Question

How do you define the following common rating errors: Leniency, central tendency, strictness, halo, proximity, contrast, recency, and infrequent observation?

Answer 1

Rating Errors

Leniency Error

Leniency error is when a raters’ tendency is to rate all employees at the positive end of the scale (positive leniency) or at the low end of the scale (negative leniency). It is caused by the rater's tendency to be too positive or tolerant of shortcomings and to give undeservedly high evaluations. Also called leniency bias.

Central Tendency

Some raters are reluctant to rate subordinates as very high or very low. They dislike being too strict with anyone by giving them an extremely low rating, and they may believe that no one ever deserves to get the highest possible rating. The result of this type of attitude is that everyone is rated around average.

Strictness

The tendency to rate all people at the low end of the scale and are overly critical of performance. This creates an unfair negative representation of the person being rated. If one person is rating someone very low on everything, while others are rating them normally, the strictness bias may be the culprit.

Halo Effect

When a single positive or negative dimension of a subordinate’s performance is allowed to influence the supervisor’s rating of that subordinate on other dimensions, a halo effect is operating. Halo effect happens when one single attribute or an overall impression on an individual affect other ratings. Judgement of the rater has been clouded by the single attribute.

Proximity error

It comes about from the way in which the various items have been placed or ordered on the rating form. Sometimes referred to as an order effect, this error illustrates the influence that surrounding items have on the rating one gives a person on a particular item. Proximity errors occur when a rating made on one dimension affects the rating made on the dimension that immediately follows it on the rating scale. Only the dimensions located nearest are affected, not the overall as in the halo effect.

Contrast Effect

The tendency for a rater to evaluate a person relative to other individuals rather than on-the-job requirements. that is, The performance rating one person receives can be influenced by the performance of a previously evaluated person. The rating of the particular employee has been compared to the first employee rather than the standard.

Recency of Events

when the supervisor is likely to consider recent performance more strongly than performance behaviors that occurred earlier. This is called the recency of events error. Failure to include all performance behaviors in the performance appraisal of a subordinate can bias the ratings. Hence, Recent behaviors are given more weight in the performance evaluation than behaviors that occurred during the first few months of the evaluation period

Infrequent Observation

Another problem that affects performance appraisals is that many managers or supervisors do not have the opportunity to observe a representative sample of employee behavior. Infrequent observation occurs for two reasons. First, managers are often so busy with their own work that they have no time to “walk the floor” and observe their employees’ behavior. Instead, they make inferences based on completed work or employee personality traits.