Measuring Results and Behavior {Lecture Notes}

Prentice Hall, Inc. © 2006

Herman Aguinis, University of Colorado at Denver

Measuring Results and Behaviors:Measuring Results and Behaviors:OverviewOverview

Measuring ResultsMeasuring Behaviors



Measuring Results: OverviewMeasuring Results: Overview

• Accountabilities• Objectives• Performance Standards



Key questionsKey questions

• Where should each individual focus efforts?

• What are the expected objectives?

• How do we know how well the results were achieved?



AccountabilitiesAccountabilities

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



ObjectivesObjectives

Statements of important and measurable outcomes



Performance StandardsPerformance Standards

Yardstick used to evaluate how well employees have achieved objectives



Determining AccountabilitiesDetermining Accountabilities

Collect information about job (Job Description) Determine importance of task or cluster of

tasks• % of employee’s time spent performing task• Impact on unit’s mission if performed inadequately• Consequences of error



Determining ObjectivesDetermining Objectives

• Purpose: to identify – Outcomes

• Limited number• Highly important

– When achieved • dramatic impact on overall organization success



Characteristics of Good ObjectivesCharacteristics of Good Objectives

• Specific and Clear• Challenging• Agreed Upon• Significant• Prioritized

• Bound by Time• Achievable• Fully Communicated• Flexible• Limited in Number



Determining Performance StandardsDetermining 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:Standards must include:

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

– Quality and/or– Quantity



Characteristics of Characteristics of Good Performance StandardsGood Performance Standards

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



Measuring Behaviors: OverviewMeasuring Behaviors: Overview

• Identify competencies• Identify indicators• Choose measurement system



Identify CompetenciesIdentify Competencies

Measurable clusters of KSAs – Knowledges– Skills– Abilities

That are critical in determining how results will be achieved



Types of CompetenciesTypes of Competencies

• Differentiating – Distinguish between superior and average

performance

• Threshold– Needed to perform to minimum standard



Identify IndicatorsIdentify Indicators

Observable behaviors

Used to measure extent to which competencies are present – or not



Necessary Components for Necessary Components for

Describing CompetenciesDescribing Competencies

• Definition• Description of specific behaviors

– When competency demonstrated– When competency not demonstrated

• Suggestions for developing the competency



Choose Measurement SystemChoose Measurement System

• Comparative system– Compares employees with each other

• Absolute system– Compares employees with pre-specified

performance standard



Comparative SystemsComparative Systems

• Simple rank order• Alternation rank order• Paired comparisons• Forced distribution



Advantages of Comparative SystemsAdvantages of Comparative Systems

• Easy to explain• Straightforward• Better control for biases and errors found in

absolute systems– Leniency– Severity– Central tendency



Disadvantages of Comparative SystemsDisadvantages 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 SystemsAbsolute Systems

• Essays• Behavior checklists• Critical incidents• Graphic rating scales



EssaysEssays

• 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 checklistsBehavior checklists

• Advantage:– Easy to use and understand

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



Critical incidentsCritical incidents

Two kinds of measurement– Report of specific employee behavior

• Allows focus on specific behavior• Very time-consuming

– Examples of behavior illustrative of core competencies

• Easier to use• Describes behavior desired



Graphic rating scalesGraphic 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:Graphic rating scales:BARS improvementBARS 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 PerformanceMeasuring Performance

• Several types of methods • Differ in terms of:

– Practicality (time and effort)– Usefulness (quantifiable)



SummarySummary

• Measuring Results– Identify accountabilities– Set objectives– Determine standards of performance

• Measuring Behaviors– Identify competencies– Identify indicators– Choose measurement system

Education

Measuring Results and Behavior {Lecture Notes}