Deck 12: Performance Management

Question 1

A consensus appraisal should be completed if an employee reports to several supervisors.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Supervisors should not feel obligated to provide positive feedback during a performance evaluation because the purpose of an evaluation is to identify areas of the job that require improvement.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

In order to perform adequately,employees must know what is expected of them.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Self-evaluations are largely a waste of time because employees naturally rate their own work more favorably than do their supervisors.

Question 5

Most organizations require supervisors to evaluate their employees' performance formally.

Question 6

According to Professor Alan Cardy,employers are more interested in controlling behavior than productivity.

Question 7

A peer evaluation is the evaluation of an employee's performance by other employees of higher rank than that of the employee.

Question 8

A formal appraisal system forces a supervisor to examine employees' work from the standpoint of how well they are meeting established standards and to identify areas that need improvement.

Question 9

Performance appraisals do little to help supervisors in their coaching and counseling of employees.

Question 10

A 360-degree evaluation is an evaluation that is based on information collected from all around the employee--from customers,vendors,supervisors,peers,and subordinates,for example.

Question 11

Most organizations ask supervisors to conduct informal evaluations on a daily basis.

Question 12

The system of performance management begins with the supervisor setting the stage for employee success.

Question 13

An employee's poor performance and failure to improve are solely indicators of the employee's deficiencies and represent no reflection on the supervisor.

Question 14

The purpose of meeting with a new hire at the end of his or her first day is to determine whether or not the employee should report to work the next day.

Question 15

Effective supervisors provide their subordinates with formally written feedback on a monthly basis.

Question 16

It is a good idea to conduct a performance appraisal for new employees within the first 3 to 6 months of their hire.

Question 17

It is unwise for a supervisor to use performance appraisals to make decisions about demoting or firing employees.

Question 18

Formal appraisals usually become part of an employee's permanent employment record.

Question 19

Most employees would rather be told how they are doing,even if it involves some criticism,rather than receive no feedback from their supervisors.

Question 20

The primary reason for evaluating performance on a systematic basis is to achieve organizational goals.

Question 21

Most performance appraisal forms include factors that serve as criteria for measuring job performance,skills,knowledge,and abilities.

Question 22

When it comes to improving employee performance,there is no substitute for daily feedback.

Question 23

Performance appraisal software can weight each factor for a given job according to its importance to the employee's job.

Question 24

Most employees are able to handle fair criticism.

Question 25

If employees sign their performance appraisal forms it means that they agree with the ratings they have received.

Question 26

Part of the "coaching" aspect of supervision prepares employees to take on greater responsibilities on the job.

Question 27

Other than the title of the document,a self-evaluation form should be identical to the supervisor evaluation form.

Question 28

Employees sometimes bring up issues in an appraisal interview that were unexpected by the supervisor.

Question 29

The supervisor must be prepared to document ratings by citing specific examples of good or bad performance.

Question 30

Supervisors should complete the performance evaluation the day before the appraisal meeting so they have an opportunity to review it and make changes if necessary.

Question 31

Supervisors tend to give higher ratings than employees deserve because they want the employees to receive the highest pay increases possible.

Question 32

The supervisor should use the appraisal meeting to formally praise the employee for past or current good performance and to help the employee develop better performance in the future.

Question 33

Employees' performance should never be rated higher than "average."

Question 34

Every appraisal meeting must include discussions about plans for improvement and possible opportunities for the employee's future with the organization.

Question 35

Many organizations have an audit or review process to review supervisors' appraisal process.

Question 36

Most employees don't care how they are doing,but supervisors are required by the Human Resource Department to conduct performance evaluations.

Question 37

The choice of an appraisal term or level depends mostly on the rater's perceptions,which may inaccurately measure performance.

Question 38

By any objective standard,Taron's job performance is satisfactory at best; but because his supervisor,Susan,is friends with Taron and socializes with him away from the office,she has rated his performance as "excellent." This is an illustration of the leniency error.

Question 39

Performance standards are the job-related requirements by which an employee's performance will be evaluated.

Question 40

Only sections of the performance appraisal form that relate to the employee's job should be evaluated.

Question 41

Piecework plans are individual incentive plans keyed to achieving performance goals.

