Most common work performance rating scales

14 of October, 2022

Rating scales are the means to measure employee work performance. Without them, we practically cannot define what employees’ weaknesses and strengths are. For this reason, rating scales are a vital and important tool in any type of company that needs to carry out a performance evaluation of their entire workforce.

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What are performance rating scales?

A correct performance management system allows us to assess the extent to which the staff of an organization can master certain skills, knowledge or competences. Particularly those necessary to carry out the tasks specific to their position. The scale represents a range. For example:

• From unsatisfactory to very satisfactory
• Starting from 0 to 10.
• Starting from 0% to 100%.
• From below average to excellent.
• From beginner to expert.

Measurement scales can also be graphic and visual. An example is the five stars rating, one star being the lowest possible score and five the higher. It is about stating the measurement in a simple and easy-to-understand way for anyone.

Importance of defining a rating scale

Establishing a performance rating scale is as relevant as knowing how the employees of a company are doing their work. After all, it is the means to an essential end at a strategic level. Without a clear and defined scale, we will not be able to evaluate the team’s performance. Let’s keep in mind that this performance is of vital importance for the constant growth and development of both the company and the employee in question.

In addition to this, measurement scales in the evaluation of work performance provide subjectivity and transparency to the process since they are based on pre-established indicators. This allows managers to explain and justify their decisions regarding human capital.

Among the most frequent drawbacks in a performance evaluation, we find precisely the lack of subjectivity and the influence of personal bias in the evaluator. Hence, a simple and clear rating system will help avoid this type of difficulty at all times.

Performance evaluation graphic scales

Three point scale

The three-point scale has three possible answers that usually represent a neutral option and two opposites:

• Below expectations: they need to improve their results and additional training.
• Meets expectations: they consistently meet expectations and sometimes exceed them.
• Exceeds expectations: they always achieve their objectives and manage to positively influence others.

Although this type of scale measures certain criteria, it constantly lacks the nuances necessary to execute an evaluation. For this reason, using five possible answers, for example, will give us a much more specific view of a person’s performance.

Likert scale

The Likert scale is used, within the human resources department, to measure aptitudes and to know the evaluator’s level of agreement with a statement. For example:

• Question: Are you satisfied with the performance of the evaluatee?
• Answers: Totally disagree – Disagree – Neutral – I agree – Totally agree.

If we want to opt for a similar model, it is essential that the scale is symmetrical. This means that it must have the same number of positive and negative responses. We can also separate them by a more neutral option, if it is necessary or if we want it.

Differential semantic scale

In this particular case, we use two different alternatives for evaluatees to indicate where their opinion is. It can be positioned somewhere between the middle or the extremes. For example:

• Question: How would you qualify the communication skills of the evaluatee?
• Answer: Good communicator __________________ Bad communicator.

Commonly, seven blank spaces are left in the center and the chosen answer is marked with an X. This is one of the most used graphic scales in the evaluation of work performance.