Question one
Performance appraisal or evaluation is a method by which job performance of an employee is measured. Performance appraisal does feature in legal proceedings. As a measure of protection for employers, the specific set procedures are followed. Performance appraisal should be job based and provide regular feedback between manager and employee. Guidelines are as follows; it should be job related. Focus of performance appraisal should be job based and not on personalities of the employees. Issues that arise during the process should be dealt with as they occur professionally. The employee should interact freely with the manager and express a workplace concerns in a non-judgmental way . It should be standardized. A standardized appraisal system will rebuke chances of claims by employees that they are treated unfairly. A standardized agreement for stating job duties responsibilities and expectations should be signed by both employee and manager during hiring. This makes employee to be legally bound to the duties and expectations of the organization. There should be no discrimination. Employees should be treated fairly in spite of their age, sex or race. A standardized appraisal system prevents discrimination and a legal defense to discrimination accusations . There should be an action plan. An appraisal should set goals for the foreseeable period. If current goals have not been achieved, it should be discussed. This is to identify why and how they can be reevaluated. The problem should be addressed well. A clear duration has to be given as to when to meet again in the rating and giving employee feedback on performance improvement. There should be documented. The employee should sign the form at the end but should they refuse, document it on the review form and place it on his file. Signing of the form indicates that it was discussed, and employees made aware of the goals.
Question two
The errors when accessing employee may result in unknown biases towards an employee. These errors give an employee advantage or disadvantage over the others. The errors are; Halo effect. This occurs when a manager likes or dislikes an employee and allows his personal judgement to direct him on performance appraisal of the employee. The second error is leniency error. This is when a rater rate’s all employees on either positive behavior or negative behavior. The third error is central tendency error. This is when a rater avoids extreme ends of either best or worst performance of employees and results in rating them in the middle. The fourth error is recency error. This is when rater allows recent events of the employee to account much weight in the appraisal of the entire period. This may result in an employee finishing a project satisfactorily or a negative impact on the project. Thus, time of the incident is crucial during performance appraisal. Fifth error is the error of first impression. Rater may use his first impression in appraising an employee. This is where first impression may be a good one but later on in the period is lost resulting in an error in appraisal. The last one is similar-to-me error. This is when rater is biased on the appraisal of employees seen similar to them. Raters are supposed to measure as per the objective and not on similarity.
Question three
Incentives are used in motivating employees while bonus wages add costs to the firm. The advantages of incentive pay programs are; Additional revenue. A good incentive will increase revenue production beyond the set limits of the company. It is based on the revenue made above the pre-determined goals of the organization which will benefit in the increased profit. The second advantage is increasing productivity. Incentives, which are given to a large portion of employees, help in increasing employee productivity. Employees will be in a position to meet tight deadlines and improve the firm’s customer service. The third advantage is improving customer service. Incentive plans can be based on the employee attends to a customer resulting in retention of the repeat customer to the firm. This creates a good reputation for the firm in the market. Another advantage is team –work building. Incentive plan for a group of employees encourages the whole department to work as a group in achieving firm's goals.
Question four
Employers are supposed to provide certain benefits to employees which are the primary tools to attract and retain qualified personnel. The reason for providing these benefits is for the firm to be competitive in the labor market. With the exception of the basic benefits of salaries and wages, employers are required to give vacation, holidays, sick leave, retirement and medical benefits to employees.
Question five
Employee right is also referred as right to work. Right to work means that the employee has the right to work for a firm or company without being forced to join or support any union. In a right to work in the company or state, there is no condition of an employee to join or pay any union dues. Unions in these firms operate legally and still represent employee grievances, but they cannot force a person to join or pay any union dues. Employment at will means that either employee or employer can stop working relationship any time and at will. No notice or reason is required in terminating the relationship. This means that the working relationship is not legally binding to either the employee or employer.
Question six
Organization outcomes are higher productivity, lower costs, greater flexibility and better responsiveness to customer demands. These outcomes results from using a high performance system in an organization which depends on employee outcomes. Employees’ outcome needs to be effective and efficient in achieving the organization goals and objectives. The organization must provide the required resources and better environment for the employee. Thus, employee and organizational outcomes are related in that they depend on each other in achieving the desired outcome. It is not possible to achieve one set of objective without the other. This is because both the employee and organization outcomes depend on the success of the other. Thus, organizational outcome will depend on the success of the employee outcome and vice versa.
References
Chruden, H. J., & arthur, W. S. (2000). Readings in personnel management : the utilization by Herbert J Chruden. Cincinnati.
Connor, A., & black, S. (2004). Performance review and quality in social care. london: jessica kingsley.
Daley, d. M. (2002). Performance appraisal in the public sector : techniques by Dennis M Daley. westport: quorum books.
