Asking Questions - The Definitive Guide To Questionnaire Design ...

ASKING QUESTIONS THAT EVALUATE PERFORMANCE 223
2. For each job, develop scales that are specifically related to
performance. As with employee evaluations, this would also
include defining the performance dimensions and listing
statements of behavior that indicate the desired performance
within each dimension.
3. Inform both managers and employees of the dimensions that
will be evaluated and the purpose the data will serve. Besides
giving the perception of fairness, this helps employees realize
that their opinions and observations will be given weight and
are worth their time and effort.
4. Select an employee evaluation format that is acceptable to the
organization. It is best that one be used that is consistent with
the evaluation format used to rate employees. This lessens the
perception of there being a double standard.
5. Make certain that employees are capable of rating and have
the appropriate time to complete ratings.
6. At regular and agreed-on intervals, make certain that the
evaluation system is working as planned.
7. Finally, allow the performance evaluation system the chance
to change. The performance evaluation system is implemented
in order to yield a product for the company—the ratings. But
if the system is also a process, ensure that it endures by allowing
it to change along with the organization.
As with employee ratings, objectivity can be a concern. This is
particularly the case if disgruntled employees see this as an opportunity
for vindictiveness. Other employees might give dishonestly
positive evaluations if they believe that an honest but negative
evaluation would invite retaliation. Other times (see Figure 7.4),
rating scales provide feedback but not diagnostic suggestions about
what can be done differently. For this reason, checklists can be useful
in that they are more tangible and point to specific behaviors
that can be altered.