This exercise can be done individually or in groups of three to five members, at the instructor$$s option.

You are to begin by reading all of the material presented in this exercise. Assume that you are

responsible for developing and maintaining the O$$Leary Organization$$s performance appraisal system.

You are to assume further that the items that follow were waiting in your e$-$mail when you arrived at

work after a three$-$week vacation. First, you $($or your team$)$ are $($is$)$ to respond in writing to each

employee who sent you an e$-$mail. Second, explain on a separate sheet of paper what additional actions

you would take with reference to each item. For example, if you believe that you should gather

additional information before making a final decision on an item, explain what information you would

want. Or$,$ if you believe that additional memos or discussions with someone in the company are needed,

explain this. You $($or your team$)$ should bring both the memos and the $$Additional Action$$ sheets to

class. Be prepared to present and defend these materials during the class discussion.

Situation

The O$$Leary Organization is a medium$-$sized organization with headquarters in the Midwest. You may

assume that the organization is a manufacturing company, a hospital, an insurance company, a

university, or virtually any other medium$-$sized organization with which you are familiar.

The training and development section consists of you or your team. In addition to conducting training,

you have full responsibility for the organization$$s performance evaluation system. The O$$Leary

Organization$$s present performance appraisal system, which you are to assume you or your team

designed, requires that all employees be evaluated by their supervisor on a periodic basis. All employees

are evaluated at the end of a $90-$day period $($the initial employment period$)$ and on a yearly basis

thereafter. The performance appraisal form used by the organization is shown in Exhibit $3\mathrm{.}8.$ Supervisors

are required to complete this form for each of their employees at the appropriate time, discuss the

evaluation with the employee, ask the employee to sign the form at the end of the evaluation interview,

and return the completed form to the human resource department.

Exhibit

$3\mathrm{.}8.$

The O$$Leary Organization Performance Appraisal Form

E$-$Mail Items

Item $1$

To:

HR Department

From: Tom Morrison, Accounting Department

RE:

$90-$Day Employee Evaluation

I just received my $90-$day employee evaluation and received mostly $3$s on it$.$ My boss explained his

evaluation to me by saying that I was making good progress on the job. He added that if I continue to

show improvement, I will receive $4$s and $5$s like the more experienced employees do$.$ Why am I being

evaluated against older, more experienced workers? That doesn$$t seem right. I believe that considering

my limited experience, I deserve $$excellent$$ evaluations.

Item $2$

To:

HR Department

From: Paul Lands, Computer Center

RE:

Performance Evaluation

Joe Meena and I started together at the O$$Leary Organization two years ago. We are both in the

Computer Center doing the same job, only he works one shift, and I work another. Two weeks ago,

when we compared our performance evaluations, I discovered that he received all $5$s whereas I received

mostly $4$s$.$ The thing that irks me is that he and I both know we are doing an equally good job. His boss is

just more lenient in his evaluation than is my boss. I don$$t think this whole system is fair, particularly

since he may get promoted $($based on his performance evaluation$)$ before I do$.$ Can$$t something be done

about this?

Item $3$

To:

HR Department

From: Jill Best, Manager

RE:

Performance Appraisal Form Question

I am a relatively new manager and am filling out the Performance Appraisal Form for the first time on

one of my employees. I am not clear what some of the terms on the form mean. Specifically, I don$$t

know what is meant by the term $$conduct$$ or by the term $$attitude$.$ Would you please explain them to

me$?$

Item $4$

To:

HR Department

From: Sue Peters, Supervisor

RE:

Administering Employee Evaluations

I have recently received from your office a request to conduct evaluations this month on three of my

employees. As you probably know, I was promoted to this supervisory position just one week ago as a

result of the former supervisor$$s termination. I don$$t feel that I can presently conduct a fair evaluation of

these employees. Do you want me to do them anyway?

Item $5$

To:

HR Department

From: Karen Blackwell, Supervisor

RE:

Evaluation of Heather Morrison

This morning I conducted an evaluation interview with Heather Morrison. Although I had given her a $4$

on initiative last year, I gave her a $2$ in that category this year.When I told her this, she became very

angry and said the evaluation should have been at least a $3$ and probably a $4$ again. I attempted to