Question 1

A principal objective of performance appraisal is to establish a record of whatever an employee may have done incorrectly during the previous period..

Accepted Answer

The principal objective of performance appraisal is to assess and improve employee performance, identify development needs, and support career development, rather than solely focusing on past mistakes.

Question 2

A common problem in most performance appraisal systems is the tendency of many supervisors to be liberal in their evaluations.

Accepted Answer

Many supervisors tend to give higher performance ratings than warranted, often to avoid conflict or because they have not kept accurate records of employee performance, leading to a leniency bias in evaluations.

Question 3

A significant number of wrongful termination lawsuits are an outgrowth of inadequate performance appraisal procedures.

Accepted Answer

Inadequate performance appraisal procedures can lead to misunderstandings about job performance expectations and criteria, potentially resulting in wrongful termination lawsuits if employees feel they were unfairly evaluated or dismissed.

Question 4

Self-appraisal as part of a system is not especially useful because most employees tend to rate themselves unrealistically high.

Accepted Answer

Self-appraisal can be a useful component of a performance management system when properly implemented. It encourages employees to reflect on their performance, achievements, and areas for improvement. While there is a risk of some employees rating themselves too high, this can be mitigated through clear guidelines, criteria, and a review process that includes feedback from managers and peers.

Question 5

There is no particular objective to appraisal in the case of a long-time employee who has always done satisfactory work but to whom the potential for promotion is non-existent.

Accepted Answer

Appraisal serves multiple purposes beyond promotion, such as identifying areas for improvement, setting goals, recognizing achievements, and discussing career aspirations or development opportunities, even for long-time employees with no promotion prospects.

Question 6

Regardless of the appraisal system in use, it is essential to always emphasize performance or production rather than personality traits.

Accepted Answer

Focusing on performance or production rather than personality traits ensures objectivity and fairness in appraisal systems, aligning evaluations with measurable outcomes and job-related criteria.

Question 7

The most accurate performance standards available are determined by using benchmarking.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The most accurate performance standards available are...

Question 8

A legally defensible performance appraisal system should address appraisal criteria arising from an analysis of the requirements of the position.

Accepted Answer

A legally defensible performance appraisal system must be based on an analysis of the job requirements to ensure that the appraisal criteria are relevant and directly related to the duties and responsibilities of the position. This helps in making the appraisal system fair, objective, and justifiable.

Question 9

People who consistently do good work and know they do good work require less attention at appraisal time than others; they already to know that what they do is appreciated.

Accepted Answer

Consistently good performers still need recognition and feedback during appraisals to feel valued and understand their contributions are appreciated, which also helps in maintaining their motivation and engagement.

Question 10

One very important step in the preparation of supervisors as evaluators is training in some means of judging employee personality characteristics.

Accepted Answer

Training supervisors as evaluators primarily focuses on assessing job performance, skills, and competencies rather than judging employee personality characteristics, which can be subjective and potentially discriminatory.

Question 11

The principal objectives of performance appraisal include:

Accepted Answer

The answer of The principal objectives of performance appraisal include:
...

Question 12

Although several people may or may not have input into a given appraisal, it is essential that the primary evaluator of any employee be:

Accepted Answer

The employee's immediate supervisor is typically the most appropriate primary evaluator for an employee's performance. This is because they are directly responsible for overseeing the employee's work on a day-to-day basis, making them best positioned to accurately assess their performance.

Question 13

Performance appraisal overall seems to have no direct impact on the accomplishment of the day-to-day work in the department, so:

Accepted Answer

Performance appraisals are often deprioritized by supervisors because they do not have an immediate impact on daily operations, leading them to be pushed to the bottom of the work pile.

Question 14

Concerning how often a supervisor should appraise the performance of his or her employees, the supervisor:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Concerning how often a supervisor should appraise...

Question 15

The greatest problem ordinarily experienced with standards-based appraisal is:

Accepted Answer

Developing accurate performance standards that are fair, measurable, and clearly understood by employees can be a complex process that requires significant time and resources. This complexity arises because standards must be tailored to different roles, ensure objectivity, and align with organizational goals, making the development process costly and time-consuming.

Question 16

In any reasonably supervised work group the performance average of the group is always:

Accepted Answer

The performance average of a reasonably supervised work group is typically better than the minimum required standard for the group because effective supervision ensures that the group's performance does not fall below acceptable levels and often motivates improvement beyond the minimum standards.

Question 17

The essential intent of standards of performance in appraisal is to quantify the outcomes of performance as much as possible and thus reduce the necessity for ___________ to the lowest possible level.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The essential intent of standards of performance...

Question 18

The ____________ approach to appraisal involves those employees who are capable of setting goals for themselves.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The ____________ approach to appraisal involves those...

Question 19

Regardless of the system one is required to use, one must always make every effort to emphasize performance or production rather than ___________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Regardless of the system one is required...

Question 20

In one critical dimension performance appraisal must be addressed in the same manner as disciplinary action; that is, in the provision of accurate ___________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In one critical dimension performance appraisal must...

Quiz 12: Performance Appraisal: Cornerstone of Employee Development