Using 360-degree feedback appraisals to trigger pay and personnel decisions puts ______ at risk.

Performance Management

Third Edition

Herman Aguinis

Kelley School of Business

Indiana University

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Aguinis, Herman Performance management / Herman Aguinis. — 3rd ed.

p. cm. ISBN-13: 978-0-13-255638-5 (alk. paper) ISBN-10: 0-13-255638-3 (alk. paper)

1. Employees—Rating of. 2. Performance—Management. I. Title. HF5549.5.R3A38 2013 658.3'125—dc23

2011037274

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ISBN 10: 0-13-255638-3 ISBN 13: 978-0-13-255638-5

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

CONTENTS

Preface viii Acknowledgments xiii Dedication xiv About the Author xiv

PART I Strategic and General Considerations 1 Chapter 1 Performance Management and Reward Systems in Context 1

1.1 Definition of Performance Management (PM) 2 1.2 The Performance Management Contribution 4 1.3 Disadvantages/Dangers of Poorly Implemented PM Systems 8 1.4 Definition of Reward Systems 10

1.4.1 Base Pay 10 1.4.2 Cost-of-Living Adjustments and Contingent Pay 11 1.4.3 Short-Term Incentives 11 1.4.4 Long-Term Incentives 11 1.4.5 Income Protection 12 1.4.6 Work/Life Focus 13 1.4.7 Allowances 13 1.4.8 Relational Returns 13

1.5 Aims and Role of PM Systems 14 1.5.1 Strategic Purpose 15 1.5.2 Administrative Purpose 16 1.5.3 Informational Purpose 16 1.5.4 Developmental Purpose 16 1.5.5 Organizational Maintenance Purpose 16 1.5.6 Documentational Purpose 17

1.6 Characteristics of an Ideal PM System 18 1.7 Integration with Other Human Resources and Development

Activities 23 1.8 Performance Management Around the World 24

� CASE STUDY 1-1: Reality Check: Ideal Versus Actual Performance Management System 28

� CASE STUDY 1-2: Performance Management at Network Solutions, Inc. 31 � CASE STUDY 1-3: Distinguishing Performance Management Systems from

Performance Appraisal Systems 32

Chapter 2 Performance Management Process 37 2.1 Prerequisites 38 2.2 Performance Planning 46

2.2.1 Results 46 2.2.2 Behaviors 46 2.2.3 Development Plan 47 iii

iv Contents

2.3 Performance Execution 48 2.4 Performance Assessment 49 2.5 Performance Review 50 2.6 Performance Renewal and Recontracting 52

� CASE STUDY 2-1: Job Analysis Exercise 55 � CASE STUDY 2-2: Disrupted Links in the Performance Management Process

at “Omega, Inc.” 55 � CASE STUDY 2-3: Performance Management at the University of Ghana 56

Chapter 3 Performance Management and Strategic Planning 59 3.1 Definition and Purposes of Strategic Planning 60 3.2 Process of Linking Performance Management to the Strategic

Plan 61 3.2.1 Strategic Planning 65 3.2.2 Developing Strategic Plans at the Unit Level 74 3.2.3 Job Descriptions 76 3.2.4 Individual and Team Performance 77

3.3 Building Support 79 � CASE STUDY 3-1: Evaluating Vision and Mission

Statements at Pepsico 82 � CASE STUDY 3-2: Dilbert’s Mission Statement Generator 83 � CASE STUDY 3-3: Linking Individual with Unit and Organizational

Priorities 84 � CASE STUDY 3-4: Linking Performance Management to Strategy at

Procter & Gamble 84

PART II System Implementation 87 Chapter 4 Defining Performance and Choosing a Measurement Approach 87

4.1 Defining Performance 88 4.2 Determinants of Performance 89

4.2.1 Implications for Addressing Performance Problems 90 4.2.2 Factors Influencing Determinants of Performance 91

4.3 Performance Dimensions 91 4.4 Approaches to Measuring Performance 95

4.4.1 Behavior Approach 95 4.4.2 Results Approach 96 4.4.3 Trait Approach 99 � CASE STUDY 4-1: Diagnosing the Causes of Poor Performance 101 � CASE STUDY 4-2: Differentiating Task from Contextual Performance 102 � CASE STUDY 4-3: Choosing a Performance Measurement Approach at

Paychex, Inc. 102 � CASE STUDY 4-4: Deliberate Practice Makes Perfect 103

Chapter 5 Measuring Results and Behaviors 106 5.1 Measuring Results 107

5.1.1 Determining Accountabilities 107

Contents v

5.1.2 Determining Objectives 109 5.1.3 Determining Performance Standards 111

5.2 Measuring Behaviors 112 5.2.1 Comparative Systems 115 5.2.2 Absolute Systems 118 � CASE STUDY 5-1: Accountabilities, Objectives, and Standards 126 � CASE STUDY 5-2: Evaluating Objectives and Standards 126 � CASE STUDY 5-3: Measuring Competencies at the Department of