Question 42

Bringing a new employee into a department may be desirable because the person brings different ideas and fresh perspectives.

Question 43

Supervisors are responsible for determining the relative worth of jobs within their departments.

Question 44

Too many supervisors automatically recommend the normal wage increase for all employees,regardless of their job performance.

Question 45

Promoting from within is always a wise move.

Question 46

Employee satisfaction and performance increase when there are opportunities for advancement.

Question 47

Which of the following statements is true regarding the role of supervisors in performance appraisals?

A)Supervisors should avoid engaging their employees in conversations about performance expectations.
B)Supervisors should record performance data selectively.
C)Supervisors should rely on production data and sales data as sources for performance feedback.
D)Supervisors should provide their subordinates with feedback on their performance only once every two to three months.

Question 48

An effective compensation program should be designed to attract,retain,and motivate employees.

Question 49

All employees desire promotions.

Question 50

An employee's formal performance appraisal should be conducted by:

A)the employee's immediate supervisor.
B)the head of the employee's department.
C)the director of human resources.
D)the company's CEO.

Question 51

Skill-based pay rewards are based on improvements in performance.

Question 52

Effective supervisors should provide their employees with:

A)day-to-day feedback.
B)feedback every once in two months.
C)feedback on every alternate project they work on.
D)year-to-year feedback.

Question 53

Internal promotions tend to increase morale in the workplace.

Question 54

Promotion by seniority is the best method to use when considering who should be given the opportunity to "move up" within an organization.

Question 55

Effective supervisors recognize that ongoing employee skill development is critical to the organization's success.

Question 56

Often times employees will self-select another employee who is perceived to be one of the best and learn from that person.

Question 57

Unless forced to consider seniority by a union contract,most supervisors these days base promotions strictly on ability.

Question 58

The system of performance management:

A)identifies all those things an employee must do to achieve his or her personal objectives.
B)typically begins with thesupervisor setting the stage for employee success.
C)can survive without feedback and control.
D)is generally presented in a vague and indirect manner.

Question 59

Merit is the quality of an employee's job performance; ability is the employee's potential to perform the higher-level tasks.

Question 60

Gain-sharing plans are group incentive awards.

Question 61

About a week before his performance review,Seth was asked to fill out a form that required him to list his strengths,his weaknesses,and his accomplishments at work over the past few months.Based on the information provided in this scenario,Seth was most likely asked to fill a _____ form.

A)peer evaluation
B)360-degree evaluation
C)supervisor evaluation
D)self-evaluation

Question 62

Appraisal meetings should be held:

A)shortly after the performance rating process has been completed.
B)before the supervisor fills and reviews the official rating form.
C)whenever the employee requests for one.
D)in a public setting so that other employees can comment on what is being discussed.

Question 63

Formal performance appraisal systems:

A)should be used as disciplinary devices rather than as constructive feedback tools aimed at helping employees improve.
B)provide clues to the supervisor's own performance and may suggest where the supervisor must improve.
C)rarely help supervisors identify areas in which employees need improvement.
D)generally result in all the employees of a team receiving the same merit raises.

Question 64

Supervisors must avoid using performance appraisal systems:

A)as motivational tools.
B)for determining job assignments.
C)for deciding which employees should receive special training.
D)as disciplinary devices.

Question 65

Identify an accurate statement about performance appraisal forms.

A)Performance appraisal forms tend to make the appraisal process less uniform.
B)Performance appraisal forms are usually prepared by the HR departmentwith input from employees and supervisors.
C)Most forms do not provide space for additional comments about the various aspects of an employee's performance.
D)"Check-the-box" appraisal forms are somewhat more difficult and more time-consuming for supervisors to complete.

Question 66

Alia is a manager at a software company,Code Y Inc.In an attempt to evaluate the performance of one of her subordinates,Lucas,she asks the other members in Lucas's team to comment anonymously on various aspects of Lucas's performance.She believes that this feedback will help her gain better insight into Lucas's skills,contributions,and interpersonal interactions.What method of evaluation has Alia adopted in conducting Lucas's appraisal?

A)Self-evaluation
B)Supervisor evaluation
C)Peer evaluation
D)Focus evaluation

Question 67

Which of the following statements is true of formal performance appraisals?

