Factors that bias employee performance appraisals

The fair evaluation of employees is crucial to the well being of the organisation, the manager and the employee. This article looks at four factors that have been shown to bias the appraisal process. These factors are the style of dress of the employee vis-a-vis the rater, the attributions made by both rater and ratee regarding performance, the prior expectations of the supervisor regarding the employee's performance, and the effect of employee grievances on his or her subsequent evaluations. These four factors are but four of many possible biases that enter into the evaluation process because of the human dynamic. They are instructive, but more importantly they should serve to alert appraisers to the many possible biases that may be operative in them but of which they are unaware.

Employee evaluations, also known as performance appraisals, are critical to the functioning of an organisation as well as to the advancement of employees. The organisation needs to rate its employees so that people can be identified to assume positions of leadership. Employees need to have their work reviewed so that they may be acknowledged and rewarded when appropriate. The implementation of an effective performance appraisal programme, however, is complicated by the difficult task of obtaining a truly fair and accurate appraisal of an employee's performance.

A great deal has been written regarding employee evaluations covering such aspects as how to train supervisors, how to avoid legal action, how to effectively implement a programme, how to actually conduct the feedback session and so on (Copeland, 1988; Derven, 1990; Edwards & Sproull, 1985; Fine, Johnson & Ryan, 1990; Krein, 1990; Solomon, 1989; Webster, 1988). However, one area that seems to be of particular importance is the area of supervisor or rater bias. There are many possible biasing factors that can distort the employee performance appraisal and this article will look at some of these biases.

FACTORS THAT BIAS EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS

Webster's dictionary lists as one of its definitions of the word bias the following: "a mental leaning or inclination; a bent". The word discriminate is defined as "to constitute a difference between; differentiate". A person who discriminates "sees" differences between two or more persons or things, even if there is no difference. A person who is biased...