Is Attitude a Key Factor When Evaluating an Employee's Performance?
- Performance evaluations typically address work behavior and attitude regarding specific tasks. Although assessing employee attitude is key in performance evaluations, employers must consider attitude in the context of the job description and the nature of the work. For example, a manager might rate an employee's willingness to listen to and integrate feedback. The North Dakota Office of Management and Budget points out that employee reviews do not imply permission to assess employees based on personality and attitude in general.
- Employee evaluations have the potential to be subjective, and attitude assessment is particularly complicated. To ensure fairness, managers need to implement a standard evaluation format and make employees aware of the frequency and timing of employee evaluations in advance. Expectations should be clearly identified, as well. If management intends to measure an employee's willingness to work as a team member or to contribute to positive morale, for example, it needs to clarify these expectations up front.
- Personality conflicts have the potential to impact employee evaluations, as do subconscious tendencies related to assessing performance in general. For instance, managers may manipulate ratings to motivate employees or have a skewed perception of performance based on a recent positive or negative incident related to the employee. One solution is the 360 degree review method which includes feedback from more than one person, including coworkers, managers, clients, subordinates and the employee himself, according to Diane M. Alexander of the University of Rhode Island.
- Employers should seek legal counsel when drafting an employee evaluation form. An employee's attitude at work is central to his performance and vice versa. Effective performance evaluations can lead to improvements in work environment, employee/employer relations, job satisfaction, effective implementation of employee's strengths and, subsequently, a more lucrative business. Assessing attitudes relating to job performance is part of the evaluation process. However, a company that respects the employee's need to have a voice, as well as the efficacy of perceived fairness and genuine commitment, is more likely to encounter positive employee attitudes.