why might she implement the management by objective method?

MBO is a participative objective and goal-setting process that may improve the clarity of expectations and increase employee buy-in and motivation

Why might you implement Peter Drucker's management by objective method?

MBO is a participative objective and goal-setting process that may improve the clarity of expectations and increase employee buy-in and motivation

Using engagement data

Measuring engagement does not stop here. Collecting the data is important, but equally as important is actually doing something with the information collected. First and foremost, a company should review the data, analyze the information, and look for patterns and trends. After exploring all the information, the company needs to determine how they want to use the information to make improvements. One strategy is to hone in on a few key themes and create an action plan to effectively change and improve any large areas of opportunities identified during the data review process. Taking the time to collect the data, but not taking the time to do something with the data, is a waste of time and resources.

Relationships

Relationships, for example, are a key component of engagement. This includes relationships between managers and employees as well as relationships between coworkers. The amount of feedback and recognition given at work is another measurable indicator of employee engagement. Feedback and recognition are both strong forms of communication. Feedback provides valuable information to an employee so they know what they should continue doing and what they need to improve upon. Recognition is a great way to praise an employee for doing their job well and motivate them to continue to perform at a high level. When an employee feels valued, they are more likely to be actively engaged at work.

4 steps for a successful outcome and practice tips

Step #1: Inquiry. Cultivate an attitude of discovery and curiosity. Step #2: Acknowledgment. Show that you've heard and understood what the person is saying. Step #3: Advocacy. Clarify your position without minimizing the other person's position. Step #4: Problem-Solving. Begin building solutions.

Kim Scott's Radical Candor

Technology industry veteran and advisor Kim Scott learned how to improve appraisal effectiveness the way that industry (and, perhaps, humans) evolves in general: by failing. Scott had an employee working for her whom she really liked. In relating the story in a First Round article, she calls him "Bob." The problem was the employee was absolutely terrible at his job. Whenever Bob would express worries about his performance, Scott would try to reassure him. But after nearly a year, she realized that Bob's weak performance was impacting her whole team—and she was in danger of losing several top performers as a result. Trying to be "nice" to Bob, she'd been unfair to the people who were doing great work. And after not criticizing Bob for 10 months because she was trying to spare his feelings, she had to fire him. As she remarks: "Not so nice after all. When I told him, Bob pushed his chair back, looked at me, and said, 'Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't anyone tell me?'" That experience taught Scott that "criticizing your employees when they screw up is not just your job, it's actually your moral obligation.

Often, avoiding a hard conversation can be the source of errors in a performance management discussion. Which of the following tips is NOT a suggestion on having a successful conversation?

cultivating an attitude of professionalism

Performance Appraisal

is the assessment aspect of performance management. And, critically, that assessment involves not only evaluation but specific feedback—both positive and constructive. Although performance appraisals are often thought of as an annual process that serves as the basis for a performance action (for example, a raise or—at the other extreme—being put on a "PIP" or performance improvement plan) observation and feedback can and should be an ongoing process. As HR software provider ClearCompany notes "'Players and underperformers alike need timely, specific, and helpful feedback to reach their full potential. Positive feedback helps build confidence, while constructive criticism clarifies expectations and allows people to learn from their mistakes." Author Daniel Pink captures the developmental reality in his observation that "There's no way to get better at something you only hear about once a year.

In which approach do employees and managers discuss and agree on the goals for the employee?

management by objective

When performance objectives (evaluation criteria) are discussed and agreed to by management and employees, this is an approach called:

management by objective

What is it called when an evaluator allows one favored effect or work factor to affect the entire performance review?

the halo effect

If companies could harness this competitive spirit, instill it in the workplace, and work with their teams towards greater profitability,

they would inevitably improve employee engagement.

Ajesh is working on a project to establish new appraisal norms at his company. Why might he argue in favor of the management by objective method?

MBO is a participative objective- and goal-setting process

The appraisal process consists of six steps

Step 1: Establish performance standards Step 2: Communicate performance standards Step 3: Measure performance Step 4: Compare actual performance to performance standards Step 5: Discuss the appraisal with the employee Step 6: Implement personnel action

There are many components and nuances in employee engagement. From an employee standpoint, engagement can be broken down into two main factors:

attitudes and actions

The essential behaviors that determine whether a task is done well or poorly is the focus of this type of appraisal:

critical incident

Common methods of conducting an absolute appraisal are

critical incident, BARS (Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale), and a graphic rating scale.

Avoiding hard conversations is often a source of errors in a performance appraisal. Which of the following is NOT a good tip for having a successful conversation?

cultivate an attitude of professionalism

What is it called when an evaluator confuses potential with performance?

high potential error

To avoid overloading on development, Rachitsky suggests:

highlighting employees' "superpowers" and how they can leverage it

Which method of performance evaluation has the potential to increase employee performance and organizational productivity?

management by objective

employee engagement is determined by

managers and employees alike

What should the evaluator do for the employee when conducting the performance appraisal?

provide a written copy of the appraisal

Step 2: Communicate performance standards

In order to be effective, performance standards must be clearly communicated and understood to be expectations. Performance standards assume that an individual is competent, so initial and corrective training should be factored into the performance management process. If there is a specific training period after which an employee is assumed to be competent and performing to standards, that should be communicated as well.

Step 4: Compare actual performance to performance standards

In this step of the appraisal process, actual performance is compared to the performance standards. Documentation should highlight actions and results. For example, "Amir left confidential documents on the printer even after he had been warned to maintain control of confidential information." Or "Amir's process improvement recommendations saved the department $3,500." Indiana University's Human Resource department identifies the following characteristics of effective documentation: -Accurate - Specific - Consistent (covering the entire review period) - Factual (not based on conjecture) -Balanced, including instances of both positive and unsatisfactory performance -In writing

Which of the following is NOT an example of how a lack of engagement can impact the workplace?

Individual employees who do not feel a part of a team separate themselves from the group to focus on improving their personal performance

Formal performance appraisals also serve

an administrative function; specifically, documenting employee performance relative to established standards. Although documentation is particularly critical to support employee disciplinary action—for example, to avoid or defend against a charge of discrimination or retaliation To be effective, feedback needs to be actionable. Praise or constructive feedback that is non-specific doesn't reinforce or clarify desired behavior. Specific, timely feedback is a habit that yields both performance and motivation benefits. Perspective point: recognition doesn't need to be tied to a financial or other reward to be effective. OfficeVibe's survey indicated that 82% of employees prefer praise to a gift

Studies show that the ____________ type of appraisal can actually be demotivating for employees

ranking

Measuring Employee Engagement (Interviews)

A common way to measure attributes of employee engagement is through one-on-ones and interviews. For example, exit interviews are a great way to gain honest insight into employee engagement and job satisfaction, or lack thereof. Exit interviews are commonly used by companies to determine how to improve employee engagement. While exit interviews can provide useful information, they are conducted after an employee decides to leave an organization. Other ways to gain information, prior to an employee deciding to leave the organization, is through one-on-ones or walking chats. These types of employee interactions are essentially miniature interviews where managers, or the human resource team, conduct a short and sweet conversation with an employee with the intention of building relationships and providing and gaining feedback. These in-person conversations help build rapport, and when they occur regularly, can help measure engagement and address any issues or concerns before they become a larger problem.

