Performance is concerned with behavior or what workers do and not the results of their work. As such, performance is evaluative, that is, it can be judged based on whether it hampers or helps to advance organizational goals, and also multidimensional, meaning many behaviors are required to describe the performance of an employee. In this context, performance is determined by a combination of procedural knowledge, motivation, and declarative knowledge. It also has two essential facets: contextual and task. Task performance denotes the particular activities needed by a person’s job while contextual performance refers to actions necessary to be a good organizational member.
Given that employees work in the context of an organization and thus, engage in particular behaviors, it calls for measurement of performance. As such, three approaches are used to measure performance: trait, results, and behavior approaches. The behavior approach stresses on what workers do, that is, how work is done. It is most appropriate when the link between results and behaviors is not apparent, results occur in a distant future, or when poor outcomes are because of the causes beyond the control of the employee. On the other hand, results approach emphasizes the results and outcomes that employees produce.
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Thus, it is a bottom-line approach which is not concerned with how a task is performed as long as some specific results are achieved. As such, this approach is most suitable when employees are skilled in the required behaviors, results and behaviors are perceptibly related, when results indicate consistent improvement over a period, and when many ways to perform the job are available. Results emphasis may be beneficial because it may motivate employees to achieve the desired results in innovative and creative ways. However, this approach is not mostly welcomed by workers.
Finally, the trait approach stresses on the traits of an individual which remains relatively stable through the lifespan of a person, for instance, personality or cognitive abilities. It can be most useful when an organization expects to undertake drastic changes in the structure. One main disadvantage of trait approach is that traits are not controlled by individuals, and even if a person has certain favorable characteristics such as high intelligence, this does not guarantee that the worker will engage in productive behaviors which yields desired results. Therefore, because instances to apply traits are rare, behavior and results approach remains the two methods most organizations use.
