Ch 5: Performance Flashcards
Which of the following is false concerning performance measures?
a. Relationships among different types are generally low to moderate.
b. They are interchangeable and may be substituted for one another.
c. Each type gives a different perspective on performance.
d. There are low correlations between supervisory ratings and objective measures.
b. They are interchangeable and may be substituted for one another.
All of the following are likely to make employees feel more positively toward performance monitoring except:
a. They believe the activities monitored are job relevant.
b. They are able to delay or prevent monitoring at particular times
c. They are aware when it is taking place so they can censor their actions.
d. They are able to participate in the design of the monitoring system.
c. They are aware when it is taking place so they can censor their actions.
Performance ___________ systems are developed by HR and handed to managers to use in evaluation of subordinates; performance ___________ feedback occurs whenever a supervisor or subordinate feels a discussion about expectations and performance is necessary.
a. criteria; management
b. management; criteria
c. appraisal; management
d. management; appraisal
c. appraisal; management
A performance rating form used for administrative purposes would be least valid for which of the following circumstances?
a. Salary adjustment
b. Employee feedback
c. Promotion
d. Firing
b. Employee feedback
Which of the following is false concerning task-based ratings?
a. They tend to be the most easily defended in court.
b. They are generally most easily accepted by incumbents.
c. The rating systems are usually direct extensions of job analysis.
d. They rely on some trait analysis for accuracy
d. They rely on some trait analysis for accuracy
When central tendency error occurs, it is often observed that:
a. average performers receive the best scores.
b. an extreme score is avoided in favor of a “safe” score.
c. average performers are favored.
d. extreme scores are chosen to move people away from the mean.
b. an extreme score is avoided in favor of a “safe” score.
Julie is reluctant to assign bad ratings for her subordinates for fear of “ruffling feathers.” As a result, she tends to be unusually easy in her ratings. Julie is committing what type of error?
a. Central tendency error
b. Halo error
c. Leniency error
d. Severity error
c. Leniency error
In looking at how judges perceive performance evaluation, the characteristics most commonly cited in court decisions include all of the following except:
a. whether raters were consistent over time.
b. whether a job analysis was used to develop the system.
c. whether the raters were given written instructions.
d. whether multiple raters agreed on the ratings.
a. whether raters were consistent over time.
Objective performance measure
Usually a quantitative count of the results of work such as sales volume, complaint letters, and output.
Judgmental performance measure
Evaluation made of the effectiveness of an individual’s work behavior, most often by supervisors in the context of a yearly performance evaluation.
Hands-on performance measurement
Type of measurement that requires an employee to engage in work-related tasks; usually includes carefully constructed simulations of central or critical pieces of work that involve single workers.
Walk-through testing
Type of measurement that requires an employee to describe to an interviewer in detail how to complete a task or job-related behavior; employee may literally walk through the facility (e.g., a nuclear power plant), answering questions as he or she actually sees the displays or controls in question.
Electronic performance monitoring
Monitoring work processes with electronic devices; can be very cost effective and has the potential for providing detailed and accurate work logs.
Performance management
System that emphasizes the link between individual behavior and organizational strategies and goals by defining performance in the context of those goals; jointly developed by managers and the people who report to them.
Task performance
Proficiency with which job incumbents perform activities that are formally recognized as a part of their job.
Behavior that goes beyond what is expected.
Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB)
Voluntary behavior that violates significant organizational norms and threatens the well-being of the organization, its members, or both.
Counterproductive work behavior (CWB)
Duties
Groups of similar tasks; each duty involves a segment of work directed at one of the general goals of a job.
Examples of behavior that appear “critical” in determining whether performance would be good, average, or poor in specific performance areas.
Critical incidents
Graphic ratings scale
Graphic display of performance scores that runs from high on one end to low on the other end.
List of behaviors presented to a rater, who places a check next to each of the items that best (or least) describe the ratee.
Checklist
A checklist that includes items that have values or weights assigned to them that are derived from the expert judgments of incumbents and supervisors of the position in question.
Weighted checklist
Format that requires the rater to choose two statements out of four that could describe the ratee.
Forced-choice format
Rating format that includes behavioral anchors describing what a worker has done, or might be expected to do, in a particular duty area.
Behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS)
Format that asks the rater to consider how frequently an employee has been seen to act in a particular way.
Behavioral observation scale (BOS)
Form of evaluation that involves the direct comparison of one person with another.
Employee comparison methods
Ranking of employees from top to bottom according to their assessed proficiency on some dimension, duty area, or standard.
Simple ranking
Technique in which each employee in a work group or a collection of individuals with the same job title is compared with every other individual in the group on the various dimensions being considered.
Paired comparison
Process of collecting and providing a manager or executive with feedback from many sources, including supervisors, peers, subordinates, customers, and suppliers.
360-degree feedback
Inaccuracies in ratings that may be actual errors or intentional or systematic distortions.
Rating errors
Error in which raters choose a middle point on the scale to describe performance, even though a more extreme point might better describe the employee.
Central tendency error
Error that occurs with raters who are unusually easy in their ratings.
Leniency error
Error that occurs with raters who are unusually harsh in their ratings.
Severity error
Error that occurs when a rater assigns the same rating to an employee on a series of dimensions, creating a halo or aura that surrounds all of the ratings, causing them to be similar.
Halo error
Training that makes raters aware of common rating errors (central tendency, leniency/severity, and halo) in the hope that this will reduce the likelihood of errors.
Psychometric training
Frame-of-reference (FOR) training
Training based on the assumption that a rater needs a context
or “frame” for providing a rating; includes
(1) providing information on the multidimensional nature of performance, (2) ensuring that raters understand the meaning of anchors on the scale, (3) engaging in practice rating exercises, and (4) providing feedback on practice exercises.
Negative feedback that is cruel, sarcastic, and offensive; usually general rather than specific and often directed toward personal characteristics of the employee rather than job-relevant behaviors.
Destructive criticism
Rating system that requires evaluators to place employees into performance categories based on a predetermined percentage of employees in different categories (low, moderate, high).
Forced-distribution rating system
Rating system that requires evaluators to place employees into performance categories based on a predetermined percentage of employees in different categories (low, moderate, high).
Forced-distribution rating system
Technique that allows researchers to code various characteristics and determine which weighed most heavily in raters’ decision making.
Policy capturing
3 Components of Performance Management
Definition of performance
Actual measurement process
Communication between supervisor & subordinate about individual behavior & organ. expectations