Indivual employees

As we discussed earlier, employees also play a role in their engagement. While engagement is influenced by management and HR, at the end of the day, it is up to each employee to determine how they think and behave. Employees are responsible for their attitudes and how they approach situations. It is naive to think a "perfect job" exists. Ideally, people enjoy their jobs and are invested in their careers; however, even a dream job still has days that are more challenging than others. Engaged employees are able to take the good days with the bad, and make conscious efforts to stay invested in their work and their organization.

Sebastián has requested his direct reports to complete a self-evaluation regarding their performances. Why is this a good idea?

It allows the employee to reflect and will give Sebastián a heads up on any differences of opinion

Managers

Managers set the tone for an organization. In order to successfully drive engagement, managers need to lead by example and work with their teams to set realistic and measurable goals. Engagement initiatives start from the top and work their way down. An exemplary management team is one that is passionate about their company's mission and abides by all company policies and procedures. Consistency is essential to promoting engagement. Successful managers value honesty, show commitment to company policies and procedures, and refrain from biased behavior. Relationship building is another critical component of promoting engagement. The more a manager knows and respects their team, the more likely they are to gain the buy-in of their team members. Managers, especially at a direct level, have the greatest impact on employee engagement. Whether they have a positive or negative effect on engagement, depends on the environment they create.

Graphic Rating Scale

One of the simplest and most common appraisal methods is the graphic rating scale. A graphic rating performance appraisal form lists job behaviors, competencies, skills and results and provides five (more or less) rating options ranging from unsatisfactory to exceeds expectations. The appraiser selects a performance rating for each criteria and totals the values. The positive is rating scales are relatively easy to develop and complete and yield quantitative data that can be used to compare performance relative to prior appraisals or other employees. The downside is the method doesn't provide a level of detail that supports specific corrective action. Another drawback: performance factors tend to be vague and open to interpretation—for example, quantity of work, quality of work, initiative—and performance ratings can be subjective.

You're a manager preparing to appraise your employees. Which of the following should you keep in mind as you do so?

Performance standards should be specific, measurable, achievable relevant and time-bound

Step 3: Measure performance

Performance that is expressed in numeric terms—for example, cost, quantity, quality, timeliness—is relatively easy to measure. Performance in the area of soft skills—for example, communication, customer service and leadership—is more difficult to evaluate. DeCenzo, Robbins and Verhulst recommend using a variety of sources of information including personal observation, oral reports and written reports. They note, however, that what is measured is probably more critical than how an aspect is measured. The focus should be on measuring what matters rather than measuring what's easy to measure.

What is the first step in presenting a performance appraisal?

Scheduling an appraisal meeting in advance

Human Resources

The Human Resources team plays an important role in helping to develop company culture, which includes employee engagement. HR can drive engagement initiatives, promote engagement through training opportunities, and utilize feedback from employees to initiate and drive change. Even more importantly, HR is the first line of defense against employee disengagement. The recruitment and hiring process plays a significant role in employee engagement. Hiring the right person for the right job is essential in establishing an engaged culture. A poor hiring choice can negatively impact an entire team. On the other hand, a great hiring decision can play a positive role in spreading engagement.

Attiudes

The attitudes of employees include both their thoughts and their feelings. What does an employee think about their job? Do they understand their job functions and feel supported in their role? Do employees feel valued as a member of the team, or do they feel secluded and unsupported? It is impossible to precisely gauge employee attitudes; however, the way employees think and feel has a significant impact on the workplace and employee engagement. Employees who feel trusted and supported, and believe their job performance is valued, will perform better and exert more energy to go above and beyond.

Step 6: Implement personnel action

The final step in the appraisal process is the discussion and/or implementation of any next steps: a reward of some sort—a raise, promotion or coveted development opportunity—or corrective action—a performance plan or termination. Note, however, that corrective action that might help an employee achieve expectations shouldn't be tabled until the next formal appraisal. As performance gaps are identified, supervisors and managers should take the time to identify why performance is not meeting expectations and determine whether the employee can meet expectations with additional training and/or coaching. As mentioned above, if performance is such that termination is warranted, that action should be taken in a timely manner as well.

Paired Comparison

The paired comparison method bases evaluations on an employee's performance relative to his or her peers in selected job skill categories. For example, if you have five employees, you would compare their performance in each category individually, assigning a plus or a minus to indicate relative strength or weakness, as illustrated in Table 2. An employee's evaluation would be the sum of their pluses and would be the basis of a relative ranking. This method is unwieldy for large numbers of employees and suffers from the vagueness and subjectivity of a graphic ranking system

One of the best ways to ensure an effective—and legally defensible—appraisal is

is to prepare in advance. For a traditional annual appraisal, well in advance. In her Muse article "A First-Time Manager's Guide to Performance Reviews," Pepperdine University Career Center Director Amy Adams lays out a one year preparation plan. As Adams notes "Planning will help you deliver more comprehensive [read: effective] feedback."[1] An employee should never be blindsided by a review. If you've been providing feedback on a regular basis, the appraisal will be constructive or, on the downside, end in closure. Ongoing dialog also builds trust and a willingness to hear feedback as developmental coaching rather than a personal attack

If the CEO wants to look at his leadership team and rank them by the 20/70/10 rule (where 20% is top performing and 10% is bottom performing), this is a form of what kind of appraisal?

relative appraisal

Jack Welch liked looking at his team in terms of a 20/70/10 ranking, where 20% of his team were high performers, and 10% of them were down at the bottom in terms of performance. This is what kind of performance appraisal?

relative appraisal

What is it called when an evaluator allows one bad effect or work factor to affect the entire performance review?

the horns effect

What are the three aspects of job performance?

- Task performance - Organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) - Counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs)

The ________role in employee engagement includes helping workers understand their goals and how their goals align with the organization's mission and strategy.

--

Here's a step-by-step guide to presenting an appraisal:

1. Schedule an appraisal meeting in advance. An appraisal should be presented—ideally, in person or at least via videoconference—and discussed, not handed off for signature. 2. Optional, but recommended: Ask the employee to complete and submit a self-evaluation prior to the appraisal meeting. This will allow your employee time to reflect and will give you a heads up on any significant differences in opinion. 3. Decide on the desired outcome and plan accordingly. Assuming you've been provided feedback on an ongoing basis, the substance of the meeting won't be a surprise. Have the information or resources you need on hand or on call. 4. Develop your talking points. - Focus on the most significant success factors and, based on the data you've collected, identify specifics that warrant recognition as well as development opportunities. -Relate your findings to organizational or departmental goals.Based on the above, identify next steps, including future SMART goals and associated action items. The objective is for the employee to come out of the meeting with a clear sense of where they stand, a renewed sense of purpose and a clear sense of direction. 5. Conduct the appraisal meeting - Provide your employee with a written copy of his or her appraisal. Discuss your observations and expectations. Invite comments. Keep feedback focused on performance, rather than the person and emphasize opportunities for improvement. -At a minimum, the meeting should include the employee's acknowledgement of the appraisal. Ideally, the meeting will be a springboard to the next review or appraisal period.

