Performance Management Flashcards
7 cards from real APHR practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Performance Management flashcards as text
In a 360-degree feedback system, which group typically provides input on an employee's performance?
Answer: Peers, subordinates, supervisors, and sometimes customers
360-degree feedback gathers input from multiple sources surrounding the employee, including peers, direct reports, supervisors, and sometimes external stakeholders.
What is the term for the tendency of a supervisor to rate an employee higher than deserved because of a recent positive event?
Answer: Recency bias
Recency bias occurs when a rater's evaluation is disproportionately influenced by the most recent performance events rather than the entire review period.
Which approach to performance management focuses on continuous feedback and coaching rather than annual reviews?
Answer: Continuous performance management
Continuous performance management replaces or supplements annual reviews with ongoing check-ins, real-time feedback, and regular goal adjustments.
An organization uses a forced distribution system where 10% of employees must be rated 'top performers' and 10% must be rated 'low performers.' A major criticism of this system is that:
Answer: It can damage morale and teamwork by creating artificial competition
Forced distribution is criticized for mandating that a percentage of employees receive low ratings even when an entire team performs well, harming collaboration.
When setting performance goals under the SMART framework, what does the 'T' represent?
Answer: Time-bound
In the SMART framework, 'T' stands for time-bound, meaning goals should have a clear deadline or timeframe for completion.
A manager documents instances of both exemplary and poor employee performance throughout the year to use in the appraisal. This technique is called:
Answer: Critical incident method
The critical incident method involves recording specific examples of notably effective or ineffective employee behaviors throughout the review period.
What is the primary legal risk if performance appraisals are inconsistently applied across protected classes?
Answer: Potential discrimination claims under Title VII or other EEO laws
Inconsistently applied appraisals that negatively affect employees in protected classes can constitute unlawful discrimination under Title VII and related EEO statutes.