Transportation 127 � CASE STUDY 5-4: Creating BARS-Based Graphic Rating Scales for

Evaluating Business Student Performance in Team Projects 128

Chapter 6 Gathering Performance Information 130 6.1 Appraisal Forms 131 6.2 Characteristics of Appraisal Forms 137 6.3 Determining Overall Rating 140 6.4 Appraisal Period and Number of Meetings 143 6.5 Who Should Provide Performance Information? 146

6.5.1 Supervisors 146 6.5.2 Peers 146 6.5.3 Subordinates 147 6.5.4 Self 148 6.5.5 Customers 149 6.5.6 Disagreement Across Sources: Is This a Problem? 149

6.6 A Model of Rater Motivation 150 6.7 Preventing Rating Distortion Through Rater Training

Programs 153 � CASE STUDY 6-1: Evaluating an Appraisal Form Used in Higher Education 157 � CASE STUDY 6-2: Judgmental and Mechanical Methods of Assigning

Overall Performance Score at The Daily Planet 162 � CASE STUDY 6-3: Minimizing Intentional and Unintentional Rating Errors 164 � CASE STUDY 6-4: Minimizing Biases in Performance Evaluation at Expert

Engineering, Inc. 165

Chapter 7 Implementing a Performance Management System 168 7.1 Preparation: Communication, Appeals Process, Training

Programs, and Pilot Testing 169 7.2 Communication Plan 170 7.3 Appeals Process 174 7.4 Training Programs for the Acquisition of Required Skills 176

7.4.1 Rater Error Training 177 7.4.2 Frame of Reference Training 180 7.4.3 Behavioral Observation Training 181 7.4.4 Self-Leadership Training 182

7.5 Pilot Testing 184 7.6 Ongoing Monitoring and Evaluation 185

vi Contents

7.7 Online Implementation 188 � CASE STUDY 7-1: Implementing a Performance Management

Communication Plan at Accounting, Inc. 192 � CASE STUDY 7-2: Implementing an Appeals Process at Accounting, Inc. 192 � CASE STUDY 7-3: Evaluation of Performance Management System at

Accounting, Inc. 192 � CASE STUDY 7-4: Training the Raters at Big Quality Care 193

PART III Employee Development 195 Chapter 8 Performance Management and Employee Development 195

8.1 Personal Developmental Plans 196 8.1.1 Developmental Plan Objectives 197 8.1.2 Content of Developmental Plan 199 8.1.3 Developmental Activities 200

8.2 Direct Supervisor’s Role 203 8.3 360-Degree Feedback Systems 206

8.3.1 Advantages of 360-Degree Feedback Systems 213 8.3.2 Risks of Implementing 360-Degree Feedback Systems 215 8.3.3 Characteristics of a Good System 215 � CASE STUDY 8-1: Developmental Plan Form at Old Dominion University 220 � CASE STUDY 8-2: Evaluation of a 360-Degree Feedback System Demo 220 � CASE STUDY 8-3: Implementation of 360-Degree Feedback System at Ridge

Intellectual 221 � CASE STUDY 8-4: Personal Developmental Plan at Brainstorm, Inc.—Part I 221 � CASE STUDY 8-5: Personal Developmental Plan at Brainstorm, Inc.—

Part II 222

Chapter 9 Performance Management Skills 226 9.1 Coaching 227 9.2 Coaching Styles 233 9.3 Coaching Process 233

9.3.1 Observation and Documentation of Developmental Behavior and Outcomes 235

9.3.2 Giving Feedback 239 9.3.3 Disciplinary Process and Termination 245

9.4 Performance Review Meetings 248 � CASE STUDY 9-1: Was Robert Eaton a Good Coach? 256 � CASE STUDY 9-2: What Is Your Coaching Style? 257 � CASE STUDY 9-3: Preventing Defensiveness 259 � CASE STUDY 9-4: Recommendations for Documentation 260

PART IV Reward Systems, Legal Issues, and Team Performance Management 263

Chapter 10 Reward Systems and Legal Issues 263 10.1 Traditional and Contingent Pay Plans 264 10.2 Reasons for Introducing Contingent Pay Plans 265

Contents vii

10.3 Possible Problems Associated with Contingent Pay Plans 268 10.4 Selecting a Contingent Pay Plan 270 10.5 Putting Pay in Context 272 10.6 Pay Structures 276