Benefits of Employee Engagement

1. Stronger financial performance 2. Lower employee turnover 3. Increased employee morale The benefits of employee engagement can manifest in a number of ways. One of the most obvious benefits of employee engagement is employee job satisfaction. If employees are more engaged, they are more satisfied with what they are doing and vice versa. Directly correlated to employee job satisfaction, is reduced turnover. People who are satisfied with their jobs are significantly less likely to search for another job than those that are unhappy. Reduced turnover helps companies save time and money by not having to spend as many resources on hiring and onboarding new employees. Productivity is another large benefit of employee engagement. People who are engaged and satisfied with their jobs are more likely to show up to work each and every day. Disengaged employees on the other hand, are more likely to call out from work as they do not feel a strong sense of loyalty to their company. Employees with high attendance perform their job functions with higher productivity, since they spend more time at work. And, you guessed it, higher productivity leads to higher profitability for the company. Engaged employees are also more likely to have positive relationships with clients and customers. Positive relationships help to retain customers and can lead to an increase in customer referrals, all of which help to improve profitability.

Critical Incident

A critical incident appraisal focuses on the essential behaviors that determine whether a task is done well or poorly. Documentation in this case involves briefly summarizing situations (incidents) that demonstrate either successful or unsuccessful behavior and outcomes. The critical incident appraisal method is more intensive for the appraiser since it involves more attention to detail. This is especially the case since incidents should be recorded as they occur and be representative of the appraisal period rather than based on memory and written when preparing for the appraisal. However, this level of details if more valuable to an employee and may better support development. A variation on this is asking or tasking employees with recording their critical incidents, similar to a self-assessment.

Laying off an employee

Advantages Cutting costs is the primary advantage of laying off employees. When mass layoffs occur, companies are able to drastically reduce the amount of money spent on employee compensation, benefits packages, etc. Layoffs can help a company regain a better economic standing and gain better control of their finances. Disadvantages As we discussed in the previous sections, there are a number of disadvantages associated with downsizing and layoffs. For example, mass layoffs can create an unstable work environment with uneasy and overworked employees. When layoffs occur, the remaining employees are often expected to fill in the gaps created when former coworkers were terminated. Layoffs can negatively affect company morale and motivation. In addition, client relationships and sales may suffer, as changes to job assignments are made and the number of employees to complete the workload has decreased.

Firing an employee

Advantages The main benefit of firing an employee is that the undesirable behavior or performance has been eliminated from the company. Firing an underperformer opens up a position which can then be filled with an employee better suited to meet the job requirements and expectations. In some cases, when a toxic employee is fired, it can shift the workplace environment from a negative one to a positive one. Although firing someone is never a fun task, when done for the right reasons, it can have a positive impact on morale and profitability. Disadvantages One possible disadvantage to firing an employee is possible legal consequences. However, if a company follows legal guidelines and their predetermined termination policies and procedures, lawsuits are less likely. Another disadvantage of firing an employee is the need to fill their position. Any form of termination or turnover creates a staffing gap. In order to fill this gap, the company needs to spend a lot of time and resources to interview, hire, onboard, and train the new employee. It will also take time to get the new employee up to speed and performing at the levels required of the position.

Legal Issues

Although downsizing is legal in the United States, companies that choose to downsize may experience legal backlash, specifically from terminated employees. If employees that were laid off feel as though they were laid off due to discriminatory reasons, they may have grounds for a lawsuit. Legal consequences are not guaranteed in all downsizing situations; however, they are a definite possibility.

______________________________________________ affects how he or she responds when solicited for employee engagement feedback

An employee's overall happiness and wellbeing

What is one example of behavior outside of work that is protected in California?

An employee's political affiliation

Implied contract exception

An employer can create an implied contract of employment through language included in an employee handbook, policies, practices or written or verbal assurances. For example, a supervisor's comment that commits the employer to a term of employment—for example, "your career is with us!"—or a specific developmental process—"we have a defined development and discipline process"—may constitute an implied contract. That is, even if there is no written contract, the employee may have a valid expectation of continued employment or only for cause termination based on the supervisor's statements, an established practice or description of termination processes and procedures in the employee handbook. Although courts generally disregard overly broad language—i.e., promises of lifetime employment—as aspirational, it's best to avoid such statements and, further, to incorporate an unambiguous disclaimer on employee materials stating that comments, policies, and procedures do not create contractual rights.

Which of the following statements correctly explain an employer's ability to control or discipline an employee's behavior outside the workplace?

An employer's ability to control or discipline an employee's behavior outside the workplace varies by state, so it's important to know the state laws

Counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs)

Any behavior on the part of an employee that, when viewed from the organization's perspective, Is contrary to its legitimate interests •Examples (some are intentional, others are just who the person is): - Theft/Sabotage • - Destruction of property • - Absenteeism/Lateness • - Misuse of information • - Unsafe behavior • - Substance abuse • - Wasting time

Conflict

Any time individuals interact, there is potential for conflict. Conflict occurs when differing interests and ideas collide, creating tension. Conflict is a natural part of everyday life, especially in the workplace. With compensation, deadlines, clients, etc. on the line, it is normal for the workplace to add additional stress and pressure to the challenges of everyday life. Therefore, it is more likely people will encounter conflict at work. So if conflict is so common, how can we avoid its impact in the workplace? In reality, we can't. Conflict will always be around, oftentimes in varying levels. Some conflicts may have simple solutions, where others may be accompanied with drama and complex situations. To best understand how conflict impacts the workplace, it is important to explore sources of conflict. Each source will have a different impact on the workplace environment and require their own solution. Check out the information below to learn more about a variety of sources that create conflict.

Layoff vs. Firing

As we discussed earlier in this module, there is a difference between laying off and firing an employee. Each of these is a form of termination, but with differing intent. When an employee is laid off, it is usually through no fault of their own, but rather a business decision made by the company to cut costs. When an employee is fired, however, it is a repercussion for their poor decisions or performance. Let's first discuss the advantages and disadvantages for terminating an employee by laying them off.

Loss of Knowledge and Experience

Companies invest a lot of time and resources into hiring and training employees. In theory, every employee should have the essential skills and knowledge base required to complete their job functions. Also, the longer an employee is with a company, the more information and skills they can acquire. Therefore, when employees are laid off during the downsizing process, the company loses more than just a warm body; they lose the employee's knowledge, experience, and expertise. In addition, downsizing companies typically do not hire new employees, which means there will be a void instead of a replacement.

Document, Document, Document

Consistent and clear documentation is key to avoiding legal problems after firing an employee. If an employee is spoken to about their poor performance, the conversation should be documented every time. This way, employers are able to show habitual behaviors or poor performance and have evidence that the company tried to help rectify the employee's shortcomings. When repeat behaviors are well documented, companies can justify firing an employee for a negative behavior or performance pattern.

Exceptions to Employment at Will

Courts have established three basic exceptions to the at will doctrine: public policy, implied contract, and implied covenant of good faith.

Which of the following is an example of an employee who was let go in an ethical way?

Davi, who for failed to meet performance standards

Organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs)

Discretionary, or " extra mile " behaviors that fall outside of an employee's specific job description •Can be directed at individuals • Volunteering to help a coworker organize an event •Helping a coworker finish a task when they are busy •Can be directed at the organization itself • staying after hours to help clean up • speaking highly of the organization in social setting

Which of the following is an ineffective way to communicate with the remaining employees after conducting mass layoffs?

Do not discuss or address the layoffs so everyone can move past them

Downsizing

Downsizing is when a company terminates a number of employees at the same time. Downsizing occurs for a number of reasons, most often to save money. Termination as a result of downsizing is unique in the sense that the employee is not responsible for their termination. Traditionally, employees are terminated for their conduct, behavior, or breach of contract. However, in a downsizing situation, termination is not prompted by employee behavior but instead is a business decision made to cut costs.

