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Performance Apprails Answer Key

This document provides the answer key for an assignment involving critical thinking questions about performance appraisals. It addresses questions such as which performance appraisal system is best, how to reduce inconsistency between managers conducting appraisals, how to address negative perceptions an employee may have due to past appraisals, and how to have constructive discussions about performance improvements with defensive employees. The responses emphasize that no single performance appraisal system works best and that manager training, clear standards, documentation, and employee support are ways to improve consistency and outcomes.

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153 views3 pages

Performance Apprails Answer Key

This document provides the answer key for an assignment involving critical thinking questions about performance appraisals. It addresses questions such as which performance appraisal system is best, how to reduce inconsistency between managers conducting appraisals, how to address negative perceptions an employee may have due to past appraisals, and how to have constructive discussions about performance improvements with defensive employees. The responses emphasize that no single performance appraisal system works best and that manager training, clear standards, documentation, and employee support are ways to improve consistency and outcomes.

Uploaded by

blockett
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Answer Key for Assignment 3 Critical Thinking Questions Value 15%

1. Assume you are presenting to an upper-year group of business students and one student
asks the question, “Which performance appraisal system is the best?” How would you
respond to that question? Value 3 Marks

Most firms combine several appraisal techniques in order to offset disadvantages of single
methods (see Table 7.2 p. 167). Ultimately no one single solution is best for all performance
management systems. Determining factors include resource constraints (time, money, and
people) and organizational factors (budget, turnover, strategy).

2. How can the problem of inconsistency between managers who are rating workers be
solved, or at least diminished? Make two or more suggestions. Value 5 Marks

To eliminate or minimize rater inconsistency, there are many strategies that can be used. Rater
training is one. Making raters aware of rating scale problems is essential, since understanding the
problems can help to prevent them. Improving appraisal accuracy also requires reducing outside
factors, such as union pressure and time constraints.

Other recommendations to improve accuracy of ratings include:


 Conducting a job analysis to ascertain characteristics required for successful job
performance and using this information to create job performance standards.
 Incorporating these characteristics into a rating instrument, preferably BARS.
 Providing definitive performance standards to all raters and ratees.
 Using clearly defined individual dimensions of job performance, rather than undefined global
measures.

 Avoiding abstract trait names (for example, “loyalty” or “honesty”) when using a graphic
rating scale, unless they can be defined in terms of observable behaviours.
 Employing subjective supervisory ratings (essays, for instance) as only one component of the
overall appraisal process.

 Training supervisors to use the rating instrument properly, providing instructions on how to
apply performance appraisal standards, and ensuring that subjective standards are not subject to
bias.
 Ensuring that appraisers have regular contact with the employee being evaluated.
 Having more than one appraiser conduct the appraisal, and conduct all such appraisals
independently, whenever possible. This process can help to cancel out individual errors and
biases.

 Utilizing formal appeal mechanisms and a review of ratings by upper-level managers.


 Documenting evaluations and reasons for any termination decision.
Answer Key for Assignment 3 Critical Thinking Questions Value 15%

 Providing corrective guidance to assist poor performers in improving their performance,


where appropriate.
6. How might a supervisor handle a situation in which negative appraisals in the past have
caused an employee to undervalue his or her performance? Value 5 Marks
From one appraisal to the next, the supervisor has a key function to provide the employee with a
reasonable amount of time to improve performance. Perhaps more important, he or she should
provide active support to facilitate improvement. In this connection, the supervisor could provide
frequent constructive feedback and schedule periodic (monthly or quarterly, for example)
conversations to review performance and agree on targets for the next period.
Once the employee’s work has improved, the supervisor should clearly communicate this to the
employee in order to clarify the employee’s perceptions of the value of his/her performance. It
may be that the negative appraisals were related to political issues or personality differences with
a former boss, which may have caused the employee to undervalue his/her work effort. A new
supervisor may evaluate the employee’s work more positively and may need to provide extra
positive reinforcement through ongoing verbal recognition of the employee’s good work in order
for the employee to enhance his/her perceptions about the value of his/her work.

7. Discuss how employees might respond to the proposed implementation of electronic


performance management systems, such as call monitoring, and so on. How might an
organization deal with employees’ reactions? Value 3 Marks

Employees might refuse to work under such conditions and quit or initiate a grievance. Good
change management practices such as explaining the benefits to both the organization and
employees, educating employees on how the system functions and uses to which the resulting
data will be put are primary responses to employees concerns and should be put in place before
the technology is implemented.
8. How might a supervisor deal with an extremely defensive yet productive member of his
or her team in the event of having to deliver the “improvement portion” of the employee’s
performance appraisal? What techniques would the supervisor need to use to maximize
the efficacy of the appraisal and reduce the defensibility of the employee? Value 4 Marks
In order to deal with this situation, the supervisor should;
 Recognize that defensive behaviour is normal
 Never attack a person’s defences
 Possibly postpone action
 Recognize human limitations
What this translates to is giving the person time to digest the information, sending them off with
a written evaluation, and possibly setting up a follow-up meeting. In between meetings the
person
Answer Key for Assignment 3 Critical Thinking Questions Value 15%

may have a better opportunity to reflect on their own performance (if this step was not included
in the preparation for the initial meeting and consult with valued others. Hopefully they will
come back with a more balanced perspective and some questions, which should be encouraged.
For these types of people there often needs to be repeated stressing of their positive
contributions, as they pay more attention to negative information.

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