Unit 6

performance appraisal tools

-JC advocates the use of an employee's job description as the standard for performance appraisal -job description must be current and truly reflects the work the employee is assigned to do -employers must be able to demonstrate that employees can plan, implement, and evaluate care specific to the ages of the patients -a competence assessment evaluates skill and knowledge while a performance evaluation evaluates execution of a task

behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS)

-also called behavioral expectation scale -each job classification needs it's own scale -many specific examples are defined for each area of responsibility -these examples are given varying degrees of importance by ranking them from 1 to 9 -disadvantages include time, expense, and best used for observable skills rather than conceptual skills -advantages include that it focuses on specific behaviors, allows employees to know exactly what is expected of them, reduces rating errors, and forces the rater to look at more than one dimension of work performance eliminating some bias

essays

-also called free-form review -rater describes in narrative form an employee's strengths and areas where improvement is needed -can be unstructured, but usually calls for certain items to be addressed -appropriately forces the appraiser to focus on positive aspects of the employee's performance -disadvantages include potential for bias, time consuming, and some appraisers write better than others

performance appraisals

-an important managerial controlling responsibility is determining how well employees carry out the duties of their assigned job -performance appraisals let employees know the level of their job performance as well as any expectations that the organization may have of them -they also generate information for salary adjustments, promotions, transfers, disciplinary actions, and terminations -creating a positive environment, involving the employee in the process, and discussing performance goals can mitigate some of the challenges of performing performance evaluations -when used correctly, performance appraisal can be one of the greatest tools an organization has to develop and motivate staff -it can also encourage staff and increase retention and productivity -in the hands of an inexperienced manager, the appraisal process may discourage and demotivate workers -must be determined in an objective, systematic, and formalized manner

factors influencing effective performance appraisal

-appraisal should be based on a standard -the appraisal tool must adequately and accurately assess job performance -employee should have input into development of standard -employee must know standard in advance -employee must know the sources of data gathered for the appraisal -appraiser should be someone who has observed the employees work -appraiser should be someone who the employee trusts and respects -employer support and clarity of expectations are critical to the employee perceiving the appraisal as fair

becoming an effective coach

-be specific when describing behavior needing improvement -be descriptive when discussing issues with work performance -ensure feedback benefits the employee, not you -address feedback toward behavior that can be changed -be sensitive of timing when giving feedback -be sure feedback is understood and that you have clearly heard employee's communication

before the appraisal interview

-be sure everything we've talked about is in place -schedule at an appropriate time -give 2 to 3 days notice -be prepared -block out enough time -seating arrangement important

after the appraisal interview

-both manager and employee need to sign the appraisal form to document the conference was held and employee received the information -this doesn't mean the employee agrees with the information, it just means that the employee has read the appraisal -end on a pleasant tone -document goals for further development that have been agreed on by both parties -develop a plan for follow up if necessary

management strategies for successful performance appraisals

-develop self-awareness regarding own biases and prejudices -use appropriate consultation -gather data adequately over time -keep accurate anecdotal records for the of the appraisal period -collect positive data and identify areas where improvement is needed -include employee's own appraisal of his or her performance -guard against the halo effect, horns effect, central tendency trap, and Matthew effect -ask the employee how the organization or the manager can help the employee be successful

management by objectives (MBO)

-excellent tool for determining an individual employee's progress because it incorporates both the employee's assessments and the organization -steps include: 1. employee and supervisor agree on primary duties 2. employee and supervisor set short term goals and target dates 3. criteria for evaluating meeting goals is agreed upon 4. regular meetings held to discuss process 5. manager's role is supportive, assisting the employee to reach goals by coaching and counseling 6. manager determines whether goals were met during appraisal 7. the entire process focuses on outcomes and results and not on personal traits

strategies to ensure accuracy and fairness in the performance appraisal

-goal is to provide opportunity to document specific criteria for salary increases, promotions, or disciplinary actions -should also involve ongoing communication, setting achievable goals with clear expectations, and having a plan of action for the next period -information obtained can be used to develop the employee's potential, to assist the employee in overcoming difficulties that he or she has in fulfilling the job's role, to point out strengths of which the employee may not be aware, and to aid the employee in setting goals

using the performance appraisal to motivate employees

-how the employee views the appraisal is an important factor of whether there will be a positive outcome -often viewed with mistrust, seen as unfair or meaningless -various factors influence whether the appraisal will result in increased motivation and productivity

