The Performance Domain Juan I. Sanchez, Ph.D.

Performance mgmt. Performance Dimension ContextualTaskAdaptive Structurex Supportxx Chapter 2 What is performance?

How is performance measured? Performance can be measured through the record of BEHAVIORS or OUTCOMES produced on a specified job function during a specified time period. We should keep in mind that our goal is evaluating achievements rather than person characteristics or TRAITS (note the problems experienced by companies who tried to evaluate competencies such as “integrity” or “maturity”). Thus, evaluations need to be either behavior or outcome-oriented, so they can be adequately measured.

Job Analysis –Why Legal Reasons Business Reasons –Provides rational basis for selection, PA, etc. –Typical Content Duties & Tasks Uncovering the performance domain

Criteria –Levels Ultimate Conceptual Operational –Behaviors vs. Outcomes Advantages & Disadvantages –exhibit 2.3 Personality Traits

DEVELOPING CRITERIA In Class Exercise Select a job domain of your choice 1.Take one of the following four approaches –Behavioral: Use the CIT to identify dimensions and generate behavioral examples –Outcome: Identify outcome criteria for the various facets of the job –Values: Identify the values important in the domain and use the CIT to generate behavioral examples –Roles: Identify the important roles played in the domain and use the CIT to generate behavioral examples 2.Generate criteria for your selected domain. 3.How would you recommend the criteria be used for selection, training, and performance management? 4.Present your findings and recommendations to the rest of the group.

Developing Criteria: Overview & Review Criteria: evaluative standards Ultimate Conceptual Operational

Sources of Criteria: –Current job duties & tasks –Future job strategy –Roles role analysis –(what do people really do?) –Values value analysis –(What are we really about?)

Developing Criteria: Job Analysis Current Job Strategic Dynamic Roles Values

Defining Performance Competencies or Dimensions Focus on valued BEHAVIORS or OUTCOMES as defined by the corporation’s strategy, internal, and external customers. Behavior or outcome-based evaluations? It depends on whether performance is observable (behavior) and outcomes are clear. Outcomes need to be measurable in terms of: Quantity Quality/precision Timeliness Cost-effectiveness Need for supervision Interpersonal impact.

Exhibit 2.3 Behavioral Criteria –Advantages 1.Provide a clear map of how to maximize performance 2.Under the control of workers 3.Provide directive feedback to workers –Disadvantages 1.May not lead to the desired outcome 2.Can be costly to develop the criteria Outcome Criteria –Advantages 1.Easily and objectively measured 2.Can increase productivity and bottom-line performance –Disadvantages 1.May not be under the control of workers 2.May not provide directive feedback to workers

What would be a desirable outcome of … CompetencyOutcomes?Evaluated by Team Player: Willing to work with others and participate in give and take interactions. Quantity Quality/precision Timeliness Cost-effectiveness Need for supervision Interpersonal impact

What would be a desirable outcome of… CompetencyOutcomes?Evaluated by Tolerance/Patience. Is patient with others; does not react on first impulse, even under stressful or adverse situations. Quantity Quality/precision Timeliness Cost-effectiveness Need for supervision Interpersonal impact

What would be a desirable outcome of… CompetencyOutcomes?Evaluated by Responsibility: Assumes responsibility and stays in charge of what is required of him/her. Quantity Quality/precision Timeliness Cost-effectiveness Need for supervision Interpersonal impact

Common Problems in Performance Measures (especially outcome measures) Deficiency: Measure does not capture entire scope of performance. Contamination: Measure is influenced by third-factors unrelated to performance. Think about whether and how are the following performance measures deficient and/or contaminated: Measure How is it deficient? How is it contaminated? Sales at BK restaurant (fast food restaurant manager) Number of customer calls answered per day (customer service agent) Square footage cleaned per hour (janitor)

Importance of Job-related evaluations Focus on important and critical employee responsibilities or behaviors as identified through a job analysis. Develop a task inventory or other behavior oriented job analysis, so that critical/important job behaviors can be identified. Ask incumbents, supervisors, coworkers, and customers to identify what are the internal and external customers’ most valued outcomes.

Sample Task Inventory Task Importance Rating Decide the kind of defense strategy most likely to result in the client’s absolution (5=very important) Review witness’ depositions and police reports to determine inconsistencies Present witness and evidence on behalf of the client Having incumbents or other subject matter experts complete a task inventory may help you identify the most important job behaviors to be included in the performance evaluation…

Testing your applied knowledge: Sample Task Inventory Report Task MeanStd. Deviation Decide the kind of defense strategy most likely to result in the client’s absolution Review witness’ depositions and police reports to determine inconsistencies Present witness and evidence on behalf of the client Based on these ratings of the task inventory ratings, which task would you consider the best candidate for inclusion in the performance appraisal form for this job?

