Human Resources Performance Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is 'behaviorally anchored rating scale' (BARS)?
- A rating system based only on attendance
- An appraisal tool using specific behavioral examples to anchor each point on the rating scale (Correct answer)
- A rating scale based on years of experience
- A compensation benchmarking tool
Correct answer: An appraisal tool using specific behavioral examples to anchor each point on the rating scale
BARS combines the benefits of narrative descriptions and quantified ratings by anchoring each scale point with specific behavioral examples.
Question 2: What is 'recency bias' in performance reviews?
- Favoring employees with more recent hire dates
- Overweighting the most recent performance period rather than evaluating the full review cycle (Correct answer)
- Implementing the most current performance management techniques
- Comparing employees to the most recent industry standards
Correct answer: Overweighting the most recent performance period rather than evaluating the full review cycle
Recency bias occurs when a manager gives disproportionate weight to the employee's most recent performance, positively or negatively, rather than the full review period.
Question 3: What is OKR (Objectives and Key Results) as a goal-setting framework?
- A pay-for-performance compensation model
- A framework pairing qualitative objectives with 2-5 quantitative key results to measure progress (Correct answer)
- An HR technology platform
- An organizational restructuring methodology
Correct answer: A framework pairing qualitative objectives with 2-5 quantitative key results to measure progress
OKRs pair aspirational objectives with measurable key results, helping align individual, team, and organizational goals.
Question 4: What is 'leniency bias' in performance ratings?
- Rating all employees below average to appear objective
- The tendency to rate employees higher than their actual performance warrants (Correct answer)
- Only giving ratings of 'meets expectations'
- Rating based on likability rather than output
Correct answer: The tendency to rate employees higher than their actual performance warrants
Leniency bias occurs when a rater consistently rates employees more favorably than their performance merits, often to avoid conflict.
Question 5: What distinguishes 'summative' from 'formative' performance evaluation?
- Summative happens monthly; formative is annual
- Summative provides a final performance judgment at the end of a period; formative provides ongoing feedback for development (Correct answer)
- Summative evaluates teams; formative evaluates individuals
- Summative uses ratings; formative uses written narratives only
Correct answer: Summative provides a final performance judgment at the end of a period; formative provides ongoing feedback for development
Summative evaluation produces an end-of-period judgment (rating, ranking), while formative evaluation provides continuous feedback to guide improvement.
Question 6: What is a 'critical incident' method of performance appraisal?
- Documenting only workplace accidents and safety violations
- Recording specific examples of notable positive or negative employee behaviors throughout the review period (Correct answer)
- Conducting performance reviews only after significant events
- Rating employees after a workplace crisis
Correct answer: Recording specific examples of notable positive or negative employee behaviors throughout the review period
The critical incident method requires managers to maintain records of specific behavioral examples that illustrate effective or ineffective performance.
Human Resources Performance Management 2
What is 'behaviorally anchored rating scale' (BARS)?