Johannes is interviewing for a position with a huge private financial firm. The firm would like Johannes to take a polygraph test to see if he has ever been financially dishonest. Which act is this financial firm in violation of?

EPPA

Health and Wellbeing

Employee health and wellbeing, both physical and mental, also influences their engagement at work. Employees who feel challenged and supported to advance in their career field are more likely to perform well and embody the company brand in all they do. All of these things influence an employee's engagement as well as their overall job satisfaction. Employees who are highly engaged and satisfied with their jobs are less likely to seek out new employment opportunities, even for greater pay. They say you can't buy happiness, and employees who are truly happy with their careers understand this and choose to stay because of it.

Employee Social Media Use

Employee use of social media may or may not be protected as "concerted activity" by the National Labor Relations Act. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) notes that an employee has "the right to act with co-workers to address work-related issues. Examples include: talking with one or more co-workers about your wages and benefits or other working conditions, circulating a petition asking for better hours, participating in a concerted refusal to work in unsafe conditions, openly talking about your pay and benefits, and joining with co-workers to talk directly to your employer, to a government agency, or to the media about problems in your workplace." An employer "cannot discharge, discipline, or threaten [an employee] for, or coercively question you about," this type of activity. However, making statements that are "egregiously offensive or knowingly and maliciously false," or "publicly disparaging your employer's products or services without relating your complaints to any labor controversy" is not protected concerted activity.

Which of the following is NOT a consequence of at-will employment?

Employees can only be terminated for "just cause," like unsatisfactory performance or misconduct

Employee Differences

Even if you work in the same field as your coworkers, chances are each of you are very different from one another. Everyone views their world through a different lens which influences their values and outlook. Your values may not align with your coworkers, and while that is expected, it can also lead to workplace conflict. If there is a lack of understanding or a lack of acceptance for your coworkers' differing views and values, conflict is likely to arise and create tension among coworkers. Employees are also likely to have differing interests. If an employee is more focused on their personal interests as opposed to the interests of the team, conflict is inevitable. While it is important to foster your own goals, it should not be at the detriment of the team. Personality differences may also create conflict. People approach problem-solving and the workplace differently, which can create conflict if coworkers do not understand one another. Even if a person acts with good intentions, it may not be perceived that way by others they work with. Communication is the best way to avoid conflict from personality differences, but can create other challenges when incorporating multiple communication styles.

The Purpose of Discipline

Every effective organization needs to establish, communicate and enforce standards of behavior and performance. Some employees will learn and adopt the organization's standards as a matter of course—by observation, in conversation with management and peers, by referring to a code of conduct or employee handbook and other means. However, some individuals will disregard, fail to meet or otherwise refuse to adhere to established codes of conduct or performance standards. In these instances, it's essential to enforce desired behavior to avoid contaminating the culture and a domino effect where one dysfunctional employee derails a work group or department or, worse, prompts the departure of high-performance employees. In it's active or verb form, discipline is defined as "[training] (someone) to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience." Merriam-Webster puts the emphasis on "training that corrects," and that is a key point; the purpose of discipline is not to punish, but to instruct and correct. As DeCenzo, Robbins, and Verhulst note: "The object of disciplinary action is not to punish employees, but to provide a consequence for an employee's undesirable behavior."That is, it is a necessary means to the desired end.

Communication

Everyone has different communication styles and they may not always mix well. Someone with a direct communication style may come off as rude or abrasive to someone with a more indirect communication style. Even if the direct individual had no intentions of being rude, their communication style may present them in that way. Additionally, the direct individual may feel like the more indirect communicator is wasting time with unnecessary details. However, each communicator understands the other's communication style, and makes allowances for personal differences, there is less likely to be conflict. Understanding how your coworkers and supervisors communicate is extremely helpful in navigating your workplace. Poor communication can also create conflict in the workplace. If important tasks and information are not communicated properly, it can create confusion, extra work, and frustration. If someone gets only part of the message, or gets varying versions of the same message, they are more likely to get frustrated and involved in workplace conflict. Poor communication can have a detrimental impact on an organization if it is not addressed.

Frisk Model

F: Facts evidencing the employee's unsatisfactory conduct R: Rule of authority violated by the employee's behavior I: Impact of the employee's unsatisfactory conduct on the workplace S: Suggestions to assist the employee in improving performance and directions K: Knowledge of the employee's right to respond to corrective documentation placed in the personnel file There are three key considerations in using this model: - The process is positive, with the emphasis placed on the employee's potential to change/improve behavior/performance rather than on the punishment. - This process is corrective; supervisors have a responsibility to support positive change. -The process is progressive, with the intent of increases in severity of communications and disciplined designed to incentivize corrective action

The federal law which requires that employers must obtain written consent to request a candidate's credit report and must notify that candidate if the information found in their credit report was the basis for any negative decisions is:

FCRA

What can a company do to promote a fun and engaged work environment after a company downsizes?

Host regular scheduled team building events

Step 3: Suspension/Final Warning

If, by the time frame specified in step 2, behavior or performance is still not to expectations, an employee may be suspended from work for a time frame ranging from a day to weeks, depending on the employer's policy and the scenario. Note that if the infraction was serious, it might warrant suspension as a first step. Also, some organization's skip this step entirely or to instead issue a final warning. The immediate supervisor should conduct any necessary investigations and summarize previous progressive discipline. The supervisor should again discuss the situation with the employee, specify the time frame for suspension or providing the final warning in writing and indicating that, unless there is a course correction, the next step is termination. As in step 2, the employee should sign the suspension/final warning and copies should be submitted to HR and, if applicable, sent to the union.

Progressive Discipline

In order to avoid perceptions of arbitrary or discriminatory discipline, HR management should establish a progressive discipline policy and process. A critical implementation step: training supervisors and managers to overcome the human tendency to avoid difficult conversations. An analogy that may help managers understand what's required is the "hot stove rule,"[1] that suggests viewing administration of discipline as similar to touching a hot stove. Specifically, an employee being disciplined should: - Experience an immediate and painful response; there should be no question regarding cause and effect - Have advance warning; that is, he knows what will happen when he touches a hot stove - Experience the result consistently; every time he touches a hot stove, he gets burned - Experience the result as impersonal; the burn is related to his action, not his personality.

Implied Covenant of Good Faith

In some states, courts have applied an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing to employment relationships. "Implied covenant of good faith" is "a general assumption of the law of contracts that people will act in good faith and deal fairly without breaking their word, using shifty means to avoid obligations or denying what the other party obviously understood." Based on this, courts have variously required just cause for termination and prohibited terminations made in bad faith or motivated by malice. An example of a bad faith termination is firing a salesperson who booked a record sale to avoid paying the commission.

Task Performance

Includes tasks, duties and responsibilities that employers will expect from employees (what is clearly defined in a job analysis

____________need to assume some responsibility, or other efforts will have a limited effect on overall employee engagement.

Individual employees

If a company is experiencing international expansion and finds itself dealing with other cultures, emotional intelligence helps because:

It allows companies to better navigate cultural differences and the complex ways in which other cultures express emotions

Sara and Coraline both need to meet with their manager, who works remote and is only in the office two days a week. Because the manager is so busy, she can only meet with Sara. This angers Coraline and she neglects to assist Sara, as she should, with a portion of her project. What was the cause of this workplace conflict?