A)Lower-level management decides who should appraise and how often.
B)Formal appraisals reaffirm the supervisor's genuine interest in employees' growth and development.
C)All organizations require supervisors to formally appraise all employees at least once a week.
D)Supervisors are not required to appraise employees who are on their probationary periods.

Question 68

_____ occurs when supervisors give employees higher ratings than they deserve.

A)The leniency error
B)Personalized conflict
C)The horns effect
D)Dysfunctional conflict

Question 69

Which of the following statements is true of peer evaluations?

A)Peer evaluations can be effectively used when they include safeguards that ensure confidentiality and minimize bias.
B)Peer evaluations are not subject to prejudice, bias, and personality conflicts.
C)Peer evaluations are solely based on the feedback collected from customers and vendors.
D)Peer evaluations are less reliable than supervisory evaluations.

Question 70

In the context of the problems in the appraisal process,which of the following statements is true of leniency errors?

A)Such errors are made by supervisors who believe that poor evaluations may reflect negatively on their own performance.
B)Such errors occur when supervisors give employees lower ratings than they deserve.
C)Such errors are likely to damage the morale of employees, who may feel they have been judged unfairly.
D)Such errors occur when supervisors give lower ratings than othersupervisors for the same performance.

Question 71

Ongoing feedback throughout the year,both positive and negative,from the supervisor to the employee:

A)tends to increase the natural apprehension surrounding performance appraisals.
B)makes it easier for the employee to ignore performance standards.
C)tends to have less influence on the employee's motivation and morale.
D)rewards good performance and fosters improvement.

Question 72

Hallie is appraising her subordinate,Larry's,performance.Even though Larry is a nice guy,Hallie notes that Larry's performance at work is less satisfactory than that of the other employees in the same position.Nonetheless,she does not want to upset Larry,and so she gives him a very good performance rating.This is a typical example of _____.

A)a leniency error
B)personalized conflict
C)substantive conflict
D)the horns effect

Question 73

The job-related requirements used to evaluate an employee's work and conduct are called _____.

A)central tendencies
B)positive biases
C)distinction sequences
D)performance standards

Question 74

For an employee who is new to the organization,a supervisor must:

A)conduct appraisals only after the employee's probationary period.
B)do appraisals periodically during the employee's probationary period.
C)conduct a 360-degree evaluation of the employee's performance at the conclusion of the employee's first day on the job.
D)appraise the new employee only at the end of the year.

Question 75

In which of the following situations would a consensus appraisal most likely be used?

A)When an employee works for several supervisors due to a variable work-shift schedule
B)When an employee is one among seven employees reporting directly to a supervisor
C)When a company is organized into several departments, and an employee works only for one department
D)When a company follows a hierarchical organizational structure instead of a matrix structure

Question 76

A supervisor can avoid the halo effect by:

A)rating only one employee at a time.
B)rating an employee on each factor relative to a standard.
C)rating an employee based on his or her personality.
D)rating an employee after considering his or her values.

Question 77

Identify an accurate statement about self-appraisals.

A)Self-appraisals are always accurate.
B)Self-appraisals are usually conducted by peers.
C)If an employee has been receiving ongoing feedback, his or her self-ratings should be close to the supervisor's ratings.
D)An employee's self-ratings are based on standards that are entirely different from that used by the supervisor for his or her evaluation.

Question 78

One of the primary purposes of an appraisal meeting is to:

A)reprimand the employee for his or her negative performance.
B)help the employee understand the role of the supervisor in the company.
C)let the employee know how he or she is doing.
D)discuss the amount of the employee's annual raise.

Question 79

During her annual performance review,Sarah receives feedback regarding her performance from a variety of sources,including her supervisor,her colleagues,and her subordinates.Sarah's supervisor reviews customer comment cards to evaluate Sarah's performance from the customers' perspective.He also considers vendor feedback to evaluate Sarah's performance.Which of the following types of evaluation techniques has been used by Sarah's supervisor?

A)Peer evaluation
B)Self-evaluation
C)Supervisor evaluation
D)360-degree evaluation

Question 80

Which of the following statements is true about performance appraisals?

A)They guarantee promotions.
B)They inform employees about how well they are executing their jobs.
C)They should be conducted once in every two years.
D)They are not applicable to employees who have been on the job for less than a year.