Introduction.
The human resources professional faces various challenges in achieving his goal in organizations. This objective can be summarized in the permanent search for coincidences between the interests of the human resource and the interests of the owner, for the best development of the organization to which they are integrated, without forgetting the social context in which they operate.
In concrete terms, the main challenge of the human resources specialist is to achieve permanent improvement in the organizations of which they are part, making them more efficient and effective. Being efficient implies using the minimum amount of resources necessary for the production of goods and services. Being effective implies achieving the production of these adequate goods and services, so that they are acceptable to society. These two factors lead to better levels of productivity.
The answer that the human resources specialist gives to the indicated challenge is the improvement of the performance and the contributions of the human resource to the organization.
Performance evaluation and human resource management.
The task of evaluating performance is a basic aspect of human resource management in organizations. Performance evaluation is an essential function that in one way or another is usually carried out in every modern organization. When evaluating performance, the organization obtains information for decision-making: If performance is less than stipulated, corrective actions must be taken; if performance is satisfactory, it should be encouraged.
Having a formal performance evaluation system allows human resource management to evaluate its procedures. The recruitment and selection processes, induction, decisions on promotions, compensation and training and development of human resources require systematic and documented information from the performance evaluation system.
In this order of ideas, when highlighting the impact of performance evaluation on human resource management, its main contributions are as follows:
a.- Attracting Human Resources
- Review and assess the selection criteria Show evidence of existing weaknesses among people from a certain selection Review recruitment and selection programs to be carried out in the future
b. Compensations
- Effectively complete the compensation policy based on the responsibility of each position and the contribution that each person makes based on the objectives of the position
c. Motivation.
- Contribute as an effective means to serve as an instrument of motivation, and not only for quantitative assessment
d. Development and Promotion.
- It is a wonderful opportunity to analyze the action, define objectives and action plans, confront the different points of view of the different hierarchical levels and address the problems of interpersonal relationships, as well as the climate of the company. Obtain data for the development of each person in his professional career, serving as a basis for career planning programs
and. Communication.
- It allows constant dialogue between managers and subordinates, both in the communication of results and in the planning and projection of actions to follow in the future and objectives to achieve.
F. Adaptation to the Job Position.
- Facilitate the operation of changes Obtain from the worker information about their long-term aspirations Integrate the worker into the position through a follow-up process
g. Job Description.
- Analyze the characteristics of the job performed, as well as its environment. Review the objectives set for each job. Training. Identify Training needs, both personal and collective.
For these purposes, it should be borne in mind that evaluating the performance of the worker should not be considered an annual examination exercise, nor a procedure to judge and sanction, but fundamentally to help, collaborate and improve human relations in the company. It is, in short, an analysis of the past, in the present moment, to project the future.
Don't forget: The human resources professional faces various challenges in achieving his goal in organizations. This objective can be summarized in the permanent search for coincidences between the interests of the human resource and the interests of the owner.
Principles of performance evaluation
Performance evaluation must be based on a series of basic principles that guide its development. These are:
- Performance evaluation must be linked to the development of people in the company. Performance evaluation standards must be based on relevant information from the job. The objectives of the performance evaluation system must be clearly defined. requires the commitment and active participation of all workers The role of judge of the supervisor-evaluator should be considered the basis for recommending improvements.
However, satisfactory results are often not achieved from this process, since distancing usually appears in its development, whether due to feelings of exploitation, indifference or underuse; conflicts, due to misunderstanding results, clash of interests or few signs of appreciation; errors in the use of techniques and tools; application problems due to deficiencies in rules and procedures and others.
The search for a performance evaluation methodology that is capable of improving the interaction between the employee and the company to achieve mutual benefit, making it possible to create the conditions for adequate performance, measured in terms of effort, capacity and perception his role in the company, on the part of the worker, and environmental factors, is one of the most important challenges for the human resources professional.
In seeking answers, the person responsible for human resource management, when trying to define the appropriate performance evaluation methodology, should bear in mind the following elements:
- People optimize their productivity when the work they do is - in their eyes - something worth doing. People can design work that adds value if allowed and helped. Organizational goals and personal goals are more easy to combine when the jobs are defined in terms of specific tasks, criteria to measure those tasks and required competencies. The task of defining the job, reviewing performance and, consequently, planning for the future is twofold, as it requires deep involvement of the supervisor and worker.
In accordance with the above, evaluating performance involves the development of a process that begins with the scheduling of tasks on the part of the organization and the worker, under a scheme that allows them to express their concept of themselves in their activity. and the mechanisms they deem appropriate to improve their productivity and satisfaction levels, their needs and aspirations. Thus, evaluating performance requires that both the supervisor - evaluator and the evaluated worker - analyze in depth and determine the causes of performance; either unsatisfactory, to eliminate them, or successful, so that they are repeated.
Performance evaluation methods
Various authors agree on pointing out the objectives of any performance evaluation program. Among these, the following can be mentioned: Fit the worker to the position; distribute salary incentives; allow the improvement of company-employee relations; establish controls over people's behavior or cause changes in their behavior; detect training needs; make firing decisions; manage the salary and wages policy. However, organizations have traditionally used these processes, almost exclusively, to make decisions regarding awards and sanctions for human resources.