Lack of Resources

Since conducting company-wide layoffs, ABC Construction notices a negative change in their remaining employees' attitudes. Which of the following is most likely NOT the reason for the change in company attitudes and morale?

Less work available

Legal considerations for termination

Let's start by exploring legal ways to terminate employees. Since the next section will address laws surrounding termination, let's discuss strategies companies can use to protect themselves from legal repercussions surrounding employee terminations. First, consider layoffs from downsizing. This type of termination is unique because the employees are not fired for wrongdoing or breach of contract. Instead, the company has made a decision to cut costs and therefore has made a business decision to cut their workforce. When laying off employees it is important to consider the following: Can the company justify and explain their business decision to make layoffs? Are there written company policies that outline downsizing procedures? If so, they need to be followed. Is there anything in an employee's contract that protects them from layoffs or requires some sort of severance pay in the event of a layoff? How will the company determine who they layoff? It is important to predetermine the departments and positions that need to be cut. In addition, there should be clear, objective criteria in place to determine who will be laid off (seniority, sales, etc.). These criteria should be used universally throughout a company when downsizing. "Fired" employees are different than employees who are laid off. When companies fire someone, it can be for a number of reasons. For example, poor work performance, unethical conduct, or breach of contract. Even if employees have behaved in a way that justifies terminating their employment, there are still a number of things to consider before firing them. Check out the information below to learn more.

Ethical Considerations

Now let's review some ethical factors to consider when terminating someone's employment. It is important to note that just because something is legal, does not necessarily mean it is ethical. Here are some ways to ensure employees are fired in an ethical way: - Be sure to hold conversations prior to firing an employee. If they are underperforming or not meeting expectations, having a conversation with them gives them a chance to course correct. The termination conversation should not be the first time the employee is hearing about their shortcomings! - Stay consistent across the entire organization. We discussed consistency in relation to legality, but it is also extremely relevant to ethics. Consistency can help to avoid discrimination and ensure unbiased and fair treatment for all. - Be transparent. Employees should be notified in person that they are being terminated. Finding out about getting fired through a letter or from a third party is completely unprofessional. Although most people do not enjoy firing someone, it is important to show the employee enough respect to sit down and have the conversation face-to-face.

Step 1: Establish performance standards

Performance standards are set to ensure achievement of departmental goals and objectives and the organization's overall strategy and objectives. Standards are based on the position, rather than an individual. In order to be clearly understood and perceived as objective, standards should adhere to the same rules that apply to goal-setting; that is, they should be "SMART:" specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timebound. Indiana University's Human Resource department explains that "while a list of major job duties tells the employee what is to be done, performance standards provide the employee with specific performance expectations for each major duty." Performance standards include both observable behaviors—the how—and the expected results that comprise satisfactory job performance.

Which of the following is the most practical reason a company may choose to downsize?

Poor economic conditions

Communication is Key

Professional, informative, and clear communication is essential for ensuring a smooth downsizing process. Communication is extremely important in day-to-day interactions at work and it is especially important during confusing and trying times, like when a company is downsizing. Downsizing is a big challenge, for employers and employees alike. How a message is communicated and delivered can have either a positive or negative effect on the organization's morale. For example, if a company announces layoffs the day they begin terminations, they are going to get more backlash. Catching employees off guard with something that will greatly impact their livelihood will result in anger, fear, confusion, frustration, and other intense emotions and thoughts. Even employees who get to keep their jobs may feel caught off guard and lose any sense of security they have in their job. Too little communication can make it appear as though management is trying to hide something or that the plan is not well thought out and executed. When there is clear communication around the downsizing plan and the reasons for downsizing, employees are more likely to be receptive to the message. There is no real way to sugarcoat a downsize or a termination; however, clear communication throughout the process is a respectful way for organizations to handle the situation. A focus on communication should continue after layoffs occur. It is important to keep open lines of communication with the remaining employees and share the company's vision for the future. It is also a good idea to address the elephant in the room, the layoffs. While it is important to move past the layoffs, it is equally as important to address them and not pretend as if they did not happen. Acknowledging change is necessary to move past the downsize and forward into the next chapter for the company. When management acts like nothing happened, it can create additional distrust and uneasiness among the remaining employees.

pulse surveys

Pulse surveys are another quick and easy way to gather data on employee engagement. Pulse surveys are designed to take a quick pulse of the organization by asking a small number of questions to measure engagement and job satisfaction. These surveys should be quick and easy to complete and widely distributed throughout the organization. Pulse surveys can be effective but impersonal at times. Collecting data and feedback is most effective when multiple forms of data collection are utilized (for example, using pulse surveys and walking chats). An employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) is another survey that some companies use to determine engagement. To determine the eNPS, employers need to ask a simple question: would you recommend working for your company or using the product/services they provide? Some companies argue that the answer to this question is the biggest indicator as to whether or not their employees are engaged. Other companies believe that the information is good to have, but do not believe it is a strong indicator of true engagement.

Take Ownership

Realistically, an individual will not be in the right in every conflict. Taking ownership for misunderstandings and shortcomings and using conflict resolution as an opportunity to learn from mistakes is an important tool. Being able to acknowledge how an individual could have handled things differently is important to strengthening relationships and personal growth. Finally, it is important to take active steps to learn from the conflict. Determine what could have been done differently to avoid the conflict and find teachable moments that can be used to avoid future conflicts.

Laying off a large number of employees greatly impacts every member of the organization, including those who lost their jobs and those who remain. Which of the following explains the effects of layoffs on the remaining employees?

Redistributed workloads can create stress and frustration amongst the remaining employees

Which of the following is a smart way for companies to protect themselves against legal repercussions from an employee termination?

Stay consistent with their termination policies and procedures

Which of the following is an example of an unethical—but legal—termination?

Terminanting an employee without any warning

During a downsize, which of the following is not an ethically and legally sound way to determine which employees to layoff?

Terminate the employees who are the oldest

Which of the following is an example of an unethical, but not illegal, way to conduct a termination?

Terminating an employee through a letter

Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA)

The Act "prohibits most private employers from using lie detector tests, either for pre-employment screening or during the course of employment. Employers generally may not require or request any employee or job applicant to take a lie detector test, or discharge, discipline, or discriminate against an employee or job applicant for refusing to take a test or for exercising other rights under the Act.

BARS

The Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale or BARS appraisal method combines aspects of the critical incident and graphic rating methods. Like the critical incident method, BARS focused on behaviors that constitute significant performance dimensions of a job. It differs from the typical graphic rating scale in that it focuses on job specifics rather than vague work statements. For example, instead of a rating that might be open to interpretation—for example, "Answers phone promptly and courteously"—a BARS approach would break it down into two component actions: "Answers phone within 3 rings." and "Greets caller with "Hello. This is [name]. How may I help you?" Implementing BARS involves identifying the primary job behaviors and developing a 3-7 (or more) point rating scale that anchors the rating to specific descriptions of effective and ineffective behavior. The benefit of BARS is that it yields both qualitative and quantitative data. The quantitative data makes it possible to compare and rank relative employee performance. The level of detail in behavior descriptions also helps to avoid differences in interpretation across raters and employees. The downside of BARS is the complexity of development and maintenance, with each position requiring a set of evaluation criteria and rating descriptions.

