Performance Appraisal
Consider these methods for performance appraisal: trait methods, behavioral methods, and results methods. Then select an industry or organization that has many occupational positions within it. Give an example of a job title for which each of the above methods would be an appropriate performance appraisal method. Explain your answer.
Trait methods of performance appraisal stress character traits when evaluating overall employee quality. For example, is the employee punctual, caring and compassionate when dealing with the public, and willing to show the initiative when beginning new products at work? Adjectives crucial to work performance are listed, given a certain weight on a scale (such as 1-10), and the employee is assessed to the degree which they embody these qualities. The problem with such evaluations is that they are invariably subjective. Another person must be on hand to constantly evaluate the employee to see if they usually possess certain traits, or the employee must be the subject of customer surveys. In a medical office, the most appropriate employees for a trait performance appraisal might be the front office staff. Patients could receive cards after the office, and fill in if the staff was knowledgeable about keeping them informed, accurate in their ability to provide patient records, and courteous, on a scale of 'very' to 'not at all.'
Behavioral methods of evaluation focus on certain behaviors as performance indicators, positive or negative, and the employee's frequency or lack thereof of performing such actions. A nurse in a medical office might be evaluated by his or her superiors for his or her ability to accurately evaluate a patient during an initial exam, to triage patients in an effective manner, and to aid the doctor in performing routine and non-routine procedures. Although subjective to some degree, the employee is able to point out examples of efficacy and performance frequency if he or she feels that the assessment made by the supervisor may be in error.
Results methods evaluate employees based upon successful results. A certain benchmark is established of quality, and the employee is measured against that benchmark, as exceeding or falling beneath the acceptable standard. A new doctor might be assessed upon the rate of recovery of his or her patients, and how accurately he or she was able to diagnose routine ailments in patients, under the observation of a more experienced physician.
