Performance Management

and Appraisal
SESSIONS 7 AND 8

1
 The Components of an Effective
Performance Management Process

 Performance assessment (appraisal)

 Direction sharing

 Role clarification

 Goal alignment

 Developmental goal setting

 Ongoing performance monitoring

 Ongoing feedback

 Coaching and support

 Rewards, recognition, and compensation

9–2
Steps in Appraising Performance

9–3
 Graphic
Rating Scale
with Space
for
Comments

9–4
Performance Appraisal Methods (cont’d)

 Alternation ranking method

– Ranking employees from best to worst on a particular trait,
choosing highest, then lowest, until all are ranked.
 Paired comparison method
– Ranking employees by making a chart of all possible pairs of
the employees for each trait and indicating which is the
better employee of the pair.

9–5
Alternation Ranking Scale

9–6
 Ranking Employees by the
Paired Comparison Method

Note: + means “better than.” − means “worse than.” For each chart, add up
the number of +’s in each column to get the highest-ranked employee.

9–7
Performance Appraisal Methods (cont’d)

 Forced distribution method

– Similar to grading on a curve; predetermined percentages of
ratees are placed in various performance categories.
– Example:
• 15% high performers
• 20% high-average performers
• 30% average performers
• 20% low-average performers
• 15% low performers

 Narrative Forms 9–8

Performance Appraisal Methods (cont’d)
 The critical incident method
 Supervisors record incidents, or examples, of each
subordinate’s behavior that led to either unusual success or
unusual failure on some aspect of the job.
 These incidents are recorded in a daily or weekly log under
predesignated categories (planning, decision-making,
interpersonal relations, report writing).
 The final performance rating consists of a series of descriptive
paragraphs or notes about various aspects of an employee’s
performance.

9–9
Performance Appraisal Methods (cont’d)
 Behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS)
– An appraisal method that uses quantified scale with specific
narrative examples of good and poor performance.
 Developing a BARS:
– Generate critical incidents
– Develop performance dimensions
– Reallocate incidents
– Scale the incidents
– Develop a final instrument

9–10
Examples of Critical Incidents for
an Assistant Plant Manager

9–11
 Example of a
Behaviorally
Anchored Rating
Scale for the
Dimension
Salesmanship Skill

Source:Walter C. Borman, “Behavior

Based Rating,” in Ronald A. Berk (ed.),
Performance Assessment: Methods and
Applications (Baltimore, MD: Johns
Hopkins University Press, 1986), p. 103.

9–12
Management by Objectives (MBO)

 Involves setting specific measurable goals with each

employee and then periodically reviewing the progress made.
1. Set the organization’s goals.
2. Set departmental goals.
3. Discuss departmental goals.
4. Define expected results (set individual goals).
5. Performance reviews.
6. Provide feedback.

9–13
MBO

9–14
Defining Goals and Work Efforts
 Guidelines for effective goals
– Assign specific goals

– Assign measurable goals

– Assign challenging but doable goals

– Encourage participation

 SMART goals are:

– Specific, and clearly state the desired results.

– Measurable in answering “how much.”

– Attainable, and not too tough or too easy.

– Relevant to what’s to be achieved.

– Timely in reflecting deadlines and milestones.

9–15
 Performance
Performance
Management
ManagementOutline
Outline

Source: www.cwru.edu.
9–16
 Performance
Performance
Management
Management
Outline
Outline
(cont’d)
(cont’d)

Source: www.cwru.edu.
9–17
 Performance
Performance
Management
Management
Outline
Outline
(cont’d)
(cont’d)

Source: www.cwru.edu.
9–18
Advantages and Disadvantages of Appraisal Tools

9–19
 360 degree method

 360-degree feedback or multi-source feedback is an appraisal

or performance assessment tool that incorporates feedback
from all who observe and are affected by the performance of a
candidate.
 360 degree appraisal has four integral components: 
– Self appraisal
– Superior’s appraisal
– Subordinate’s appraisal
– Peer appraisal.

