Chapter 7 Part 2: Appraising and Managing

Performance

Make no small plans for they have no power to stir the soul.

Machiavelli

Performance Appraisal

Relative Judgment

Absolute Judgment

Straight Ranking

Paired Comparison

Forced Distribution

Narrative Essays

Graphic Rating Scale

Weighted Checklist

Behavioral Observation

Scale

Behaviorally Anchored

Rating Scale

Based on critical

incidents

Performance Appraisal Types & Formats

Job Analysis Job DescriptionPerformance

Appraisal Items

Performance Appraisal Types & Formats

Practice Job Description

Job title: Pig Nutrition Coordinator• Job summary: coordinate pig nutrition, from

making leftover food suitable for consumption to feeding

• Job duties and responsibilities– Sort through leftovers removing inedible objects– Incorporate nutritious additives – Transfer food and by-products to appropriate

locations

• Job specifications and minimum qualifications– Driving, standing, sorting food with hands,

climbing, lifting– Driver’s license

Practice identifying performance appraisal

formatsThe following performance appraisal

items are based on the job description from the Pig Slop Processor episode of Dirty Jobs.

• Indicate the type of format that is used for each item.

___(+ 5) Removes all inedible objects from leftover food.

___(-5) Fails to remove all inedible objects from leftover food.

Rank all pig nutrition coordinators according to their ability to correctly sort through leftover food, then put classify the top 50% and bottom 50%.

1.______________ Top 50%2.______________3.______________4.______________ Bottom 50%

1

2

3

4

5

Does not remove any inedible objects from leftovers

Removes some inedible objects from leftovers

Removes all inedible objects from leftovers

Compare the sorting ability of each pig nutrition coordinator with every other pig nutrition coordinators so that all possible comparisons have been made.

Rank all pig nutrition coordinators according to their ability to correctly sort (i.e., don’t leave inedible objects in leftover food).

1.______________2.______________3.______________4.______________

Removes inedible objects from leftover food: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Never Sometimes Always

Please comment on the following aspects of performance: • Whether or not the employee removed inedible objects from leftovers_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Removal of inedible objects:

Poor Average Excellent

1 --------- 2 ----------- 3 ------------ 4 ------------ 5

Performance Management

Performance Management Scenario 1

“Lakesha used to be a superb employee who exceeded expectations. However, over the last year her performance has declined considerably. She now barely meets expectations.

Plus, you have noticed changes in her behavior. Formerly a positive contributor, she is now extremely negative about just about everything and everyone. Her affect has changed, too. She used to smile. Now, she is one big frown.

Marla, her supervisor, talks with Lakesha about the decline in her performance and concerns about her behavior. Having struggled with depression herself, Marla asks Lakesha if she is depressed and reminds Lakesha of the company’s employee assistance program.” http://www.shrm.org/Publications/hrmagazine/EditorialContent/2010/1110/Pages/1110legal.aspx

• Did Marla expose the company to any risks by asking Lakesha if she’s depressed?

Performance Management Scenario 2

• Say you manage Kevin, a 55-year-old employee whose productivity drops over the year. Instead of citing specific, measurable examples of this decline in his performance review, you note that "Kevin doesn't seem to have the energy level anymore to truly succeed in this department." Still, you rate Kevin's work as "average," the same as last year.” by Business Management Daily, What you should absolutely, positively NOT say in a performance review.

• Highlight the risks for the employer in this scenario.• What could you have done differently?

• Referring to Kevin's "energy level" could give him reason to complain about age discrimination. Instead, the review should have cited examples such as, "Kevin has completed three of the five major projects late this quarter and has not contributed one new product idea in six months."

• For this reason, the word "attitude" should never appear in a review. Employment lawyers and courts

• often see that as a code word for discrimination.

Performance Management Scenario 3

• Jennifer supervises Tony, whose performance has been mediocre at best. Tired of the mediocrity, Jennifer requests permission to discharge Tony.

• You check Tony’s file. It contains no disciplinary warning of any kind. You explain to Jennifer that, even though prior documentation is not required to terminate an at-will employee, the absence of documentation creates legal risk. In the absence of documentation, the employee is more likely to be surprised; surprised employees become angry employees, and angry employees sue.

• Plus, before a court or commission, fairness always matters. The absence of due process makes most terminations appear unfair, and that is the starting point from which the judge, jury or investigator will determine whether the employer’s motivation was lawful.

• So you tell Jennifer "no go." Two weeks later, Jennifer comes back with an eight-page memo that she gave to Tony in the intervening week describing in detail all of his flaws over a one-week period. She hands you what she proposes to be his final warning.

• From: http://www.shrm.org/Publications/hrmagazine/EditorialContent/2010/1110/Pages/1110legal.aspx