Performance Evaluation at the Organization - Essay Example

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION Introduction Performance evaluation is used for different purposes at the organization. Evaluation helps in making decisions such as promotion demotion, termination and transfer; it also provides details and need of training and development. Performance evaluation spotlights on the skills, deficiencies and inadequate behaviors of employee that can be resolved through remedies. Each function of performance evaluation is important. What Should Be Evaluated In A Performance Evaluation The performance evaluation criteria that the management chooses have a significant impact on the employee tasks. First, the management should evaluate the outcomes of the tasks assigned to an individual by using the task outcome principle. Plant engineer performance can be evaluated on criteria such as central services’ design, provision of technical support to maintain plant equipment and facilities, energy saving and production cost of energy (Amrine, Ritchey, Moodie, and Kmec, 2009). Similarly, specific criteria should be used to evaluate the performance of the employees according to their position. Secondly, the evaluation of an individual’s behavior is very essential for the provision of good outcomes, employees must have good behavior with each other; because collective decision making, work sharing, putting ideas for improvement and taking extra responsibility; helps in making organization productive. Therefore, behaviors of one employee with work and with peers should be evaluated. Behavioral evaluation is necessary for plant engineer because he has to work with others and if employees are not happy with him; they will not help him in making satisfactory outcomes. Third, the performance evaluation should be based on individual traits. This is the weakest criteria, but still it is widely used by organizations. Traits such as looking busy, having a good attitude, coming on work on time or before time and having experience are not significantly connected with optimistic results of tasks or may be connected (Robbins, Judge and Sanghi, 2009). Fourth, professional development is also an important criterion for performance evaluation. In such criteria, it is considered that either employee is continuing with his/her education, struggling for excellence, searching for opportunities in order to learn and grow and other such factors. Relative Value Of Common Sets Of Evaluation Criteria By using different criteria, company and managers identify the strengths and weaknesses of employees. Performance evaluation criterion is an effective tool for the betterment of the organization. From analyzing the outcomes of the tasks, organization can assess the contribution of plant engineer on the basis of achievement of organizational goals. Such as whether a plant engineer has reduced production cost and removed the safety hazards which were not preferred by other engineers. The technical, decision making, and problem solving skills can be resolved through the “Individual Task’s Outcome Criteria.” Secondly, behavioral performance evaluation criteria are used to identify the behavior of employee with other co-workers and by mentioning the consequences of bad behavior; one can be motivated to change or establish good relationships with associates. For example, a plant engineer will surely change his behavior if he is aware of the bad consequences of his behaviors. Because he has to work through others and without maintaining good relationships, he cannot take work from his associates. Through the “trait” or “work ethics criteria” it can be assessed that whether employees are paying attention to their work, giving late replies to management, have work in pending and not being punctual. Through presenting these issues, one can be alert about what is required from employees such as a plant engineer. As mentioned in case that plant engineer always has messy and sometime has mass of memos and papers on his table. Advantages To Have Supervisors, Peers, And Subordinates All Participate In The Evaluation Process Performance evaluation is the responsibility of manager, but other such as department members, co-workers may also contribute in this task for the management (Amrine, Ritchey, Moodie, and Kmec, 2009). In recent era, organizations use diverse technologies, techniques and tools for the performance evaluation purpose and through these methods organizations involve supervisors, peers, and subordinates in evaluation process even employees take part in their own evaluation. Organization does not rely on the direct superior’s judgment. By involving staff, the probability of accurate information gets high, employee gets satisfaction that he is not targeted and takes the responses positively. These responses motivate employee to enhance the capability. By involving supervisors, peers, and subordinates in performance evaluation process; chances of favoritism get reduced. For example if there are 5 to 10 evaluators in the group and rating of 8 is good about the employee and 2 rated him poor in such case the overall ratings would remain positive. Disadvantageous To Have Supervisors, Peers, And Subordinates All Participate In The Evaluation Process Each method has some advantages and disadvantages. If the involvement of supervisors, peers, and subordinates in performance evaluation process is good at time, however it also can be harmful and can be misused. Organizations do not give training to their evaluators in order to provide constructive criticisms therefore sometimes evaluators are not able to judge employee correctly. Secondly, people who may not like the person - who is being assessed - get the chance to target the person and mislead the management. Such as employees will mislead the management about plant engineer if they are involved in the performance evaluation