Question 1

According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's general guidelines on performance appraisals,the behaviors or characteristics measured by a performance appraisal should strictly be:
A) related to the educational qualification of the employee.
B) related to the job and to succeeding on the job.
C) based on the company's policies.
D) based on an employee's personal views.

Accepted Answer

The behaviors or characteristics measured by a performance appraisal should be strictly related to the job and to succeeding on the job. This ensures that the evaluation is fair and objective and is based on the employee's ability to perform the duties of the job. It also helps to minimize any potential discrimination based on personal views or other irrelevant factors.

Question 2

A performance appraisal method in which the supervisor keeps a record of situations that show positive and negative ways the employee has acted and uses it to assess the employee's performance is known as the:
A) critical-incident appraisal.
B) checklist appraisal.
C) graphic rating scale.
D) forced-choice approach.

Accepted Answer

The description matches the critical-incident appraisal method, where the supervisor keeps a record of specific incidents or behavior that demonstrate positive or negative performance. The other appraisal methods listed in the options are different approaches to evaluating employee performance.

Question 3

Which of the following appraisal methods is best suited for measuring the relative performance of employees in a group?
A) Essay appraisal
B) Forced-choice approach
C) Paired-comparison approach
D) Critical-incident appraisal

Accepted Answer

The paired-comparison approach compares each employee to every other employee in the group and assigns a score based on how many times they are judged to be the better performer. This method is best suited for measuring relative performance in a group as it eliminates bias and allows for direct comparison between employees. Essay appraisal, forced-choice approach, and critical-incident appraisal are not specifically designed for measuring relative performance in a group.

Question 4

The major advantage of using BARS is that they:
A) prevent a supervisor from saying only positive things about employees.
B) can be tailored to the organization's objectives for employees.
C) are more subjective than some other approaches.
D) do not allow the pay structure to be linked to performance.

Accepted Answer

BARS (Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales) are designed to specifically align with an organization's objectives and goals for their employees. As such, they can be tailored to various job roles and responsibilities. This helps to provide a more accurate and relevant assessment of employee performance. BARS also provide a structured and standardized method of evaluation that can help to reduce subjective bias in performance assessments. Additionally, BARS can be used to link pay structures to performance, as they help to identify and measure specific behaviors that are directly linked to the desired outcomes of the organization.

Question 5

It has been observed that a majority of companies direct their managers to separate performance appraisals from discussions of pay.Which of the following is most likely to be the reason behind this?
A) The employees focus more on individual performance making them very self-centered and unwilling to work as part of a team.
B) The employees focus more on the pay leading them to utilize all kinds of unethical means to meet the set standards.
C) The employees are intimidated by this process leading to a drastic drop in their productivity.
D) The employees focus more on the pay making it difficult for supervisors to use performance evaluation as an opportunity for motivating and coaching.

Accepted Answer

When pay and performance evaluations are linked together, employees tend to focus more on the pay aspect and may not take the performance evaluation process seriously. This makes it difficult for supervisors to provide motivational feedback or coaching, as employees may be more concerned with how their performance affects their pay rather than their own personal development. By separating the two processes, employees can focus solely on their performance and receive feedback to develop their skills and abilities.

Question 6

A supervisor ideally determines the expected accomplishments of a department or work group during the:
A) planning process.
B) reinforcement process.
C) directing process.
D) staffing process.

Accepted Answer

The planning process is where a supervisor determines the expected accomplishments of a department or work group. It is during this stage that goals and objectives are set, and the steps to achieve them are outlined.

Question 7

The last step in the performance appraisal process involves:
A) providing remedies or reinforcing performance.
B) establishing and communicating performance standards.
C) establishing and communicating performance expectations.
D) observing and measuring individual performance against standards.

Accepted Answer

The last step in the performance appraisal process typically involves providing feedback to employees on their performance and either taking steps to remedy any deficiencies or reinforcing positive performance. This helps employees understand their strengths and weaknesses, and provides them with guidance on how to improve and develop their skills. While establishing and communicating performance standards and expectations is an important part of the performance appraisal process, it typically occurs earlier on in the process, before the actual appraisal takes place. Observing and measuring individual performance against standards is also an important step, but it typically occurs during the appraisal itself and is followed by the feedback and remediation step.