10.6.1 Job Evaluation 277 10.6.2 Broad Banding 279

10.7 Performance Management and the Law 280 10.8 Some Legal Principles Affecting Performance

Management 281 10.9 Laws Affecting Performance Management 284

� CASE STUDY 10-1: Making the Case for a CP Plan at Architects, Inc. 289 � CASE STUDY 10-2: Selecting a CP Plan at Dow AgroSciences 289 � CASE STUDY 10-3: Contingency Pay Plan at Altenergy LLC 290 � CASE STUDY 10-4: Possible Illegal Discrimination at Tractors, Inc. 291

Chapter 11 Managing Team Performance 294 11.1 Definition and Importance of Teams 295 11.2 Types of Teams and Implications for Performance

Management 296 11.3 Purposes and Challenges of Team Performance

Management 298 11.4 Including Team Performance in the Performance Management

System 299 11.4.1 Prerequisites 300 11.4.2 Performance Planning 302 11.4.3 Performance Execution 303 11.4.4 Performance Assessment 304 11.4.5 Performance Review 305 11.4.6 Performance Renewal and Recontracting 306

11.5 Rewarding Team Performance 307 � CASE STUDY 11-1: Not All Teams Are Created Equal 309 � CASE STUDY 11-2: Team Performance Management at Duke University

Health Systems 310 � CASE STUDY 11-3: Team-Based Rewards for the State of Georgia 312 � CASE STUDY 11-4: Team Performance Management at Bose 313

Index 315

1 Generating buzz: Idaho Power takes on performance management to prepare for workforce aging. (2006, June). Power Engineering. Retrieved November 26, 2010 from http://www.powergenworldwide.com/index/ display/articledisplay/258477/articles/power-engineering/volume-110/issue-6/features/generating-buzz- idaho-power-takes-on-performance-management-to-prepare-for-workforce-aging.html 2 Workforce performance is top HR priority. (2005). T+D, 59(7), 16.

PREFACE AND INTRODUCTION

In today’s globalized world, it is relatively easy to gain access to the competition’s technology and products. Thanks to the Internet and the accompanying high speed of communications, technolog- ical and product differentiation is no longer a key competitive advantage in most industries. For example, most banks offer the same types of products (e.g., various types of savings accounts and investment opportunities). If a particular bank decides to offer a new product or service (e.g., online banking), it will not be long until the competitors offer precisely the same product. As noted by James Kelley, performance management project leader at Idaho Power, “technology is a facilitator, but not a guarantor, of effectiveness or efficiency of a company’s workforce.”1

So, what makes some businesses more successful than others? What is today’s key compet- itive advantage? The answer is people. Organizations with motivated and talented employees offering outstanding service to customers are likely to pull ahead of the competition, even if the products offered are similar to those offered by the competitors. This is a key organizational resource that many label “human capital” and gives organizations an advantage over the compe- tition. Customers want to get the right answer at the right time, and they want to receive their products or services promptly and accurately. Only having the right human capital can make these things happen. Only human capital can produce a sustainable competitive advantage. And, performance management systems are the key tools that can be used to transform people’s talent and motivation into a strategic business advantage. Unfortunately, although 96% of human resources (HR) professionals report that performance management is their number 1 concern, fewer than 12% of HR executives and technology managers believe that their organizations have aligned strategic organizational priorities with employee performance.2

This edition includes the following six important changes. More detailed information on each of these issues is provided in the section titled “Changes in This Edition.”

• There is an emphasis on the role of the context within which performance management takes place.

• This edition emphasizes that knowledge generated regarding performance management is essentially multidisciplinary.

• This edition emphasizes the important interplay between science and practice. • This edition describes the technical aspects of implementing a performance management

system in detail and, in addition, it emphasizes the key role that interpersonal dynamics play in the process.

• This new edition includes new cases in almost every chapter. Taken together, this new edition includes a total of 43 case studies.

• Each of the chapters includes new sections.

SOME UNIQUE FEATURES OF THIS BOOK

Performance management is a continuous process of identifying, measuring, and developing the performance of individuals and teams and aligning their performance with the strategic goals of the organization. Performance management is critical to small and large, for-profit and not-for-profit,

viii

http://www.powergenworldwide.com/index/display/articledisplay/258477/articles/power-engineering/volume-110/issue-6/features/generating-buzzidaho-power-takes-on-performance-management-to-prepare-for-workforce-aging.html

http://www.powergenworldwide.com/index/display/articledisplay/258477/articles/power-engineering/volume-110/issue-6/features/generating-buzzidaho-power-takes-on-performance-management-to-prepare-for-workforce-aging.html

http://www.powergenworldwide.com/index/display/articledisplay/258477/articles/power-engineering/volume-110/issue-6/features/generating-buzzidaho-power-takes-on-performance-management-to-prepare-for-workforce-aging.html