9–20
Employee Score Card
 Balanced Scorecard management system- tremendous versatility.
 The balanced scorecard allows to select criteria in each of the four key
perspectives – Financial, Customer, Internal Process, and Learning
and Growth – to develop a realistic view of employee contribution.
 By applying the balanced scorecard to employee evaluations, one can
objectively analyze whether each employee is making consistent
progress toward becoming an essential part of the company.

9–21
Employee Scorecard

Financial:
 Good steward of financial resources:
– Percentage of projects completed within budget or number of
months department operated within budget

 Appropriate compensation for responsibility level:

– Variance from company’s historical salary for comparable position
or variance from industry standard for comparable position

9–22
Customer

 Successful relationships with internal customers

(coworkers, subordinates, superiors):
– Number of complaints received or number of positive
responses on employee satisfaction surveys
 Successful relationships with external customers (clients,
vendors, business associates):
– Number of positive responses in satisfaction surveys
for those customers employee interacts with

9–23
Internal Processes

 Completes tasks effectively:

– Percentage of projects completed by deadline or
number of days operating without failure or injury
 Uses resources efficiently:
– Waste-to-production ratio in department or by
assigned project

9–24
 Learning and Growth:

 Makes continual effort to improve skills and knowledge:

– Number of training opportunities participated in.

 Actively looks for ways to promote company growth:

– Number of suggestions given to supervisor

9–25
 Potential Rating Scale Appraisal Problems

 Unclear standards
– An appraisal that is too open to interpretation.

 Halo effect
– Occurs when a supervisor’s rating of a subordinate on
one trait biases the rating of that person on other
traits.
 Central tendency
– A tendency to rate all employees the same way, such
as rating them all average.
9–26
Potential Rating Scale Appraisal Problems
(cont’d)
 Strictness/leniency
– The problem that occurs when a supervisor has a
tendency to rate all subordinates either high or low.
 Bias
– The tendency to allow individual differences such as
age, race, and gender to affect the appraisal ratings
employees receive.

9–27
A Graphic Rating Scale with Unclear Standards

Note: For example, what exactly is meant by

“good,” “quantity of work,” and so forth?

9–28
How to Avoid Appraisal Problems
 Learn and understand the potential problems, and the solutions
for each.

 Use the right appraisal tool. Each tool has its own pros and
cons.

 Train supervisors to reduce rating errors such as halo, leniency,

and central tendency.

 Have raters compile positive and negative critical incidents as

they occur.

9–29
The Appraisal Interview

 How to conduct the appraisal interview

– Talk in terms of objective work data.

– Don’t get personal.

– Encourage the person to talk.

– Provide feedback

9–30
 Checklist
During the
Appraisal
Interview

Source: Reprinted with permission of

the publisher, HRnext.com. Copyright
HRnext.com, 2003.

9–31
The Appraisal Interview (cont’d)

 How to handle a defensive subordinate

– Recognize that defensive behavior is normal.

– Never attack a person’s defenses.

– Postpone action.
– Recognize your own limitations.

9–32
The Appraisal Interview (cont’d)
 How to criticize a subordinate
– Do it in a manner that lets the person maintain his or her dignity
and sense of worth.

– Criticize in private, and do it constructively.

– Avoid once-a-year “critical broadsides” by giving feedback on a

daily basis, so that the formal review contains no surprises.

– Never say the person is “always” wrong

– Criticism should be objective and free of any personal biases on

your part.

9–33
The Appraisal Interview (cont’d)

 How to ensure the interview leads to improved

performance
– Don’t make the subordinate feel threatened during the interview.

– Give the subordinate the opportunity to present his or her ideas

and feelings and to influence the course of the interview.
– Have a helpful and constructive supervisor conduct the interview.

– Offer the subordinate the necessary support for development and

change.

9–34
Potential appraisal

 Potential appraisal refers to the identification of the talents and

skills of a person.
 Future-oriented
 Aimed to identify and evaluate the potential of the employees to
assume higher potential and responsibilities in the
organizational hierarchy.

9–35
PURPOSE OF POTENTIAL APPRAISAL

 To inform employees of their future prospects

 To enable the organization to draft a management succession
programme
 To update training and recruitment activities

 To advise employee about the work to be done to enhance their

career opportunities
 Motivate the employee to future develop their skills and
competencies

9–36