360-degree evaluation

-includes an assessment by everyone who works with the individual -usually includes a self assessment -provides a broader, more accurate perspective of performance

checklists: simple checklist

-list of words or phrases describing various employee behaviors -rater selects all that describe the employee

checklists: weighted scale

-most popular -composed of many behavioral statements that represent desirable job behaviors -each statement has a weighted score

trait rating scales

-rating a person against a set standard (job description, preferred behaviors, personal traits) -oldest and most widely used -evaluating traits can be subjective -susceptible to central tendency, halo effect, and horns effect

performance management

-replace appraisals with ongoing coaching, collaborative goal setting, and leadership training of subordinates -requires more face to face time -performance management calendar generally linked to the organizations business calendar -identify role based competency expectations for every employee, regardless of job description

job dimension scales

-require that a rating scale be constructed for each job classification -factors taken from the context of the written job description -share some of the same weaknesses as trait scales, but they do focus on job requirements rather than on ambiguous terms

checklists: forced checklist

-requires the supervisor to select an undesirable and desirable behavior -each behavior has a numeric value

when employees appraise their manager's performance

-the changing landscape of business allows more opportunity for employees to provide feedback on the workplace and supervisors -often done through 360-degree evaluations -provides leaders with opportunities for growth -leader must trust subordinates and trust that feedback is intended to be constructive

coaching: a mechanism for informal performance appraisal

-transfer of skills and knowledge by a coach to achieve agreed upon outcomes -conveys the spirit of leaders and managers roles in informal day to day performance appraisals which promote improved work performance and team building -can guide others into increased competence, commitment, and confidence as well as help them anticipate options for making vital connections between their present and future plans -employee still needs self motivation -involves regular meetings to discuss aspects of performance -both individuals determine the agenda with the goal of an environment of learning -employees can discuss challenges and get new ideas on how to deal with the situation -this shared connection makes the employee feel validated and part of a larger team

during the appraisal interview

-warm greeting -start informally -conduct in non-directive and participatory manner -ask employee about progress -avoid surprises -if several problems exist, address only the major ones -use positive encouragement and affirmation -listen carefully -focus on performance, not characteristics -avoid vague examples of performance -use clear language -never threaten, intimidate, or use status -let them know that you're aware of their uniqueness, special interests, and valuable contributions -no interruptions -mutually set goals for further growth -use coaching techniques -plan on being available for employees to return to discuss further

peer review

-when peers rather than managers carry out monitoring and assessing work performance

self-appraisals

-written summaries of their work related accomplishments and productivity -not easy to do -employees should view the opportunity to provide a self assessment as positive because you can remember better than the manager what you accomplished -important part of reflective practice -those anticipating positive feedback may view this negatively -some employees undervalue their accomplishments or feel uncomfortable giving themselves high marks in many areas -managers may wish to complete the performance appraisal tool before looking at self-appraisal

must do the following before implementing a peer review program

1. appraisal tools must reflect standards to be measured 2. staff must receive a thorough orientation 3. role of manager should be clearly defined 4. ongoing support, resources, and information must be available to the staff during the process 5. data needs to be obtained from predetermined sources 6. a decision must be made about whether anonymous feedback will be allowed 7. decisions must be reached on whether the peer review will affect personnel decisions and, if so, in what manner

peer review not commonly used in health care because

1. staff poorly oriented to peer review method 2. viewed as threatening when inadequate time is spent orienting employees to the process and necessary support is not provided during the process 3. peers often feel uncomfortable sharing feedback with people they work closely with and in an effort to prevent conflict they omit suggestions for improvement 4. more time consuming 5. friendships cause inflated evaluations or interpersonal conflict 6. insecure manager may feel threatened

the Matthew effect

occurs when employees receive the same appraisal results, year after year

the horns effect

occurs when the appraiser allows some negative aspects of the employee's performance to influence the assessment to such an extent that other levels of job performance are not accurately recorded

the halo effect

occurs when the appraiser lets one or two positive aspects of the assessment or behavior of the employee unduly influence all other aspects of the employee's performance

central tendency trap

the manager who falls into the central tendency trap is hesitant to risk true assessment and therefore rates all employees as average