process of plant engineer, because they feel bitter about engineer and sometimes do pranks with him. In such case, the hard work, good performance and analytical skills will be ignored. Compare And Contrast Common Performance Evaluation Methods There are many methods of performance evaluation such as 360-degree evaluation, critical incident, 720- degree evaluation method, written essay, graphic scale, forced comparison and behaviorally secure rating scale. All methods are briefly explained below: 360- Degree evaluation method: This technique is very famous and occupies replies from diverse level of organization. In this method peers, supervisors, subordinates, senior managers, customers, team members and employee him/her-self provides rating about his/her performance (Mondy, 2009). Critical incident method: According to this method, evaluator keeps the written records of employees’ efficient job performance and inefficient job performance. This approach does not attempt to define personal traits. Critical incident method provides the specifications about the effective and ineffective performance of task. 720- Degree evaluation method: This technique is an emerging technique and an improved version of 360-degree and other techniques. 720- Degree evaluation method focuses on the employee performance, provide personalized details and review employee position thoroughly. Through this method employee and evaluator can come-up to win-win situation. This method focuses on things that are important for an organization rather on other aspects (Durai, 2010). Written Essay: Easiest method of performance appraisal in which employee’s prior performance, strengths, weaknesses, potential and ideas for improvement are described in written manners. Graphic Scale: In this method the list of different performance issues is prepared like knowledge power, quality, and quantity of work, initiative, presence and teamwork. Forced comparison: According this method, one’s performance is compared to others. The “Forced comparison” involves two most famous techniques: person ranking and group order ranking. Behaviorally Secure Rating Scale: This method is a mixture of graphic rating and critical incident methods. This method describes the behavior of an employee towards given task and do not discuss the general traits. Examples Of Errors And Biases That Commonly Impact The Accuracy Of Performance Evaluations. Performance evaluation is not an easy task for a manager and employee, and has some gears such as manager is concerned about the relation he has with co-workers and employees have a fear of biased and unfair evaluation. The biased and unfair evaluation criteria can hurt the productivity of the organization. There are many examples of error and biases such as selective perception, fundamental attribution error, halo-effect, stereotyping, and similar-to-me (Robbins, Judge and Sanghi, 2009). Brief explanations of these errors and biases are as follow: Selective Perception: It is a trend to selectively interpret the person on the basis of his background, attitudes, experience and interests. Fundamental Attribution Error: According this error evaluator underestimates or ignores the impact of external factors and overestimate the impact of internal factors when evaluates employees’ performance. Halo-Effect: This technique uses the trend of making a perception about an employee on the basis of single attribute. For example, if an employee has good management skills then it will be observed that he can complete all tasks efficiently. Stereotyping: It is about to judge a person on the basis of his/her community to which he/she belongs. For example: women are not intelligent as compare to men. All American are happy go lucky and friendly. Similar-To-Me: In such case evaluators evaluate performance of employees on the basis of similarities. They give high rating to those who are similar to them than those who are not. Techniques To Improve Performance Evaluations As it has been observed that plant engineer has not good relations with his co-workers even most of the time they do pranks with him; the 360- Degree performance evaluation method should not be used. Through 360-Degree method, employees will get the chance to mislead the management about his work abilities and the plant engineer will be judge on his single attribute (misbehavior with co-workers). After having look on all aspects, it has been observed that many organizations use more than one evaluation methods therefore, in the case of plant engineer’s performance evaluation; manager should use the “Behaviorally Secure Rating Scale method” and “720-Degree method”. 720- Degree evaluation method is more advanced and improved method than 360-Degree. In 720-Degree method more factors are considered that are more important for organization than performance only. Through this method evaluators do evaluation twice in a year and this helps to take performance on track, it also includes the views and opinions of investors and customers not just supervisors, peers, and subordinates (Aggarwal, Sundar and Thakur, 2013). By using both these methods plant engineer can be aware from the need of good behavior with his co-workers and also can continue his development approaches by taking more efficient steps. References Aggarwal, A., Sundar, G and Thakur, M (2013). Techniques of Performance Appraisal-A Review. International Journal of Engineering and Advanced Technology (IJEAT), 2(3), 2249-8958. Amrine,T. H., Ritchey,A. J., Moodie, L. C and Kmec, F. J (2009). Manufacturing Organization and Management, 6th Edition. Dorling Kindersley Pvt. Ltd. Durai, P. (2010). Human Resource Management, 1st Edition. Dorling Kindersley Pvt. Ltd. Mondy, W. (2009). Human Resource Management, 13th Edition. Dorling Kindersley Pvt. Ltd. Robbins, P. S., Judge. A. T. and Sanghi, S. (2009). Organizational Behavior, 13th Edition. Creda Communications. Read More