Performance Appraisals – Punishment or Catalyst for Improvement

This is my reply to a question, on Linked-In, about performance appraisals.  The question asked whether performance appraisals are punishment or not.
In some companies, the process feels like punishment to the employee and the manager. While that is not the intent, some managers use the event as a time to compliment a little and criticize a lot. It is punishment to the manager who views it as a non-valued added activity required by HR.

Like other HR practices, performance appraisals are viewed as a must-have program. HR provides guidance and training for managers in how to do appraisals. Managers with a large number of people reporting to them do not have time to perform several appraisals a year and certainly do not have time to regularly observe, coach, and provide feedback on performance to employees. It would be great if managers could do that, but it does not happen in the companies with whom I consult.

I do not see appraisals as a catalyst for improvement, unless it is a catalyst that causes negative thinking among most employees.

Pay for performance may work well in some industries and with some positions, but a number of people doing the same job on different shifts have little opportunity to differentiate performance. Set a pay rate that fairly compensates the employees for doing the job requirements. and then a manager could have more time to appraise performance regularly.

Posted May 27th, 2009 in Human Factors, Observations

Continuous Partial Attention – Life of Pipeline Controller

“When we constantly monitor everything while never focusing on anything” is a description of continuous partial attention. Linda Stone, a software executive, is quoted in the book iBrain. I read about the concept somewhere else.  If one reads some job descriptions for pipeline controllers, one will see these phrases:

• Maintain a high level of attention for extended periods of time
• Flawless operation of SCADA system
• Ability to remain focused under highly stressful situations

How does a controller do those things if the concept of continuous partial attention applies in control rooms?  I believe it does apply because control room operators must continuously monitor everything on the display screens.

What is the effect on our brains, and on our performance?  Because we are waiting on an event, planned or unplanned, our brains are stressed.  If an unplanned event(alarm, phone call) occurs at the same time as a planned event, the person has to address the one with the highest priority while still paying attention to the other event.  He or she also has to monitor the rest of the system.

Continuous Partial Attention:  Could it be the precursor to an error or accident?

Posted May 18th, 2009 in Human Factors, Managing Fatigue