Employee performance evaluation: definition and purposes

Employee performance evaluation is an easy and objective way of measuring and analyzing the performance and capabilities of a company’s employees according to different performance levels. 

Throughout this article, we will not only explain the basis on which good performance is measured, but we will also talk to you about the grades that exist and are related to the subject. 

What is performance evaluation?

Performance evaluation is the tool, technique, and procedure that allows companies to optimize their human capital management by analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of employees and measuring them towards achieving objectives. 

With this knowledge, the company can measure your performance, which in turn allows it to help improve your performance and increase your professional potential in the most appropriate direction, where your strengths make you stand out. 

What is the purpose of a performance evaluation?

The main purpose of carrying out performance reviews in an organization is to determine the value of the work performed by the employee in the company. 

It is also beneficial to measure the level of competitiveness of the organization because if your team demonstrates efficiency and achievement of their individual goals and in their area, they will contribute to the benefit of the company as a whole.

Summarizing, performance evaluations are important to: 

• Provide adequate feedback to each person on their performance.
• Serve as a basis for modifying or changing behavior toward more effective work habits.
• Provide data to managers, with which they can judge future work assignments and improve their planning ability.

In what ways can a employee performance evaluation be conducted?

There are many possible classifications of performance appraisals. However, the criterion chosen to carry them out is generally centered on the person or persons who perform the test. 

Following this criterion, we have that the types of professional performance evaluations that you can face are:

• Self-assessment.
• Among peers.
• By a supervisor.
• By the employee.
• By the client.
• By degrees.
• Automated. 

Let’s make a sieve of the previous ones and focus this article on the evaluation by degrees.

Employee performance evaluation by degrees

As we have just mentioned, of all the above, in this article, we will focus on performance evaluation by degrees. Namely: 90º, 180º, 270º, or 360º.

What is the 90º performance evaluation? 

The 90-degree performance evaluation is one in which the person who evaluates the employee is the supervisor. 

It is logical to think that the superior to whom you report as an employee has enough knowledge of the tasks you perform within the company’s conglomerate. 

This allows the person you are in charge of, among other things, to guide your professional career plan and give you the necessary feedback to be aware of your strengths and weaknesses or points for improvement. 

What is the 180º performance evaluation?

The 180-degree employee performance evaluation is one in which your supervisor and your teammates perform the employee analysis procedure.

The intervention in the process of your work peers involves broadening the analytical spectrum to those with whom you share responsibilities, information, and work methods, given that the tasks and objectives are similar or the same.

What is the 270º performance evaluation?

The 270-degree performance evaluation includes the people in charge of a team, department, or project leader. That is, the team leader’s subordinates evaluate their supervisor’s performance.

At the top management level, it is essential to have this type of evaluation to detect the best leadership styles and even to solve problems in those not evolving correctly.

What is the 360º performance evaluation? <h3>

The 360-degree performance evaluation seeks a comprehensive view of all the people directly related to the employee at a professional level. 

Thus, this type of performance evaluation considers the feedback from your superiors, team members or colleagues, your subordinates, and your customers and suppliers (as appropriate or if applicable).

How does employee performance evaluation technology help?

The role of technology in performance evaluation takes on a very special role at this time, given that we are witnessing a clear movement in favor of the search for talent by companies. 

In line with the above, companies must be able to manage the performance of their human capital in an agile and accurate way, something that new technologies can offer, adding a dynamism that older methodologies do not have.

Dynamic employee career development plans require performance appraisals that are also conducted similarly, i.e., that are dynamic and effective.

Aspects such as creativity, immediacy, and efficiency determine the needs of organizations in a performance review process in today’s workplace.

In this sense, solutions such as those offered by Smowltech are ideal for achieving the necessary objectives in this process and ensuring high levels of effectiveness and efficiency. We blend in with your performance evaluation software to give you the most intuitive service.

Check out our proctoring products and choose the one that best fits your needs. 

And if you prefer to know in a practical way what we offer, you only have to request a free demo in which we will share solutions that you may not know that can help you.