Task MeanStd. Deviation Decide the kind of defense strategy most likely to result in the client’s absolution Review witness’ depositions and police reports to determine inconsistencies Present witness and evidence on behalf of the client The answer is… Explanation: This is the task with the highest average importance rating and the lowest std. deviation, which captures the agreement or variation among raters (the higher the SD, the lower the agreement) Testing your applied knowledge: Sample Task Inventory Report

Rating Scales and Formats Number of points What’s better, an even (e.g., 4) or an odd number (e.g., 5) of points on the scale? Mid-point exists only in odd numbers. Mid-points decrease variability & increase central tendency. But raters like to have mid-points & complain if they don’t. Anchors One should be careful about the “anchors” or labels placed at the various points of the scale; their meaning may count in court: 5 = outstanding/excellent 4 = above average/very good 3 = satisfactory/average/marginal 2 = unsatisfactory/needs improvement 1 = very poor/requires immediate improvement These have very different meanings; which word you use makes a significant difference

Document Performance Extreme ratings or evaluations (e.g., poor or very poor performance) should be carefully documented. Allow blank space to document extreme evaluations. Teach raters to document poor performance by describing critical incidents: –Describe the situation –Describe what the person did (behavior) –Describe the consequences of the employee’s behavior

The Critical Incident Technique 1.Describe a situation involving poor employee performance (include a brief description of the primary job responsibilities) 2.Describe how the employee responded to the situation. Please be as specific as possible in describing what s/he did. 3.Describe why was the employee’s behavior ineffective. Include a description of the negative consequences of the employee’s behavior. Based on this kind of critical incident, performance requirements or dimensions relevant to the job can be inferred.

A Trait-Oriented Performance Appraisal Rating Form Employee’s Name: Supervisor’s Name: Employee’s Position: Review Period: INSTRUCTIONS: For each trait below, circle the phrase that best represents the employee. 1. Diligence a. outstanding b. above average c. average d. below average e. poor 2. Cooperation with others a. outstanding b. above average c. average d. below average e. poor 3. Communication skills a. outstanding b. above average c. average d. below average e. poor 4. Leadership a. outstanding b. above average c. average d. below average e. poor 5. Decisiveness a. outstanding b. above average c. average d. below average e. poor

A Paired Comparison Performance Appraisal Rating Form INSTRUCTIONS: Please indicate by placing a X which employee of each pair has performed most effective during the past year. Refer to the duties listed in the job description for animal keeper as a basis for judging performance. _____ Bob Brown _____ Mary Green _____ Bob Brown _____ Jim Smith _____ Bob Brown _____ Allen Jones _____ Mary Green _____ Jim Smith _____ Mary Green _____ Allen Jones _____ Jim Smith _____ Allen Jones X X XX X X

A Critical Incidents Performance Appraisal Rating Form INSTRUCTIONS: For each description of work behavior below, circle the number that best describes how frequently the employee engages in that behavior. 1. The incumbent removes manure and the unconsumed food from the animal enclosures. 1. Never 2. Almost Never 3. Sometimes 4. Fairly Often 5. Very Often 2. The incumbent haphazardly measures the feed items when placing them in the animal enclosures. 1. Never 2. Almost Never 3. Sometimes 4. Fairly Often 5. Very Often 3. The incumbent leaves refuse dropped by visitors on and around the public walkways. 1. Never 2. Almost Never 3. Sometimes 4. Fairly Often 5. Very Often 4. The incumbent skillfully identifies instances of abnormal behavior among the animals, which represent signs of illness. 1. Never 2. Almost Never 3. Sometimes 4. Fairly Often 5. Very Often

A Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale for the Cleaning Dimension of the Animal Keeper Job INSTRUCTIONS: On the scale below, from 7 to 1, circle the number that best describes how frequently the employee engages in that behavior. The incumbent could be expected to thoroughly clean the animal enclosures and remove refuse from the public walkways as often as needed. The incumbent could be expected to thoroughly clean the animal enclosures and remove refuse from the walkways twice daily. The incumbent could be expected to clean the animal enclosures and remove refuse from the public walkways in a sketchy fashion twice daily. The incumbent could be expected to rarely clean the animal enclosures or remove refuse from the public walkways. 7|6|5|4|3|2|17|6|5|4|3|2|1

The Impact of Equal Pay Raise Percentage Amounts for Distinct Salaries ANNE BROWN $52,500 $55,125 $57,881 $60,775 $63,814 $36,750 $38,587 $40,516 $42,542 $44,669 JOHN WILLIAMS At the end of 200, Anne Brown earned $50,000 per year as a systems analyst, and John Williams earned $35,000 per year as an administrative assistant. Each received a 5 percent pay increase every year until the year 2005.