Case Scenario:
Jennifer and Mel disagree over the importance of having performance appraisals. Mel says its quite clear whether any particular learn in motion employee is doing his or her job. Its obvious f, for instance, if the salespeople are selling, if the web designer is designing, if the web surfer is surfing, and if the content management people are managing to get the customers content up on the web site in a timely fashion. Mels position, like that of many small business managers is that "we have 1,000 higher -priority things to attend to such as boosting sales and creating the calendar. And in any case, he says, the employees already get plenty of day to day feedback from him or Jennifer regarding what they are doing right and what they are doing wrong.
This informal feedback not with standing, Jennifer believes that a more formal appraisal approach is required. For one thing they are approaching the end of the 90-day introductory period for many of these employees, and the owners need to make decisions about whether they should go or stay. And the practical point of view, Jennifer just believes that sitting down and providing formal written feedback is more likely to reinforce what employees are doing right and to get them to modify what they might be doing wrong. "Maybe this is one reason were not getting enough sales, she says.
Now that you have your supervisor's opinion, prepare a response for Jennifer and Mel highlighting your thoughts. Here are the questions they need answered.
Question 1. Is Jennifer right about the need to evaluate the workers formally? Why or why not? If you think she is right, how do you explain away Mel's arguments?
Question 2. Develop a performance appraisal method for the salespeople, or Web designer or Web surfer. Please make sure to include any form you want the owners to use.