Protects employees

The Civil Rights Act of 1964: The Civil Right Act of 1964 made it illegal for companies to discriminate based on "race, color, religion, sex, or national origin (source:Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)." This was a huge step forward for social justice in the United States and laid the groundwork for future antidiscrimination legislation. There are now laws in place to protect women and minorities against wage discrimination, to protect workers over the age of 40 from ageist discrimination, and to protect people with disabilities from discrimination in the workplace. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO): EEOs are laws put in place to protect people from discrimination in the workplace. They enforce laws like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and use the Equal Employment Opportunity Council (EEOC), a federal agency, to promote and enforce antidiscrimination laws. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): FMLA allows employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year to care for their family. This time can be used to care for a sick family member, for maternity/paternity leave, or for personal health issues. This protects employees from getting terminated for missing work to care for themselves or a family member. OSHA Whistleblower Protection Program: There are a number of federal statutes in place to help protect whistleblowers from facing repercussions for coming forward with information about a company's unlawful behavior.

Lila recently found out that her employer (a government agency) was keeping a file on her, collecting documentation of her work habits and each time she was late to work. The employer denied Lila access to look at her file. Which act is Lila's employer in violation of?

The Privacy Act

Which of the following acts, applying to federal government agencies, requires employers to provide employees with access to their personnel file?

The Privacy Act

Where is the disconnect for most companies failing in the area of employee engagement?

The competition between engagement and results

What constitutes a "personnel action"?

The final step in the appraisal process is the discussion and/or implementation of any next steps: a reward of some sort—a raise, promotion or coveted development opportunity—or corrective action—a performance plan or termination. Note, however, that corrective action that might help an employee achieve expectations shouldn't be tabled until the next formal appraisal. As performance gaps are identified, supervisors and managers should take the time to identify why performance is not meeting expectations and determine whether the employee can meet expectations with additional training and/or coaching. As mentioned above, if performance is such that termination is warranted, that action should be taken in a timely manner as well.

Step 4: Termination

The final step is not one to be taken lightly; DeCenzo, et.al. state that almost 90% of discrimination charges are related to termination.[3] Prior to making this decision the employee's immediate supervisor should review the employee's work history and disciplinary documentation with Human Resource management or other authority. For more on the documentation point, see below. Some cases—for example, sexual harassment, violence or threats of violence, theft—warrant immediate dismissal. Once the decision is made, a letter of termination should be delivered to the employee in person or via certified mail.

Step 1: Verbal Warning

The first step in the disciplinary process is for the employee's immediate supervisor to issue an unofficial verbal warning or what is sometimes referred to as a written verbal warning. Although the warning is verbal, the conversation should be documented. If behavior or performance improves, the documentation does not become part of the employee's permanent personnel file. Documentation should include the date, purpose and outcome of the meeting. - Meet with the employee and communicate clearly what rule was violated or what performance expectations wasn't met. - Discuss the performance gap or behavioral concern. Give the employee an opportunity to propose a resolution. - Restate the required behavior or performance expectations. - Provide a timeline and resources for improvement. - Report consequences of failure to improve. - Document conversation.

You're introducing the company's disciplinary process to a group of new supervisors and managers who seem to be uncomfortable with the idea of "disciplining" their former peers. You clarify that:

The purpose of discipline is not to punish, but to instruct and correct

Focus on Effective Communication

The way in which you communicate through a conflict will greatly influence the outcome. Communicating face-to-face is important to ensure clear communication. Trying to address conflict via email, or even through a phone conversation, leaves room for misinterpretation. Tone and inflection are extremely hard to decipher through text, and can be misconstrued as rude or snarky. Meeting face-to-face allows everyone involved in the conflict to clearly communicate their viewpoints and frustrations. It may also be a good idea to get the opinion of a third party before addressing the issue (with the exception of conflict with sensitive or personal information that should not be shared). This will provide fresh perspective and help you see the conflict from a different angle.

The Drug-Free Workplace Act (1988)

This Act requires federal contractors and all federal grantees to agree that they will provide drug-free workplaces as a condition of receiving a contract or grant of $100,00 or more. The Act does not apply to those that do not have, nor intend to apply for, contracts/grants from the federal government. The Act also does not apply to subcontractors or subgrantees.

The Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification (WARN) Act

This act doesn't protect employee information but rather creates a duty for employers to inform employees of a plant closure or significant layoff. Specifically, the Act requires employers to give employees 60 days notice of a planned closure or layoff affecting 50 or more workers.

The Privacy Act (1974)

This act, which applies only to federal government agencies, requires employers to provide employees with access to their personnel file. State law may provide private sector and state and local government employees rights similar to The Privacy Act A number of states and localities (currently 17 states and 19 localities) prohibit employers from requesting a job applicant's salary history. Some states—California, for example—also prohibit an employer from using an applicant's pay history as a basis for compensation if volunteered. Thirteen states have "ban the box" laws that prohibit private employers from asking about an applicant's criminal history on a job application and 30 states have laws that apply this ban to government employers

Step 5: Discuss the appraisal with the employee

This is generally the step in the process that is the most difficult for managers and employees alike and it can be a challenge to manage emotions and expectations. Even when performance is strong, there can be differences of opinion on the next action. A significant difference of opinion regarding performance can create an emotionally-charged situation. If the manager is providing feedback and coaching on a regular basis, this shouldn't be the case. Related point: If an employee has consistently poor performance, the issue should be addressed—corrective action taken—in a timely manner and not deferred to an annual review. To identify and prepare for differences of opinion, management can ask employees to complete and submit a self-evaluation prior to the appraisal meeting. A key point to keep in mind is that the manager's ability to remain calm and civil will have a significant impact on the employee's confidence, motivation and future performance.

What is generally the correct order for progressive discipline process?

Verbal warning, written warning, suspension, termination

Client Relations

When a large number of employees are laid off, it may impact client relationships. If there are fewer people employed to handle clients and their accounts, the customer experience will suffer. Also, if clients had a great working relationship with an employee that was then terminated, they may be frustrated to have a new person assigned to their account. These frustrations may lead to a loss in profitability and customer satisfaction.

Increased Workloads and Pressure on Remaining Employees

When companies downsize, gaps within the workload are created. This adds pressure to the remaining employees to not only complete their current job functions, but also to pick up additional work to compensate for the terminated employees. The additional responsibilities, on top of their current ones, can create stress and pressure on remaining employees and negatively affect the morale and motivation of the team. In addition, when employees are bogged down in the day-to-day work tasks, there is little time left to learn a new skill or expand their current knowledge base. This can create a stagnant work environment and stunt current employees' growth potential.

Provide Support

When companies layoff a large number of employees, it creates a gap between the workload and the workforce. Therefore, the remaining employees are needed to step up to fill the void and oftentimes are expected to take on greater responsibilities in addition to their current workload. This can be overwhelming for many employees. Providing support through resources, assistance, training, etc. can help to alleviate some of the frustrations and ensure that work is completed in a timely and high-quality manner.