Preface and Introduction ix

domestic and global organizations, and to all industries. In fact, the performance management model and processes described in this book have been used to create systems to manage the perform- ance of college students.3 After all, the performance of an organization depends on the performance of its people, regardless of the organization’s size, purpose, and other characteristics. As noted by Siemens CEO Heinrich von Pierer, “whether a company measures its workforce in hundreds or hundreds of thousands, its success relies solely on individual performance.” As an example in the not-for-profit sector, the government in England has implemented what is probably the world’s biggest performance management system, and, by statutory force, the performance of teachers and “headteachers” (i.e., school principals) is now evaluated systematically. This particular system includes a massive national effort of approximately 18,000 primary schools, 3,500 secondary schools, 1,100 special schools, 500 nursery schools, 23,000 headteachers, 400,000 teachers, and an unspecified number of support staff.4

Unfortunately, few organizations use their existing performance management systems in productive ways. Performance management is usually vilified as an “HR department require- ment.” In many organizations, performance management means that managers must comply with their HR department’s request and fill out tedious, and often useless, evaluation forms. These evaluation forms are often completed only because it is required by the “HR cops.” Unfortunately, the only tangible consequence of the evaluation process is that the manager has to spend time away from his or her “real” job duties.

This book is about the design and implementation of successful performance management systems. In other words, it focuses on research-based findings and up-to-date applications that help increase an organization’s human capital. Performance management is ongoing and cyclical; however, for pedagogical reasons, the book needs to follow a linear structure. Because performance observation, evaluation, and improvement are ongoing processes, some concepts and practices may be introduced early in a cursory manner but receive more detailed treatment in later sections. Also, this book focuses on best practices and describes the necessary steps to create a top-notch performance management system. As a result of practical constraints and lack of knowledge about system implementation, many organizations cut corners and do not implement systems that follow best practices because of environmental and political issues (e.g., goals of raters may not be aligned with goals of the organization). Because the way in which systems are implemented in practice is often not close to the ideal system, the book includes numerous examples from actual organizations to illustrate how systems are implemented given actual situational constraints.

CHANGES IN THIS EDITION

This edition includes important updates and additional information. In preparation for revising and updating this book, I gathered more than 300 potentially relevant articles and books. About 150 of those were most relevant, and about 50 of those new sources are now included in this edition. These sources have been published since the second edition of the book went into production. This vast literature demonstrates an increased interest in performance management on the part of both academics and practitioners.

This edition includes five important changes throughout the book. First, there is an emphasis on the role of the context within which performance management takes place. Performance manage- ment does not operate in a vacuum. Rather, it takes place within a particular organizational context, and organizations have a particular history, unwritten norms about what is valued and what is not,

3 Gillespie, T. L., & Parry, R. O. (2009). Students as employees: Applying performance management principles in the management classroom. Journal of Management Education, 33, 553–576. 4 Brown, A. (2005). Implementing performance management in England’s primary schools. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 54, 468–481.

x Preface and Introduction

5 Aguinis, H., Boyd, B. K., Pierce, C. A., & Short, J. C. (2011). Walking new avenues in management research methods and theories: Bridging micro and macro domains. Journal of Management, 37, 395–403. 6 Cascio, W. F., & Aguinis, H. (2008). Research in industrial and organizational psychology from 1963 to 2007: Changes, choices, and trends. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93, 1062–1081.

and unwritten norms about communication, trust, interpersonal relations, and many other factors that influence daily activities. Thus, for example, implementing a 360-degree feedback system may be effective in some organizations but not in others (Chapter 8). As a second illustration, some organiza- tions may have a culture that emphasizes results more than behaviors which, in turn, would dictate that the performance management system also emphasize results; instead, other organizations may place an emphasis on long-term goals, which would dictate that performance be measured by empha- sizing employee behaviors rather than results (Chapter 4). Also, we need to understand the contextual reasons why performance ratings may not be accurate—particularly if there is no accountability for raters to provide valid assessments (Chapter 6). As yet another example, cultural factors affect what sources are used for performance information: In a country like Jordan, whose culture determines more hierarchical organizational structures, the almost exclusive source of performance information is supervisors, whereas employees and their peers almost have no input; this situation is different in countries with less hierarchical cultures in which not only performance information is collected from peers, but also supervisors are rated by their subordinates (Chapter 6). To emphasize the role of culture, this edition describes examples and research conducted in organizations in Jordan (Chapter 6); Japan, China, Turkey, Germany, France, South Korea, Mexico, Australia, and the United Kingdom (Chapter 1); Brazil (Chapter 3); Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta (Chapter 11); Ghana (Chapter 1); South Africa (Chapter 1); Bulgaria and Romania (Chapter 1); and India (Chapters 1 and 3).

