Errors in Performance Appraisal As with any subjective system, performance appraisals
are subjective because they are based on people’s perceptions and opinions, so there
can be shortcomings. Here are the most common errors made on the part of appraisers:
• Halo This occurs when the employee is doing well in one area and is therefore
rated high in all areas.
• Horn This occurs when an employee is demonstrating a strong weakness and is
thus rated low in all other areas.
• Bias This happens when the evaluator’s bias (consciously or unconsciously)
influences and distorts their perspective.
• Recency A recency error occurs when more emphasis is placed on a recent
occurrence and all earlier performances during the review period are discounted.
• Primacy The opposite of recency. The evaluator gives more weight and
emphasis to earlier performances, discounting more recent performances.
• Strictness An evaluator is reluctant to give high ratings, and their standards are
higher than other evaluators.
• Leniency The evaluator does not provide low scores and instead gives all
employees a high rating on their appraisals.
• Central An evaluator rates all their employees in the same range and does not
take into account differences in actual performance among the group rated.
• Contrast The evaluator is providing an employee rating based solely on a
comparison to that of another employee and not objective standards.
