Human Resource Management Part 4: Performance Appraisal — Methods and Biases

Appraisal methods traditional to modern, and the bias catalog.

Traditional methods

• Ranking, paired comparison, grading, forced distribution, checklist, critical incident, essay.
• Modern: MBO with SMART goals; BARS blends critical incidents with rating scales; 360-degree feedback multisource.

Bias catalog

• Halo, horn, central tendency, leniency-strictness, recency effect, similar-to-me, spillover.
• Bias controls: rater training, behavioural anchors, calibration sessions, documentation discipline.

Appraisal to performance management

• Continuous feedback cycles, check-ins, OKR alignment — appraisal as subsystem not the event.
• Legal hygiene: documented, job-related, consistent criteria protect against challenge.

Revise in 30 seconds

• MBO, BARS, 360: the modern trio.
• Halo, recency, central tendency biases.
• Calibration sessions equalise raters.
• Documentation is legal armour.