Second, this edition emphasizes that knowledge generated regarding performance manage- ment is essentially multidisciplinary. Accordingly, the sources used to support best-practice recommendations offered in this book come from a very diverse set of fields of study ranging from micro-level fields focusing on the study of individual and teams (e.g., organizational behavior, human resource management) to macro-level fields focusing on the study of organizations as a whole (e.g., strategic management). This is consistent with a general movement toward multidis- ciplinary and integrative research in the field of management.5 For example, best-practice recommendations regarding the measurement of performance originate primarily from industrial and organizational psychology (Chapter 5). On the other hand, best-practice recommendations regarding the relationship between performance management and strategic planning were derived primarily from theories and research from strategic management (Chapter 3). In addition, much of the best-practice recommendations regarding team performance management originated from the field of organizational behavior (Chapter 11).

Third, this edition emphasizes the important interplay between science and practice. Unfortunately, there is a great divide in management and related fields between scholars and practitioners. From the perspective of scholars, much of the work conducted by practitioners is seen as relevant but not rigorous. Conversely, from the perspective of practitioners, the work done by scholars is seen as rigorous but mostly not relevant. This “science-practice divide” has been documented by a content analysis of highly prestigious scholarly journals, which regularly pub- lish work that does not seem to be directly relevant to the needs of managers and organizations.6

This edition attempts to bridge this divide by discussing best-practice recommendations based on sound theory and research and, at the same time, by discussing the realities of organizations and how some of these practices have been implemented in actual organizations.

Fourth, this edition, as its predecessor, describes the technical aspects of implementing a performance management system in detail. In addition, this edition emphasizes the key role that interpersonal dynamics play in the process.7 Traditionally, much of the performance appraisal literature has focused almost exclusively on the measurement of performance—for example,

Preface and Introduction xi

whether it is better to use 5-point versus 7-point scales. However, more recent research suggests that, related to the issue of context mentioned earlier, issues such as trust, politics, leadership, nego- tiation, mentorship, communication, and other related topics related to interpersonal dynamics are just as important in determining the success of a performance management system. Accordingly, this edition discusses the need to establish a helping and trusting relationship between supervisors and employees (Chapter 9), the role of an organization’s top management in determining the success of a system (Chapter 3), and the motivation of supervisors to provide accurate performance ratings (Chapter 6), among many other related issues throughout the book.

Fifth, this new edition includes new cases in almost every chapter. Taken together, this new edition includes a total of 43 case studies. In addition, the instructor’s manual includes approximately 4 more cases per chapter, for a total of about 40 additional cases. Thus, depending on an instructor’s preference, a course based on this new edition could be taught entirely follow- ing a case format or using a lecture and case combination format.

In addition to the aforementioned changes that permeate the entire book, each chapter includes new sections. As illustrations, consider the following chapter-by-chapter nonexhaustive additions:

• Performance management around the world (Chapter 1). This material will be useful in terms of understanding that although performance management systems may have similar goals, their implementation and deployment will be affected by cultural and contextual factors depending on where the organization is located.

• Biases in the job analysis process and their effects in the resulting job analysis ratings (Chapter 2). This material will be useful in terms of providing guidelines on how to gather valid job analysis information.

• Relationship between strategies, goals, and firm performance (Chapter 3). This new material will be useful in providing guidelines on the most effective sequence of implementation of the various strategic planning steps as it cascades down and across the various organizational units.

• Voice behavior: Raising constructive challenges with the goal to improve rather than merely criticize, challenge the status quo in a positive way, and make innovative suggestions for change when others, including an employee’s supervisor, disagree (Chapter 4). This material will be useful in terms of understanding the multidimensional nature of performance and how different performance dimensions may be valued differently in different organizations.

• Relative percentile method for measuring performance (Chapter 5). This material will be useful regarding the development of measures to assess performance more accurately.

• Open-ended sections included in most appraisal forms (Chapter 6). This material will be useful in terms of learning how to make the most of this information, which is typically underutilized in most performance management systems.

• Calculation of return on investment of portions of a performance management system (Chapter 7). This material will be useful in terms of learning how to document the relative effectiveness, in tangible and financial terms, of a performance management system.

• The feedforward interview (FFI) (Chapter 8). This new material will be useful in terms of understanding how the FFI is a process that leads to uncovering the contextual and per- sonal conditions that lead to success regarding both achievement and job satisfaction.

• Disciplinary process that may lead to termination (Chapter 9). This material will be useful in terms of providing information on what to do when performance problems are identified but employees are unable or unwilling to address them effectively.