Find the Cause of the Conflict

When dealing with conflict, it is more important to understand the root of the problem than to focus on who is in the right. Instead of looking for a person to blame for the conflict, focus on the central cause of the disagreement. Addressing the root cause of the issue will not only help fix the current conflict but can also help to prevent future problems. It is important to focus on the behavior, not the individual's personality. Blaming a person's personality can create additional conflict. Focusing on behaviors and actions is a more constructive way to approach a conflict and is something an individual is capable of changing. It is not realistic or helpful to focus on personality traits and emotions that cannot be changed.

tough economic conditions

When economic conditions are poor, sales and profitability can suffer. When sales and profitability are down, some companies may need to make drastic cuts in order to stay in the green. In some situations, downsizing is a good option for cutting costs.

Create a Fun and Engaged Work Environment

When employees see their coworkers getting laid off, it can spark insecurity and loneliness. People that employees were used to seeing on a daily basis will no longer be there, and some employees may be wondering if they will be the next to go. Hosting team building activities and events is a great way to promote teamwork and introduce employees to other coworkers they may not have worked with previously. When employees have a support team among their coworkers, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated. Creating fun events to foster mingling and team building, is a great way to help build healthy work relationships. A fun work environment can also help to show employee appreciation and demonstrate that the company is invested in their remaining employees. It is important, however, that fun events are genuine, and not contrived. The motivation should be to build a strong team with the remaining employees, not simply a distraction from recent layoffs. Ensure there is a purpose behind fun activities and events (team building, networking, employee appreciation, etc.). Employees will be able to identify a work environment that is genuine versus one that is overcompensating to distract from recent events.

Merger of Acquisition

When two companies merge together, the companies need to restructure in order to meet their new needs. Restructuring may include eliminating certain roles altogether or reducing the workforce in certain departments. Companies that acquire another company may also downsize in order to meet the new needs of the company.

You post on social media: "I really hate my job. I am always working the night shift, and never get any day shifts. It's freezing cold in my office and I haven't gotten a raise in the last year. I don't know what to do to get better working conditions! Help!" Which of the following is an accurate statement?

You might be fired for slandering your employer

You and your co-worker are becoming increasingly upset over the long hours you are expected to work in order to have vacation time approved. You've decided to turn to social media to ask input from your network about ways to proceed so you can have better working conditions. Which of the following statements would be true in this situation?

Your employer could not discipline you since the comments represent concerted activity

A form of performance appraisal that involves identifying primary job behaviors and developing a 3-7 point rating scale with which to rate them, and then also provides qualitative data. What type of appraisal does this describe?

absolute appraisal

Firing an employee before paying out their due commissions would be an example of:

bad faith termination

An average time to assemble a part of the car's carburetor has been established for the assembly line. When reviewing the performance of an employee on the line, the number of parts the employee assembled is reviewed against those standards. What step of the performance appraisal process is this?

comparing actual performance to performance standards

Teresa is looking at Aleksander's sales performance and measuring it against last year's numbers, as well as what was budgeted. In which step of the process does this activity take place?

comparing actual performance to performance standards

What can one do to discover helpful information regarding employee engagement and culture where an exiting employee is concerned?

conducting an exit interview

A large marketing firm recently downsized their workforce. After the downsize, Human Resources decided to host team building lunches every other Friday. Which of the following strategies is the HR team using to help foster company morale?

creating an engaged work environment

The at will employment doctrine states that

employment is for an indefinite period of time and may be terminated by either the employer or employee. The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) notes that the presumption that employment relationships are "at-will" is in effect in all U.S. states except Montana. "At will" employment is a uniquely U.S. construct. In most countries, employees can only be terminated for cause. In the EU and many other countries, a written employment contract is required by law and the contract can't be changed except by mutual agreement Practically speaking, "at will" means that an employer can terminate an employee at any time for any reason (except an illegal one) or for no reason without incurring legal liability. This freedom also applies to employees, who can leave a job at any time for any or no reason with no adverse legal consequences. Critically, "at-will also means that an employer can change the terms of the employment relationship with no notice and no consequences." For example, an employer can change salary or commission structure and modify or eliminate benefits. While this type of change may not be illegal, it's not advisable, since employees are free to reject the revised terms and leave. However, the rule does "[leave] employees vulnerable to arbitrary and sudden dismissal, a limited or on-call work schedule depending on the employer's needs, and unannounced cuts in pay and benefits." Although at-will is the employment default, that can be modified by contract. For example, employees who are represented by unions will generally be protected by a collective bargaining agreement that requires "just cause" for termination. Senior executives may also have written contracts requiring "good cause" for termination. Factors that would constitute cause include unsatisfactory performance, misconduct and economic necessity; these factors may be details in the bargaining agreement or employment contract.

According to Gallup's Business Journal, unless these people assume some responsibility, other efforts will have a limited effect on overall employee engagement:

individual employees

TKI Model

is a great tool because it helps to promote one-on-one and group conversations around conflict and conflict resolution. It aids organizations in understanding how conflict resolution impacts both interpersonal dynamics as well as team dynamics. Understanding how conflict resolution impacts both the individual and the group will help people determine the best resolution strategy for the betterment of the team.

Emotional Intelligence (EI)

is a person's awareness of their emotions and the emotions of others, and how well they are able to control, express, and read them. People who are emotionally intelligent are able to control their interpersonal relationships with thoughtful consideration and rational insights. a form of social intelligence that emphasizes the abilities to manage, recognize, and understand emotions and use emotions to guide appropriate thought and action Emotional intelligence is not simply whether or not someone is emotional, but rather how well they handle their interpersonal skills and the emotions of others. Emotional intelligence is extremely important in the workplace to reduce conflict and create a more stable and effective workplace environment.

At-will Employment

is the idea that an employee or an employer has the right to end employment at any time and for any legal reason. While this may sound as though it lets companies off the hook, in actuality, "any legal reason" still sets parameters for companies to follow. Therefore, it is still important for employers to follow legal and ethical precautions when conducting their termination process. There are some exceptions to at-will employment. For example, a signed contract regarding an employment relationship may outline additional parameters employers need to operate within. A contracted employee may complicate things for employers trying to fire them. Unions can also complicate terminations by enforcing additional guidelines. If employers consider all of these exceptions and can legally justify their termination decisions, they are less likely to face a lawsuit.

Organizations sometimes struggle with the employee engagement issues, because they look to___________ to shoulder the weight of the engagement efforts.

managers

The Employment at Will doctrine has the following exceptions, aside from:

marital status exception

Employees who understand the organization's strategy and feel like they have a purpose are likely to be:

more satisfied and less likely to quit

In addition, Fotsch and Case argue that many companies place too much pressure

on managers, holding them solely responsible for engagement. While it is accurate to say that managers directly impact employee engagement, it is not practical to put the weight of engagement all on their shoulders. Instead, it is important to consider policies and procedures in place that may need to be altered in order to more efficiently run daily tasks and processes. Many managers fail to paint a bigger picture for their team, which can scramble overall team goals and objectives, creating a confusing working environment, and having a negative impact on engagement.

If managers wish to measure their employees' engagement, they can schedule short, face-to-face meetings called ______________ with each of their employees.

one on ones

An appraisal method that requires the evaluator to compare all their employees' performance in each category individually, assigning a plus or a minus to indicate relative strength or weakness, is called:

paired comparison

Four Levels of Emotional Intelligence

perceiving emotions, reasoning with emotions, understanding emotions, and managing emotions. Perception, reason, understanding, and management are all important skills that need to be considered when determining emotional intelligence. Being able to navigate these four levels is indicative of a person with high emotional intelligence. Oftentimes people think of intelligence and emotion as mutually exclusive skills; however, emotional intelligence is an extremely important form of intelligence that determines a person's interpersonal skills, ability to work well with others, problem solve, and build relationships. Each of these skills are extremely effective and valuable in the workplace and help to foster a productive and engaged work environment.

