Performance appraisals are complex tasks for managers,
requiring job understanding, careful observation of performance, and sensitivity to the needs of employees.
The need to perform the multiple functions in the appraisal process makes the appraisal interview difficult and even threatening for many managers.
Appraisal Problems Here are some issues that arise spontaneously within the appraisal process the managers should be able to handle: 1. Managers fail to conduct effective appraisal interviews because they lack vital skills. 2. Managers fail to gather data systematically. 3. Managers arent specific on the expected performance improvements in the previous appraisal. 4. Managers are reluctant to address difficult or sensitive topics, or they fail to involve the employee in the assessment process and discussion.
Appraisal Problems 5. Managers have grown cynical about the probability that attitudinal or behavioral changes will occur in their employees. 6. Managers see appraisals as a meaningless game and even intentionally distort the ratings and feedback given.
All these factors can place powerful limits on the usefulness of the appraisal interview, unless it is conducted properly or modified through the use of other inputs.
Appraisal Problems In addition, several behavioral problems are inherent in the appraisal process: 1. Confrontational. Each party is trying to convince the other that his or her view is more accurate. 2. Emotional. The managers role calls for a critical perspective, while the employees desire to save face easily leads to defensiveness. 3. Judgmental. The manager must evaluate the employees behavior and results, and this aspect places the employee in a clearly subordinate position.
Nature of Attributions Attributions are causal explanations. Attribution is the process by which people interpret and assign causes for their own and others behavior.
The attribution process closely parallels the four basic goals of organizational behavior which are: describe, understand, predict, and control.
Nature of Attributions The process of making and using attributions can be discussed in three steps:
Observation/Description Employee behavior occurs: Functional? Dysfunctional? Understanding Attributions are made to personal or situational factors such as: Ability Effort Task difficulty Luck Prediction/Control Future behavior is predicted; methods to assure it are implemented Nature of Attributions The assessment of functionality could be attributed to high or low ability, to greater or lesser effort, to a difficult or an easy task, or to good or poor luck. Ability and effort are personal attributions, while task difficulty and luck are situational attributions. Personal attributions tend to be given as explanations when there is a judgment of high consistency and low distinctiveness and low consensus. Situational attributions tend to be used as explanations when the behavior stands out as distinctive and different from that of peers, while also being inconsistent.
Nature of Attributions One important factor that affects the choice of explanations is whether we are evaluating our own behavior (self-serving bias) or interpreting anothers (fundamental attribution bias). Self-serving bias is seen when people overestimate the influence of internal factors when assessing their own successes and external causes for their own less successful outcomes. Fundamental attribution bias often exhibited when people tend to attribute others achievements to good luck or easy tasks.
Nature of Attributions Level of Employee Performance Success
Success
Failure
Failure Perceived by Employee
Manager
Employee
Manager Probable Attribution Personal (high ability or strong effort) Situational (easy task or good luck) Situational (hard task or bad luck) Personal (low ability or poor effort) Managerial Effects 1. A formal appraisal system encourages managers to do more analytical and constructive thinking about their employees. 2. The requirement of a face-to-face interview encourages managers to be more specific about identifying each employees abilities, interests, and motivation. 3. Managers often begin to perceive that each employee is truly different and must be treated that way.