• Relationship between new legal regulations and the implementation of performance management systems in China (Chapter 10). This new information will be useful in terms

7Aguinis, H., & Pierce, C. A. (2008). Enhancing the relevance of organizational behavior by embracing performance management research. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 29, 139–145.

xii Preface and Introduction

of understanding how the legal environment has a direct impact on performance management practices worldwide.

• Types of learning that can take place as part of the team development plan in the perform- ance planning stage (Chapter 11). This material will be useful in terms of providing a deeper understanding of specific interventions aimed at improving team learning and performance.

Further, the following is a nonexhaustive list of specific topics that have been updated and expanded in each chapter:

• The discussion of voice behavior (i.e., constructive criticisms that challenge the status quo and promote innovative improvements) as an important contribution of performance management systems, performance management’s contribution to minimizing employee misconduct, an expanded discussion of allowances, an expanded discussion of the four dif- ferent dimensions of fairness (i.e., procedural, distributive, interpersonal, and informa- tional justice), the additional strategic purpose of performance management systems as a catalyst for onboarding (i.e., processes helping new employees to transition from organiza- tional outsiders to organizational insiders), and the importance of implementing a system that is congruent with the cultural norms of the organization as well as the culture of the re- gion and country where the organization is located (Chapter 1).

• An expanded discussion of how rater accountability leads to improved accuracy in perform- ance ratings (Chapter 6).

• An expanded discussion of how to evaluate whether the performance management system is working as intended, and a new section on the implementation of online performance management systems (Chapter 7).

• A description of the performance review meetings as work meetings—each one with spe- cific purposes, the need to separate the performance review meetings to minimize negative surprises, an expanded discussion of how to deal with employee defensiveness during the performance review meeting, and the need to consider an employee’s personality (e.g., core self-evaluations) in the process of giving feedback (Chapter 9).

• An expanded discussion of nonfinancial rewards (Chapter 10). • New material regarding challenges faced in implementing performance management with

expatriate teams (Chapter 11).

PLAN FOR THE BOOK

Part I, which includes Chapters 1 through 3, addresses general as well as strategic considerations regarding performance management. Chapter 1 discusses the advantages of implementing a successful performance management system as well as the negative outcomes associated with deficient systems, including lowered employee motivation and perceptions of unfairness. This chapter also includes what can be described as the features of an ideal system. Chapter 2 describes the performance management process starting with what should be done before a system is implemented and ending with the performance renewal and recontracting phases. Chapter 3 links performance management systems with reward systems and an organization’s strategic plan. This chapter makes it clear that a good performance management system is a critical component of the successful implementation of an organization’s strategy.

Part II, including Chapters 4 through 7, addresses the details of system implementation. This discussion is sufficiently general yet detailed enough so that all managers, not just HR managers, will benefit from this material. Chapters 4 and 5 describe some of the technical aspects associated with the assessment of performance and how to identify and measure both behaviors and results. Chapter 6 discusses appraisal forms and various types of rating schemes, and it discusses the

Preface and Introduction xiii

advantages and disadvantages of using various sources of performance information (e.g., supervisor, peers, and customers). Finally, Chapter 7 describes the steps involved in implementing a performance management system, including a communication plan and pilot testing of the system before it is implemented.

Part III, including Chapters 8 and 9, addresses employee development issues. Chapter 8 includes a description of employee developmental plans and the advantages of using 360-degree systems for developmental purposes. Chapter 9 addresses the skills needed by supervisors to observe and assess performance as well as those needed to provide constructive feedback.

Part IV, including Chapters 10 and 11, concerns the relationship among performance management, rewards, the law, and teams. Chapter 10 includes a discussion of traditional and contingent pay plans, pay structures, and their links to performance management. In addition, this chapter provides a discussion of legal issues to consider when implementing a performance man- agement system. Finally, Chapter 11 addresses the timely topic of how to design and implement performance management systems dealing with team performance.