Question 8

Which of the following is a disadvantage typically associated with the graphic rating scale appraisal method?
A) The ratings are subjective.
B) It is very complicated to handle.
C) The ratings are unfair.
D) It fails to measure the degree of improvement.

Accepted Answer

The graphic rating scale appraisal method relies on subjective evaluations, which can be influenced by personal biases and perceptions. This lack of objectivity can be seen as a limitation, as it can lead to inconsistent and unreliable ratings.

Question 9

Which of the following is true of the paired-comparison appraisal approach?
A) It typically involves hiring organizational psychologists to analyze the performance of the employees as a group.
B) It requires the appraiser to choose the most appropriate statement from a series of statements about an employee.
C) It is most effective when the supervisor wants to find one outstanding employee in a group.
D) It requires the supervisor to write a detailed description of the employee's performance.

Accepted Answer

The paired-comparison appraisal approach involves comparing each employee with every other employee in a group to identify the best performer, making it effective for finding one outstanding employee.

Question 10

In the performance appraisal process,if a supervisor finds that the reason behind an employee's poor performance is his lack of certain skills,the supervisor should ideally:
A) dismiss the concerned employee.
B) reprimand the employee in public.
C) provide the necessary training.
D) adjust the appraisal standards and ratings.

Accepted Answer

If the supervisor finds that an employee's poor performance is due to a lack of certain skills, it is the supervisor's responsibility to provide the necessary training to help the employee improve. Dismissing the employee or reprimanding them in public would not address the root cause of the poor performance and would not help the employee improve. Adjusting the appraisal standards and ratings may be appropriate if the skills were not made clear to the employee beforehand, but it is still important to provide training to help the employee improve.

Question 11

Since performance expectations are a type of objective,they should be:
A) discreet.
B) indefinite.
C) ambiguous.
D) measurable.

Accepted Answer

Performance expectations should be measurable, meaning that there should be a clear and objective way to assess whether they have been met. This allows for accountability and helps ensure that individuals are held to a consistent standard. Discreet (A) would imply low profile, indefinite (B) would imply vague and immeasurable, ambiguous (C) would imply unclear and confusing.

Question 12

Which of the following is a defining characteristic of the forced-choice approach to appraisal?
A) It requires the supervisor to write a detailed description of the employee's performance.
B) It requires hiring organizational psychologists to analyze the performance of the employees as a group.
C) It requires the supervisor to keep a written record of incidents that show positive and negative ways an employee has acted.
D) It involves the supervisor choosing from sets of statements, the most characteristic and the least characteristic ones describing an employee.

Accepted Answer

The forced-choice approach to appraisal involves the supervisor choosing from sets of statements, the most characteristic and the least characteristic ones describing an employee. This approach requires the supervisor to make choices among predetermined options rather than writing a detailed description of the employee's performance. It does not necessarily require hiring organizational psychologists or keeping a written record of incidents.

Question 13

In the course of the performance appraisal process,the supervisor should ideally start with:
A) observing and measuring individual performance against standards.
B) establishing and communicating expectations for performance.
C) establishing and communicating standards for measuring performance.
D) reinforcing performance or providing remedies.

Accepted Answer

The performance appraisal process should ideally start with establishing and communicating expectations for performance, as it sets the foundation for what is expected from the employee.

Question 14

A graphic rating scale is best defined as a performance appraisal:
A) that primarily rates the degree to which an employee has achieved various characteristics.
B) that primarily measures the relative performance of employees in a group.
C) that presents an appraiser with sets of statements describing employee behavior and requires the appraiser to rate the statements.
D) in which a supervisor typically keeps a written record of incidents that show positive and negative ways an employee has acted.

Accepted Answer

A graphic rating scale is a performance appraisal method that rates the degree to which an employee has achieved various characteristics, typically using a scale for different traits or behaviors.

Question 15

Which of the following is one of the advantages primarily associated with a performance appraisal?
A) It protects employees against discrimination on the basis of race.
B) It motivates employees to work on their shortcomings.
C) It encourages employees to play the role of the whistle-blower.
D) It accurately measures the resources of the firm.

Accepted Answer

Performance appraisals provide feedback to employees on their strengths and weaknesses, allowing them to focus on improvement and development. This can motivate employees to work on their shortcomings and improve their performance, leading to increased productivity and job satisfaction. The other options (A, C, and D) are not generally recognized as advantages associated with performance appraisals.

