UNIT – I Lesson 1 HRM – AN OVERVIEW Lesson Outline Nature of ...

v. Development of the BARS instrument
The result of arranging various scales for different dimensions of the job (Known
as behaviour anchors) produces a vertical scale for each dimension. Then scale is used for
performance appraisal.
Merits of BARS method
Assessment Centers
1. Employees’ behaviours and not their unobservable traits, are measured
which gives better description of employees.
2. BARS approach is aimed at specific dimensions of job performance
3. The people who are actually involved with the job, participate in
determining the job dimensions.
4. As the evaluation is done in terms of specific behaviours, the rater can
give objective feedback on how the person performed and on what
specific behaviour the concerned person should improve.
The concept of assessment centers was started in Germany in 1930s by the War
office selection Board for military situation. The object being to test candidates in a social
situation, using number of assessors and a variety of procedures. Gradually this concept
crept in to industries and companies. An assessment centre is a central location where
mangers come together and participate in a number of simulated exercises, on the basis of
raters. The task Force on Development of Assessment centre standards, has recommended
the following requirements.
a) Multiple assessment techniques should be used. One of these techniques
should be simulation.
b) Multiple trained assessors should be used.
c) Judgement should be based on pooled information from all assessors.
d) Evaluation should be made at a time different from the observation of
behaviour.
e) Simulation exercise should be tested for their reliability, validity and
objectivity.
f) The dimensions, attributes, characteristics or qualities evaluated by the
programme shall be determined by an analysis of relevant job behaviour.