FACULTY RESOURCES

Each of the chapters includes a list of its learning objectives as well as summary points and cases for discussion. I hope this additional material will allow students to have an enjoyable and productive learning experience that will enhance your own individual human capital. Also, there are several resources available for instructors including PowerPoint slides, exam questions and answers (multiple choice and essay-type), role plays, and approximately 40 additional cases (about 4 per chapter) that can be used for in-class discussions, examination materials, or take-home homework or examinations. These materials will allow instructors to prepare for teaching this course more quickly and help make teaching this course a more enjoyable and interactive experience. These fac- ulty resources can be downloaded by visiting www.pearsonhighered.com/aguinis and clicking on Instructor Resources.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank several individuals who were extremely instrumental in allowing me to write the first edition, second, and current third edition of this book. I am indebted to Graeme Martin for encouraging me to start this project. Wendy O’Connell and Jon Dale helped me gather the numerous examples and illustrations that I have used throughout. Barbara Stephens helped me update many of these examples in the second edition. Christine Henle allowed me to use her extremely useful lecture notes. Barbara Stephens, Bonnie Davis, Debra Lammers, and Ray Zammuto gave me excellent and detailed comments that allowed me to improve each of the chapters. Harry Joo, Ryan K. Gottfredson, and Sofia J. Vaschetto assisted me in writing the Instructor’s Manual for this edition. Teaching and giving lectures and workshops on perform- ance management at the Instituto de Empresa (Madrid, Spain), Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3 (Lyon, France), University of Johannesburg (South Africa), University of Salamanca (Spain), and University of Melbourne (Australia) allowed me to test and improve various sections of the book. Finally, this edition benefited from the feedback provided by Lynn K. Bartels, Robyn A. Berkley, Perry A. Barton, Alan Cabelly, and Clifford E. Thermer, who have used the second edition to teach courses at universities throughout the United States and were kind enough to offer their suggestions for improvements and additions. I thank each of you for your time and intellectual investment in this project. Your coaching and feedback certainly helped me improve my performance!

Herman Aguinis Bloomington, Indiana

www.pearsonhighered.com/aguinis

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Herman Aguinis is the Dean’s Research Professor, Professor of Organizational Behavior and Human Resources, and the Founding Director of the Institute for Global Organizational Effectiveness at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. He has been a visiting scholar at universities in the People’s Republic of China (Beijing and Hong Kong), Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Argentina, France, Puerto Rico, South Africa, and Spain. His teaching, research, and consulting activities are in the areas of human capital acquisition, development, and deployment. Dr. Aguinis wrote Applied Psychology in Human Resource Management (with Wayne F. Cascio, 7th ed., 2011, Prentice Hall) and Regression Analysis for Categorical Moderators (2004, Guilford) and edited Test-Score Banding in Human Resource Selection (2004, Praeger) and Opening the Black Box of Editorship (with Y. Baruch, A. M. Konrad, & W. H. Starbuck, 2008, Palgrave-Macmillan). In addi- tion, he has written more than 90 refereed journal articles in Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Journal of Applied Psychology, Personnel Psychology, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, and elsewhere. Dr. Aguinis is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, and the Association for Psychological Science, and has been inducted into the Society of Organizational Behavior. He has served as Division Chair for the Research Methods Division of the Academy of Management, Program Chair for the Iberoamerican Academy of Management, and editor-in-chief for the journal Organizational Research Methods. He has delivered more than 180 presentations at professional conferences and more than 90 invited presentations at universi- ties in more than 20 countries around the world, and consulted with numerous organizations in the United States, Europe, and Latin America using his English, Spanish, French, Italian, and German language skills. For more information, please visit http://mypage.iu.edu/~haguinis/

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DEDICATION

To my dear friend Ariel Aisiks, true visionary and global leader who has been teaching me how to be a top performer for more than 30 years.

http://mypage.iu.edu/~haguinis/

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A manager is responsible for the application and performance of knowledge.

—PETER F. DRUCKER

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to do the following: � Explain the concept of performance management (PM). � Distinguish performance management from performance appraisal. � Explain the many advantages and make a business case for implementing

a well-designed performance management system. � Recognize the multiple negative consequences that can arise from the poor design and

implementation of a performance management system. These negative consequences affect all the parties involved: employees, supervisors, and the organization as a whole.

� Understand the concept of a reward system and its relationship to a performance management system.

� Distinguish among the various types of employee rewards, including compensation, benefits, and relational returns.

� Describe the multiple purposes of a performance management system including strategic, administrative, informational, developmental, organizational maintenance, and documentational purposes.

� Describe and explain the key features of an ideal performance management system.

PART I: STRATEGIC AND GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS

Chapter 1

Performance Management and Reward Systems in Context

2 Part I • Strategic and General Considerations

� Create a presentation providing persuasive arguments in support of the reasons that an organization should implement a performance management system, including the purposes that performance management systems serve and the dangers of a poorly implemented system.

� Note the relationships and links between a performance management system and other human resources functions, including recruitment and selection, training and development, workforce planning, and compensation.

� Describe and explain contextual and cultural factors that affect the implementation of performance management systems around the world.

