Gathering Performance Data

Objective (hard) data

Relatively factual in character. Consists of verifiable facts. Non-judgmental. Found in org. records

Examples of objective (hard) data

Production; sales; lost time; accidents/injuries; absenteeism; theft; quality metrics; errors made

Subjective (soft) data

Product of subjective rating of performance. Not independently verifiable. Mostly done by supervisors

Processes in subjective data

observation and judgment

Types of judgmental instruments

Behavior rating scales and trait rating scales

Relationship between objective and subjective criteria

r = .39

Qualitative data

Expressed through descriptive narrative. Observations, interviews, reviews of existing documents, case studies, surveys (Likert-scale). Usually nominal and ordinal data

Quantitative data

Tests, customized knowledge/performance measures and instruments. Usually interval and ratio data

Rating source

Purpose should be considered before selecting a rating source. Each source should be privy to unique information. Supervisor, peers (coworkers), subordinates, self, customers or all of the above (multi-source appraisal; 360 degree feedback)

Issues to consider for rating source

Opportunity to observe; motivation to rate accurately; source agreement

Performance data collection methods

Observation, interview, focus groups, questionnaires critical incident technique, knowledge and performance testing (criterion-referenced and norm-referenced tests), time-series studies

Criterion-referenced knowledge and performance testing

Comparing people to the standard yardstick

Norm-referenced knowledge and performance testing

Comparing to a particular group

Electronic performance monitoring

Electronic technologies used to observe, record, and analyze information on employee performance. Integrated into a host of devices beyond computers and phones (videoconferencing software, office programs, socio-metric badges, etc.). Susceptible to habituation effects

Theories associated with electronic performance monitoring

Agency, social facilitation

Links to electronic performance monitoring

Task performance, OCBs (moderated by level of difficulty within job), and other outcomes

Dark sides of electronic performance monitoring

Over-monitoring, micromanaging, evokes privacy issues

Advantages of electronic performance monitoring

Support admin aspect of appraisal, access to more readily available feedback, higher productivity, better resource planning

Best practices for electronic performance monitoring

Restrict EPM to job-related behaviors, policies that apply to use of company property should be transparent, employees should be involved in the decision on monitoring policies, manager should communicate comprehensible reasons for EPM use, use EPM data for learning and development, to boost EPM acceptance, organizations should clarify what will be monitored and how employee privacy will be protected, organizations should identify a '“zone of acceptance” where monitoring is seen as fair by employees, anticipate negative employee reactions and put strategies in place to minimize them

Analyzing qualitative data

review notes, and carefully reflect on the impressions they make, recognize recurrent themes and code them accordingly, organize data according to identified themes, look for potential relationships among the recurrent themes, identify explanations, causal factors, and potential impact for each theme (conduct situational/key driver and sentiment analyses), validate preliminary interpretations by triangulating data to support or disprove hypotheses, draw conclusions

Analyzing quantitative data

Measures of central tendency (to show the relative position of an employee in a group), measures of variability (to describe the shape of a data set and compare two sets of data), measures of relationships and statistical testing (to show cause and effect, to make statements of likelihood or make a predictioN)

Unintended consequences of PM systems

Gaming, information manipulation, selective attention, illusion of control, alter social relationships, administrative overload and managerial time costs

How to make best use of PM

Aligning goals and goal setting, giving and receiving feedback, employee development, performance measurement and ratings, rewarding performance, total quality management (TQM), empowerment, knowledge management, autonomous work groups, conduct job analysis, formally and clearly define good and poor performance (not full list)