The four levels included in emotional intelligence are:

perceiving emotions, understanding emotions, reasoning with emotions and managing emotions

A raise, promotion or corrective action is referred to as:

personnel action

The sixth step of the performance evaluation process, where a raise, promotion or corrective action might occur, is called what?

personnel action

Which of the following is NOT a protected concerted activity?

posting maliciously about an employer who demoted you

The following are all examples of the purpose of discipline within a company, EXCEPT:

punishment for low performance

When conducting an evaluation and looking to be effective, a combination of caring personally and challenging directly is referred to as:

radical candor

An employee with strong emotional intelligence is more likely to make:

rational decisions

Which of the following best explains the benefits of firing an employee?

removing a poor performer

Which of the following is an example of an ethical way to conduct a termination?

terminating an employee for failing to meet performance standards

The "hot stove" analogy includes all of the following, except:

the "three tap" rule

Benefits of downsizing

the ability to cut costs. It is probably safe to say that noterm-0 one enjoys terminating employees. Nevertheless, when a company has to cut costs to keep itself afloat, downsizing often becomes more of a necessity than an option. This section will explore downsizing and the positive and negative impact it can have on an organization

With justification, an employer can fire an employee for a number of reasons. Which of the following is a beneficial reason to fire an employee?

to remove a poor performer or eliminate undesirable behavior

Management by Objectives

An additional appraisal technique that represents a significant departure from the manager-centric approaches discussed above is a hybrid appraisal/management technique referred to as management by objectives (MBO). The MBO concept was introduced in management consultant, educator, and author Peter Drucker's 1954 book The Practice of Management. What's particularly powerful about using MBO is the clear connection between individual goals and organizational goals. The development of MBO is a process in which objectives "cascade down through the organization." That is, "the organization's overall objectives are translated into specific objectives for each succeeding level in the organization-divisional, departmental and individual." A second key differentiating factor is the participative management aspect of MBO. Specifically, performance objectives (evaluation criteria) are discussed and agreed to by management and the employees. In theory, this approach results in employees who not only have a clearer understanding of expectations but greater buy-in. The greatest potential of MBO is developing goals and objectives that are aligned with not only the organization's objectives but the employee's personal goals and objectives. Although MBO is a complex and time-consuming method that must be undertaken as an organizational initiative, it has the potential to address some of the relevance and motivation issues of other appraisal methods. DeCenzo, et. al. report that "studies of actual MBO programs confirm that MBO effectively increases employee performance and organizational productivity.

Actions

An employee's attitude directly correlates to their actions. If an employee has a poor attitude towards their company, their team, or their job, they are less likely to perform at expected levels. Disengaged employees are unmotivated and dissatisfied with their current job or job functions. They are more likely to show up late, leave work early, or put forth lackluster effort when completing their job functions. On the other hand, engaged employees are more likely to not only complete their job, but take extra steps to perform the job at the highest possible level. Employee actions directly impact their company's profitability and reputation. Therefore, employee engagement also directly impacts a company's bottom line and public perception.

The complexity of development and maintenance, with each position requiring a set of evaluation criteria and rating descriptions is the downfall of this absolute appraisal method:

BARS

There are two primary methods for conducting performance appraisals:

based on absolute or relative standards.

Which absolute appraisal focuses on the essential behaviors that determine whether a task is done well or poorly?

Critical Incident

What is Rachitsky's suggestion to avoid overloading on development?

Highlighting the employee's "superpower" and how it can be leveraged

Lenny Rachitsky's Performance Management System

In his "The Power of Performance Reviews: Use This System to Become a Better Manager" article for First Round Review, former Airbnb product lead Lenny Rachitsky echoes Scott's essential "give a damn" point. A formative review, which identified a number of number of development areas was not demotivating, as one might expect. Instead, he came out of the review "feeling more clear, motivated, and excited than I had ever been." What worked? Rachitsky credits "the clarity of his [manager's] feedback, the care in his delivery, and the simple organization of his framework." Rachitsky has since elaborated on this framework, developing a performance management system and associated template. The most important aspect: preparation. As Rachitsky puts it: "If you can't find a dozen hours to focus on your report's career throughout the year, that generally means you have too many reports — or that you shouldn't be a manager." Not surprisingly, inadequate preparation is one of the six most common mistakes he identifies. A related point: failing to provide substantive feedback. In his template, Rachitsky includes a section for accomplishments and peer feedback. He breaks development documentation into 3 areas: summary; concrete examples and peer feedback; concrete suggestions; what killing it looks like. For perspective on his mindset, this is the script he sends out asking for feedback To avoid overloading on development, Rachitsky also highlights what he sees as the employee's superpower and how she or he can leverage that unique capability further. Final point: let your report know where they are relative to what's next, whether it's a promotion, a title change or some other career development opportunity. As he notes: "people want context, clarity, and most of all, next steps."

Which appraisal method remains controversial, as studies show employee performance can decline?

Ranking

Ranking

Ranking methods include individual ranking and group order ranking. These methods involve placing employees in relative performance (or perceived value) order from top to bottom or ranking them on a "curve" (bell curve). Group ranking—also referred to as stack ranking or forced distribution—involves placing employees in categories—for example, top 10% and bottom 10%. This practice was championed by former General Electric CEO Jack Welch, who imposed a 20/70/10 discipline where managers were forced to identify their top 10%, middle 70% and bottom 10% of employees annually. GE focused rewards and retention efforts on the top 10% and fired the bottom 10%. According to Welch, "'sprinkling' financial rewards over a much larger group is a mistake." Instead, the middle 70% should be coached and trained to move into the top 10%.[2] This technique was and remains controversial. A survey of human resource professionals surveyed "reported that forced ranking resulted in lower productivity, inequity and skepticism, negative effects on employee engagement, reduced collaboration, and damage to morale and mistrust in leadership."[3] Human resource management perceptions are supported by field research. Wharton School of Management Associate Professor of Management Iwan Barankay's research demonstrated that when people are rated relative to others, performance declined. Further, rating accuracy was questionable, with ratings having "as much to do with who the rater was (people gave higher ratings to those who were like them) as they did with performance.

Scott went on to develop a framework that she calls "radical candor." Her operating premise: The single most important thing a boss can do is provide guidance.

Scott's Radical Cantor Model. To help teach radical candor, Scott developed a model divided into four quadrants; refer to Figure 1. The vertical axis is caring personally; the horizontal axis is challenging directly. As a manager, you should strive to provide feedback that falls in the upper right-hand quadrant: radical candor Scott refers to the vertical axis as the "give a damn" axis, explaining that "caring personally makes it much easier to do the next thing you have to do as a good boss, which is being willing to piss people off" [translation: provide constructive feedback], which is also her characterization of the horizontal axis. While, as discussed in the prior section, challenging or confronting others is difficult for many (most?) people, Scott's position is that once you become a boss, it's your job to be clear about not only what's going well, but what's going wrong. Radical candor, then, is a combination of caring personally and challenging directly. To help put it in practice, Scott created the acronym HHIPP: "Radical candor is humble, it's helpful, it's immediate, it's in person—in private if it's criticism and in public if it's praise—and it doesn't personalize."