Abstract:
Employees need to have feedback about their work performance through a
formal performance appraisal system. A performance appraisal can be defined
as the process of evaluating employees on multiple job-related dimensions.
Most organizations utilize some type of formal performance appraisal to evaluate
an employee's performance on the job. Traditionally, these performance
evaluations have consisted of supervisors rating their subordinates on multiple
work-related dimensions. However, several studies have indicated some
inherent problems with this type of evaluation. Therefore, organizations are
increasingly utilizing a combined ratings method of obtaining multiple raters,
including self-ratings, to improve their performance appraisal system. The
present study examined the effects of six differential comparison standards
(ambiguous, internal, absolute, relative-inside, relative-outside, and multiple) on
the level of agreement between self-and supervisory performance ratings within
the context of a subjective occupation. Forty-five self-supervisor dyads
evaluated three work performance dimensions using the comparison standards.
Results supported the effects of these differential comparison standards on significantly increase when raters were using similar comparison standards. Various supported hypotheses and research implications are discussed.
