Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS)
~ Penn
~ Human Resources
Tech Savvy BARS by Level
Tech Savvy
Anticipating and adopting innovations in business -building digital and technology applications .
Behavior
Entry/Support
1. Uses the latest
technologies that directly
impact performance.
2. Readily learns and adopts
new technologies.
3. Identifies technologies
that can help complete
tasks.
4. Understands the
terminology of the latest
technologies.
Individual Contributor
1. Chooses the right
technologies and tools to
improve performance.
2. Uses digital and social
media in the right way,
recognizing the
implications of misuse.
3. Identifies and adopts new
technologies, technical
skills, and capabilities that
can benefit performance.
4. Uses technologies to stay
on the cutting edge of best
practices.
Needs Improvement
Struggles to learn the latest
technologies required for
success in the role.
Struggles to keep up with
changes or advances in
technology; relies on old or
outdated tools, skills, or
knowledge.
Overlooks or disregards the
technologies that can help
complete tasks; may not seek
guidance to understand these
tools.
Is confounded by the jargon
and terminology of the latest
technologies.
Selects few or ineffective
technologies and tools to
improve own performance.
Makes ineffective or
inappropriate use of digital and
social media; may overlook the
implications of misuse.
Does little to learn and adopt
new technologies, technical
skills, and capabilities that can
boost performance.
Shies away from technologies
and thus misses opportunities
to learn about new best
practices.
Meets Expectations
Makes effective use of the
latest technologies required for
success in the role.
Learns and adopts new
technologies, although may
require some time to master
the changes.
Asks questions and learns
about those technologies that
can help complete tasks.
Grasps the main terminology
associated with the latest
technologies.
Identifies and applies some
technologies and tools to
improve performance.
Uses digital/social media in
ways that benefit the team and
add value to the work being
done; understands how to
avoid misuse of these tools.
Learns and adopts some new
technologies, technical skills,
and capabilities that can boost
performance.
Applies and investigates
technologies to learn some
cutting-edge best practices.
Exceeds Expectations
Confidently and successfully
leverages the latest
technologies; knows how to
use them to increase
performance.
Quickly embraces and masters
new technological advances
adopted by the organization.
Shows curiosity about
technologies and finds new
tools to help complete tasks.
Fluently speaks the language of
the latest technologies and
confidently uses it; may help
others learn the terminology.
Regularly experiments with and
leverages various technologies
and tools in ways that
substantially improve
performance.
Proactively identifies new ways
to use digital/social media to
enhance performance; may
help others get the best
possible use out of these tools.
Acts as an early adopter of new
technologies, technical skills,
and capabilities, leading to
regular and ongoing
improvements in performance.
Keeps abreast of many
different technologies and
quickly applies the cutting-edge
best practices they can provide.
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 Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS)

~ Penn
~ Human Resources
Behavior
Supervisor/Manager
1. Educates others on the
use and value of
appropriate technologies
to improve business
results and team
performance.
Needs Improvement
Misses opportunities to ensure
that people are educated on
the use and value of
technologies.
Meets Expectations
Sets up training methods to
ensure that people learn and
understand the appropriate
technologies.
Exceeds Expectations
Makes learning and
appreciating technologies a
regular, ongoing part of the
team’s activities; creates both
capabilities and enthusiasm.

2. Provides resources to Invests insufficient resources to Ensures that the team has Deploys resources wisely to
support the use of foster the use of beneficial adequate resources to invest in secure the best possible
beneficial technologies. technologies. technology advancements. technologies and upgrades for
the team.

3. Leverages new Misses opportunities to deploy Deploys some new Skillfully determines the
technologies and new technologies and technologies and innovations technologies and innovations
innovations to improve innovations; may adhere to old to enhance the effectiveness of that will be most beneficial and
the effectiveness of the approaches despite the group and business. ensures that the team
group and business. technological advances. capitalizes on these advances.

4. Discerns high-impact Shows limited discernment Identifies the technologies that Demonstrates strong insight
technologies from fads to when choosing technologies; are most likely to have a lasting into which technologies will
focus investments on best may overinvest in current fads impact; avoids investing too best support the goals of the
approaches. or overlook high-impact much in fads or less viable team; recognizes and rejects
improvements. options. fads in favor of powerful,
innovative tools.

Director/Executive
1. Anticipates how advancing Maintains a static view of
technologies will create technology and the competitive
new competition and challenges associated with it;
considers how to respond. minimizes or overlooks
potential threats or
opportunities.
Considers major technology
trends and forecasts how these
developments will impact the
organization’s ability to
compete.
Monitors developments in
technology and proactively
formulates ways to capitalize
on and respond to emerging
trends, threats, and
opportunities.

2. Leverages a broad social Maintains only a minimal Operates effectively within Builds a presence on multiple
and digital footprint to presence on social/digital social/digital platforms, social/digital platforms and
effectively influence technologies and thus does not creating an organizational represents the organization as
external stakeholders. represent the organization in presence in these forums. a key thought leader through
these venues. these channels.

3. Keeps up-to-date on the Misses opportunities to
latest technology trends forecast tomorrow’s most
pertinent to the business. promising technology trends;
may either overlook
breakthroughs or struggle to
identify the most pertinent
options.
Stays apprised of technology
trends; articulates how they
can make a substantial
difference to the business.
Demonstrates a highly future-
focused outlook and
consistently brings new
technologies to the
organization’s attention.

4. Champions and supports Gives little consideration to the Supports the use of the latest Serves as a strong advocate for
the use of the latest use of the latest technologies; technologies in order to technological advancement
technologies that provide may overlook the need to improve organizational results; within the organization; obtains
potential improvements to invest in technology to improve makes resources available to the resources needed and
results. outcomes. secure and deploy these tools. ensures the right technologies
are in place.

2
 Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS)

~ Penn
~ Human Resources