Question 16

In the context of performance appraisals and pay reviews,which of the following statements is true?
A) The pay of an employee has no link to his/her performance, as the pay for every employee is typically fixed by the EEOC.
B) The fixing of pay on the basis of performance makes training and coaching programs more effective.
C) Companies that do not base the pay structure on performance can more readily keep the appraisal focused on the employee's performance.
D) A performance appraisal should not focus on behavior.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In the context of performance appraisals and...

Question 17

The appraisal method that contains a series of questions such as "Does the employee have adequate job knowledge?" to which the appraiser answers yes or no is known as the:
A) essay appraisal.
B) forced-choice approach.
C) graphic rating scale.
D) checklist appraisal.

Accepted Answer

The checklist appraisal method contains a series of questions or statements to which the appraiser answers yes or no, making it the best choice for the description given in the question. The forced-choice approach involves choosing between two options, the essay appraisal involves written descriptions, and the graphic rating scale involves rating an employee on a numerical scale.

Question 18

The behaviorally anchored rating scale is best defined as a performance appraisal:
A) method that only marks the degree to which an employee has achieved various characteristics.
B) method in which the employee is rated on scales containing statements describing performance in several areas.
C) that presents an appraiser with sets of statements describing employee behavior and the appraiser rates the statements.
D) in which a supervisor typically keeps a written record of incidents that show positive and negative ways an employee has acted.

Accepted Answer

The behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS) is a performance appraisal method where employees are rated on scales that contain specific statements describing different levels of performance in various areas.

Question 19

During a performance appraisal,labeling people with certain characteristics is most likely to:
A) motivate employees.
B) increase the dedication of employees.
C) put employees on the defensive.
D) increase employee productivity.

Accepted Answer

Labeling people with certain characteristics during a performance appraisal is likely to put employees on the defensive as it can come across as accusatory or judgmental. This may lead to resentment and a decrease in motivation or dedication. It is important to focus on specific behaviors and provide constructive feedback rather than making generalized characterizations.

Question 20

Performance appraisal is best defined as the process of:
A) giving formal feedback on how well an employee is performing his or her job.
B) developing objectives that specify how each department will support organizational goals.
C) creating a back-up plan along with the original strategic plan.
D) identifying people interested in holding a particular job or working for the organization.

Accepted Answer

Performance appraisal involves formally evaluating an employee's job performance and providing feedback on areas of strength and areas needing improvement. This process is typically conducted by a supervisor or manager and is used to determine whether an employee is meeting expectations and contributing to the overall success of the organization. Options B, C, and D do not accurately describe the process of performance appraisal.

Quiz 17: Appraising Performance

According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's general guidelines on performance appraisals,the behaviors or characteristics measured by a performance appraisal should strictly be:

A performance appraisal method in which the supervisor keeps a record of situations that show positive and negative ways the employee has acted and uses it to assess the employee's performance is known as the:

Which of the following appraisal methods is best suited for measuring the relative performance of employees in a group?

The major advantage of using BARS is that they:

It has been observed that a majority of companies direct their managers to separate performance appraisals from discussions of pay.Which of the following is most likely to be the reason behind this?

A supervisor ideally determines the expected accomplishments of a department or work group during the:

The last step in the performance appraisal process involves:

Which of the following is a disadvantage typically associated with the graphic rating scale appraisal method?

Which of the following is true of the paired-comparison appraisal approach?

In the performance appraisal process,if a supervisor finds that the reason behind an employee's poor performance is his lack of certain skills,the supervisor should ideally:

Since performance expectations are a type of objective,they should be:

Which of the following is a defining characteristic of the forced-choice approach to appraisal?

In the course of the performance appraisal process,the supervisor should ideally start with:

A graphic rating scale is best defined as a performance appraisal:

Which of the following is one of the advantages primarily associated with a performance appraisal?

In the context of performance appraisals and pay reviews,which of the following statements is true?

The appraisal method that contains a series of questions such as "Does the employee have adequate job knowledge?" to which the appraiser answers yes or no is known as the:

The behaviorally anchored rating scale is best defined as a performance appraisal:

During a performance appraisal,labeling people with certain characteristics is most likely to:

Performance appraisal is best defined as the process of: