Measuring Results and Behaviors: Overview

Measuring Results Measuring Behaviors

Measuring Results: Overview

Accountabilities Objectives Performance Standards

Key questions

Where should each individual focus efforts? What are the expected objectives? How do we know how well the results were achieved?

Accountabilities
Broad areas of a job for which employee is responsible for producing results

Objectives
Statements of important and measurable outcomes

Performance Standards

Yardstick used to evaluate how well employees have achieved objectives

Determining Accountabilities

Collect information about job (Job Description) Determine importance of task or cluster of tasks
% of employees time spent performing task Impact on units mission if performed inadequately Consequences of error

Determining Objectives

Purpose: to identify
Outcomes

Limited number Highly important dramatic impact on overall organization success

When achieved

10 Characteristics of Good Objectives

1.
2. 3. 4. 5.

Specific and Clear Challenging Agreed Upon Significant Prioritized

10 Characteristics of Good Objectives

(continued)
6.
7. 8. 9. 10.

Bound by Time Achievable Fully Communicated Flexible Limited in Number

Determining Performance Standards

Standards refer to aspects of performance objectives, such as:

Quality
How well the objective is achieved

Quantity
How much, how many, how often, at what cost

Time
Due dates, schedule, cycle times, how quickly

Standards must include:

A verb The desired result A due date Some type of indicator

Quality and/or Quantity

Good Performance Standards: 6 Characteristics

1.
2.

3.
4. 5. 6.

Related to Position Concrete, Specific, Measurable Practical to Measure Meaningful Realistic and Achievable Reviewed Regularly

Measuring Behaviors: Overview

Identify competencies Identify indicators Choose measurement system

Identify Competencies
Measurable clusters of KSAs
Knowledges Skills Abilities

That are critical in determining how results will be achieved

Types of Competencies

Differentiating
Distinguish between superior and average performance

Threshold
Needed to perform to minimum standard

Identify Indicators
Observable behaviors Used to measure extent to which competencies are present or not

Necessary Components for Describing Competencies

Definition Description of specific behaviors

When competency demonstrated When competency not demonstrated

Suggestions for developing the competency

Comparative Systems

Simple rank order Alternation rank order Paired comparisons Forced distribution

Choose Measurement System

Comparative system
Compares employees with each other

Absolute system
Compares employees with prespecified performance standard

Advantages of Comparative Systems

Easy to explain Straightforward Better control for biases and errors found in absolute systems
Leniency Severity Central tendency

Disadvantages of Comparative Systems

Rankings may not be specific enough for

Useful feedback Protection from legal challenge

No information on relative distance between employees Specific issues with forced distribution method

Absolute Systems

Essays Behavior checklists Critical incidents Graphic rating scales

Essays

Advantage:
Potential to provide detailed feedback

Disadvantages:
Unstructured and may lack detail Depends on supervisor writing skill Lack of quantitative information; difficult to use in personnel decisions

Behavior checklists

Advantage:
Easy to use and understand

Disadvantage:
Scale points used are often arbitrary Difficult to get detailed and useful feedback

Kinds of measurement

Critical incidents

1. Report of specific employee behavior

Allows focus on specific behavior Very time-consuming

2. Examples of behavior illustrative of core competencies

Easier to use Describes behavior desired

Graphic rating scales

Clear meaning for each response category Consistent interpretation by outside readers Supervisor and employee should have same understanding of rating

Graphic rating scales: BARS improvement

Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS)

Use critical incidents as anchors Involves multiple groups of employees in development

Identify important job elements Describe critical incidents at various levels of performance Check for inter-rater reliability

Measuring Performance

Several types of methods Differ in terms of:

Practicality (time and effort) Usefulness (quantifiable)

Quick Review

Measuring Results
Identify accountabilities Set objectives Determine standards of performance

Measuring Behaviors
Identify competencies Identify indicators Choose measurement system