Chapter 6: Performance Feedback

Synopsis
Employee satisfaction with the organization's performance feedback system has a significant impact on performance and is highly correlated with job satisfaction. Yet many employees express low levels of satisfaction with the feedback system in their organization.

A successful feedback system incorporates the following elements:

1. Employees know their job responsibilities.
2. Employees know the standards by which they are being evaluated.
3. There is an effective informal feedback system.
4. There is an effective formal feedback system.

The manager provides effective informal and formal performance feedback by being attentive to three essential aspects: the message, the manner and the method. The message--the "what" to communicate--provides feedback about performance directly related to agreed-upon standards along with focusing on the employee's unique abilities. The manner focuses on being specific and descriptive, rather than evaluative. The method suggests choosing an evaluation tool that achieves the purpose (rating scales, ranking methods, critical incidents), using feedback from the task itself rather than from the supervisor ("task-inherent" feedback), along with assigning the employee specific preparations for the formal appraisal process.

Outline

1. The Fundamentals
1. Everyone, whether they acknowledge it or not, ahs standards of performance
2. The ideal feedback system drives employees to identify, perform and commit to the performance standards
3. Performance standards foster employee development while promoting corporate integrity
4. All employees "receive" feedback about their performance
5. Few employees receive useful feedback about their performance
6. Effective managers should specifically note both positive and negative deviations from the standards
7. Organizations should regularly and systematically re-evaluate standards of performance
   
   
2. Implementing a Successful Feedback System
1. Do employees know their job responsibilities?
2. Do employees know the standards by which they are being evaluated?
3. Is the informal feedback system effective?
4. Is the formal feedback system effective?
5. Summary
   
   
3. Communicating Performance Feedback
1. The Message
   1. Provide feedback about performance directly related to agreed-upon standards
   2. Discuss un-communicated performance standards
   3. Focus on the employee's unique abilities
      
2. The Manner
   1. Be specific and descriptive when making evaluations
   2. Criticize tactfully
   3. Capitalize on employee motivations
3. The Methods
   1. Utilize "task-inherent" feedback
   2. Seize every opportunity to provide employee feedback
   3. Decide on a useful technique to formally assess employee performance
   4. Discuss with employees the exact purpose of appraisal interviews
   5. Assign employees specific preparations for the appraisal process
   6. Carefully consider how interpersonal needs influence the feedback process
   7. Use past performance as a bridge to the future

    

4. Final Thoughts

Take the Chapter 6 Self Test