There are various evaluation methodologies, among these the following can be mentioned: graphic scales, comparison, verification, there is performance evaluation, the ECBC method, for critical incidents. However, frequently the results of the application of this type of methods are not as expected, making it necessary to use a methodology that is based on the following factors:
- Acceptance of the worker for participating in the setting of objectives and activity programs Generation of an adequate degree of trust between the supervisor and the subordinate Based on sufficient, pertinent and objective data and information That uses quantitative goals That allows periodic reviews of performance for adjustments That allows agreement with the worker strategies to overcome their deficiencies. That participation in initial development be allowed, design of tools that allow workers to have a complete and updated knowledge about what the company thinks about its efforts. Supported in training processes for all personnel. evaluator-supervisor know in detail the job
The Performance Evaluation Method by Results.
The results evaluation method is based on goal setting as a technique linked to performance evaluation. This is a mechanism to inform employees of the progress made against the goals set; Such personal or impersonal, absolute or comparative feedback can increase productivity. Reviewing performance is as important as setting goals.
Goal setting is a participatory process that consists of two fundamental steps: planning performance and determining and communicating to employees how they are doing their job and meeting goals. Compare expected results with effective results to identify strengths, weaknesses and corrective measures, thereby contributing to the achievement of business objectives.
The specific activities of the method are:
to. Set the organization's goals
b. Determine the unit's current capacity and set goals for it.
c. Prepare the job description jointly between subordinate-evaluated and supervisor-evaluator. Reach agreements on the content and importance of the main functions or tasks, and establish performance criteria for each of them.
d. Obtain the commitment of individuals to the goals of the unit and specify it with their superior.
and. Set individual or group goals for the next period and agree on methods to achieve them.
F. Define checkpoints for progress evaluation
g. Evaluate actual performance at the end of the given period.
Performance Criteria
They are indicators, rates or data of the desired result in the execution of some task. The performance criteria are related to the main functions of the position and constitute not only a list of tasks, but also describe what the employee must achieve in the performance of her position. Setting performance criteria minimizes the appearance of elements of subjectivity in the evaluation process.
In the results-based evaluation method, setting performance criteria involves setting a standard or expected level of "production", and comparing the results of each employee or team with that standard. In the same way that an organization's performance is measured using data, people's performance must be managed with data.
Evaluating Performance
Once the performance criteria are established, at the time of the evaluation, the evaluator makes a description of the employee's results. It is important that periodic reviews have been carried out, both of the performance criteria inherent to each task, and of the objectives separately. Adequate evaluation seeks to improve performance, develop possibilities, allow the distribution of rewards and knowledge of the worker's potential.
The actions to be carried out are:
to. Assessment of overall compliance with performance criteria
b. Evaluation of the specific achievement of the objectives
c. Review of special achievements
d. Establish the improvement plan for worker development.
Problems of the evaluation process
Among the most frequent factors that can cause problems in the performance evaluation process are:
- That unequal performance criteria are defined That inconsistencies in the ratings are presented because the supervisors-evaluators do not follow guidelines based strictly on merits That the supervisors-evaluators do not consider performance evaluation as an opportunity but as an obligation That personal prejudices are developed That the “halo” effect is presented That the evaluator is overestimated or underestimated That the central tendency effect is presented That an indulgence effect occurs That is evaluated by immediacy That is evaluated by external appearance, social position, race, etc. When the supervisor-evaluator does not understand the responsibility assigned to it.
The evaluation interview
The interview is the key to the evaluation system and, if it is not managed properly, it can ruin it. Its main objective is to provide the employee with significant information about their performance.
The interview should be considered as the usual review of human resource management; It is the main activity that must consolidate and give value to the daily contact of managers with their staff to review what happens and what should happen between the employee and the company.
The evaluation interview fulfills the following purposes:
1. Reach agreements with the employee, so that he is allowed to have a clear idea of how he performs compared to the expected patterns, norms or behaviors.
2. Define improvement measures
3. Stimulate stronger motivating relationships
4. Eliminate or reduce dissonances, anxieties, tensions or doubts.
Performance evaluation and the HR professional
Performance evaluation serves as an indicator of the quality of the work of the human resources professional. Both the design of the system and its procedures are usually the responsibility of the human resources professional. The human resources professional will select the methodology to be used considering its objectives. If the objective is to evaluate performance in the past and to grant sanctions and recognitions, comparative approaches are likely to be preferred. If optimizing human resource management is sought, perhaps results-based methods such as the one described above should be used.
However, regardless of the technique selected, the approach taken needs to be used by the managers of the organization. The human resources professional should identify strategies to make managers and supervisors-evaluators assume this responsibility with enthusiasm and capacity.
On the other hand, if the evaluation process indicates that low-level performance is frequent, many workers will be excluded from the promotion and transfer plans, the percentage of personnel problems will be high and, in general, the level of dynamism of all the company. High levels of employees who are not performing well may indicate the presence of errors in various facets of human resource management. For example, human resource development may not correspond to career advancement plans, because candidates are not properly selected. It can also happen that the human resources plan is wrong, because the information obtained from the job analysis is incomplete or wrong objectives have been postulated.The sources of error are multiple and require a careful inspection of the entire role of the human resources professional in the company. The results of the performance evaluations constitute the thermometer of the human conditions of the organization.