1.1 DEFINITION OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

Consider the following scenario:

Sally is a sales manager at a large pharmaceutical company. The fiscal year will end in one week. She is overwhelmed with end-of-the-year tasks, including reviewing the budget she is likely to be allocated for the following year, responding to customers’ phone calls, and supervising a group of 10 salespeople. It’s a very hectic time, probably the most hectic time of the year. She receives a phone call from the human resources (HR) department: “Sally, we have not received your performance reviews for your 10 employees; they are due by the end of the fiscal year.” Sally thinks, “Oh, those perform- ance reviews. . . .What a waste of my time!” From Sally’s point of view, there is no value in filling out those seemingly meaningless forms. She does not see her subordinates in action because they are in the field visiting customers most of the time. All that she knows about their performance is based on sales figures, which depend more on the products offered and geographic territory covered than the individual effort and motivation of each sales- person. And, nothing happens in terms of rewards, regardless of her ratings. These are lean times in her organization, and salary adjustments are based on seniority rather than on merit. She has less than three days to turn in her forms. What will she do? She decides to follow the path of least resistance: to please her employees and give everyone the maximum possible rating. In this way, Sally believes the employees will be happy with their ratings and she will not have to deal with complaints or follow-up meetings. Sally fills out the forms in less than 20 minutes and gets back to her “real job.”

There is something very wrong with this picture, which unfortunately happens all too frequently in many organizations. Although Sally’s HR department calls this process “performance management,” it is not.

Performance management is a continuous process of identifying, measuring, and devel- oping the performance of individuals and teams and aligning performance with the strategic goals of the organization. Let’s consider each of the definition’s two main components:

1. Continuous process. Performance management is ongoing. It involves a neverending process of setting goals and objectives, observing performance, and giving and receiving ongoing coaching and feedback.1

Chapter 1 • Performance Management and Reward Systems in Context 3

2. Alignment with strategic goals. Performance management requires that managers ensure that employees’ activities and outputs are congruent with the organization’s goals and, consequently, help the organization gain a competitive advantage. Performance management therefore creates a direct link between employee performance and organizational goals and makes the employees’ contri- bution to the organization explicit.

Note that many organizations have what is labeled a “performance management” system. However, we must distinguish between performance management and performance appraisal. A system that involves employee evaluations once a year without an ongoing effort to provide feedback and coaching so that performance can be improved is not a true performance management system. Instead, this is only a performance appraisal system. Performance appraisal is the systematic description of an employee’s strengths and weaknesses. Thus, performance appraisal is an important component of performance management, but it is just a part of a bigger whole because performance management is much more than just performance measurement.2

As an illustration, consider how Merrill Lynch has transitioned from a perform- ance appraisal system to a performance management system. Merrill Lynch is one of the world’s leading financial management and advisory companies, with offices in 37 countries and private client assets of approximately US$ 1.6 trillion (http://ml.com/). As an investment bank, it is a leading global underwriter of debt and equity securities and strategic adviser to corporations, governments, institutions, and individuals world- wide. Recently, Merrill Lynch started the transition from giving employees one per- formance appraisal per year to focusing on one of the important principles of performance management: the conversation between managers and employees in which feedback is exchanged and coaching is given if needed. In January, employees and managers set employee objectives. Mid-year reviews assess what progress has been made toward the goals and how personal development plans are faring. Finally, the end-of-the-year review incorporates feedback from several sources, evaluates progress toward objectives, and identifies areas that need improvement. Managers also get extensive training on how to set objectives and conduct reviews. In addition, there is a Web site that managers can access with information on all aspects of the performance management system. In sharp contrast to its old performance appraisal system, Merrill Lynch’s goal for its newly implemented performance management program is worded as follows: “This is what is expected of you, this is how we’re going to help you in your development, and this is how you’ll be judged relative to compensation.”3

As a second example, consider the performance management system for managers at Germany-based Siemens, which provides mobile phones, computer networks, and wireless technology and employs 475,000 people in 190 countries (www.siemens.com). At Siemens, the performance management system is based on three pillars: setting clear and measurable goals, implementing concrete actions, and imposing rigorous consequences. The performance management at Siemens has helped change people’s mind-set, and the organization is now truly performance oriented. Every manager understands that performance is a critical aspect of working at Siemens, and this guiding philosophy is communicated in many ways throughout the organization.4

Performance management systems that do not make explicit the employee con- tribution to the organizational goals are not true performance management systems. Making an explicit link between an employee’s performance objectives and the

www.siemens.com

http://ml.com/

4 Part I • Strategic and General Considerations

organizational goals also serves the purpose of establishing a shared understanding about what is to be achieved and how it is to be achieved. This is painfully clear in Sally’s case described earlier: from her point of view, the performance review forms did not provide any useful information regarding the contribution of each of her subordinates to the organization. Sally’s case is unfortunately more common than we would like. A survey conducted by the consulting firm Watson Wyatt showed that only 3 in 10 employees believe their companies’ performance review systems actually helped them improve their performance.5