Performance Appraisal System

Conceptual Framework Of

Performance Appraisal System

In The Military Setting

Overview

Every soldier as a human resource is the primary capital in the military organization, which requires special handling and attention. Therefore, he could be developed based on his potentials to the optimum. The step towards development follows the phases to acquire a portrait of each soldier’s condition. By acknowledging a soldier’s condition, we can predict every opportunity and problem he may be facing so that needed intervention could be designed.  The portrait of a soldier’s condition could be observed by using longitudinal approach or cross sectional approach, or combining both of them. This essay will elaborate the measurements with performance appraisal method towards army officers that are preferably into longitudinal approach. Now, why army officers? The answer is because army officers are the central actors who make the most significant influence in becoming a role model for their soldiers which can bring a new character into the organization.

The rapid development in science and technology must be responded by making adjustments in order to grow and survive. The impact of that development may be very dominant and may not always be positive. Negative impact could change a soldier’s behavior to become negative as well. Thus, there must be a concept to be formulated in the personnel supervision system. But practically, not every organization is ready to deal with adjustments, especially military organizations which are naturally conservative and repellent to changes. Efforts to change culture in one organization, especially in the millitary environment would bump into many resistancies. More over when the adjustments could not present an immediate result and could only be acquired after a long period of time.

The Human Resource and Development department (HR&D) takes a huge responsibility and direct involvement in fostering and managing soldiers, consequently the HR&D needs to develop their army officers to become great officers, not just officers who want to be seen good. A great officer would be able to expand all his potential and competency hence he is capable to show his effort up to his peak performance, including sharing his wisdom to set an example for his subordinates. Performance Appraisal (PA) Implementation that is constructed sophisticatedly may become one of the best alternative to measure and place an officer in the most fitting position and develop his performance. 

This essay is written as an academic document in order to stimulate discussions and also as an effort to develop the PA procedure in the military circles.

Criteria of Success (Pendit 2007)

Ideally there are four aspects that an army officer must possess to show an optimal performance (peak performance) that will support his success in accomplishing his duties and responsibilities, which are :

1.          Behavioral competence. The ability that he has, based on his duty.

2.          Personal Attribute. A characteristic based on his criteria or profile or his position.

3.          Capability in knowledge and technical skills needed and required for his position.

4.          Experience. Everything that he has done and supports his present duties and responsibilities.

But theoretically, to assess each and every abovementioned aspect, different types of tools are needed, such as :

1.  Behavioral competence. It could be achieved by using Assessment, Multirated Survey, 360º Feedback, Evaluation by Superiors, and Self Assessment Method.

2.       Personal Attribute. By using Personality Test/Inventory.

3.   Capability in knowledge and technical skills. By using Technical/Job Test, Education, Certification, and Aptitude Test.

4.   Experience throughout his duties. This could be assessed by using Track Record and Career Highlight.

The PA that is constructed sophisticatedly could measure directly or indirectly three of the four aspects above, except number 2.

Assessment by Behavior 

A good PA construction is based on behavior hence it demonstrates an assessment criteria which attaches directly with the attitude that is shown in accomplishing duties in a certain position. One logical consequence in using this method is the must of having an organizational structure that defines clear and specific job descriptions and profiles.   Every dimension of every behavior assessed in every position must be elaborated from the job descriptions in the organization so this method of assessment would be objective when evaluating an officer. Using this method would require a length of time to evaluate behavioral dimension in different positions and is also highly costly. Nevertheless, when you realize the outcome and benefit, either for the officer or the organization which will be assessed over a long period of time, this method is definitely advantageous.  

PA Implementation through 180° evaluation and 360° development.

It is common if someone would feel uncomfortable when being assessed but basically it is a necessity in self development. Thus, PA implementation in the military would require techniques that are constructed well and could comfortably   be accepted by officers that are being assessed. In many organizations, the implementation of PA are mostly one way and usually contains high subjectivity that it becomes unfair. This occurs because the mechanism of the assessment is monotous and one-sided, which is only from his superior (single-source feedback).  In order to gain accurate information, other sources are needed to be involved in the assessment. However, we should be cautious when it comes to an junior assessing his superior, especially when applied in the military. Through the 180° evaluation and 360° development approach, the evaluation would be conducted by one’s direct superior and colleagues, while the evaluation from one’s subordinate is to complete the effort of an officer’s self development.  It should be realized that besides a comprehensive data and information, there are also factors that could only be evaluated from a certain angle. Why should it be 180° and 360° ?  Even though it would be a little more complicated, the 180° evaluation and 360° development approach will provide a complete portrait of an officer’s performance as a whole including his effort towards self development. Through the 180° evaluation approach, the assessment from superior and colleagues are given as a comparison so that the data acquired would become more comprehensive. Whereas the 360° development approach (multi-source feedback) is a way of self development by means of the data acquired from one’s superiors, colleagues and juniors.

Direct superior. Having the biggest opportunity to recognize their junior officers in executing tasks and duties, they also could be able to observe the linkage between work and what aim to achieve, and also be able to give reward and punishment based on their junior officer’s performance.

Colleagues. In their positions, they could give different perspectives about performance than what a direct superior may give. It is generally because they could observe the actual performance that a direct superior may not notice.

Juniors. As junior officers, they could experience directly how their superior delegates duties, how he communicates, and what type of leadership that he demonstrates (to identify one’s leadership style, ask his subordinates). How a superior officer could plan and manage his duties. A junior officer’s positive observation may generate a relationship filled with trust and honesty. By this method  it is expected that officers do not have to feel “humiliated” because the aim to achieve in the PA, is not only for the sake of assessment (past and present oriented) but also as an effort towards development (future oriented).

To complete these three points of view, the last thing to do is Self Assessment, especially when the assessment is combined with a set of goal to reduce the tendency  of self defense in the assessment interview. On the other hand, through this method, officers could learn how to play fair and objective along with maturity and honesty in assessing themselves. By using the 180° evaluation and 360° development approach, it will fulfill the management’s requirements to attain an accurate and thorough data of the officer’s PA. And it will generate confidence to the management to use the data as a consideration in making decisions in placement, promotion or development.

The basic mistake in perception and assessment needs to be understood by every personnel who are involved in the PA implementation process. Some errors that often occur in an assessment are :

1)   A constant/distrtibuted error, such as being too soft/flexible  (leniency errors), being too hard/inflexible (strictness/severity errors) and the tendency of being in the middle (central tendency).  

2)   The dominant factor effect such as the Halo effect, first impression effect, last behavior effect, the old assessment  result effect.

3)   The egocentric error such as a contrast error, similarity error, which is the tendency to assess others with the same standards as they would assess themselves. People who have the same character, interests and likings tend to be assessed highly. The order error usually appears when a couple of personnels are compared against each other but not compared against an essential objective standard.

By using the 180° evaluation and 360° development approach which are supported by a measuring system constructed to assess a performance validly and objectively based on behavioral competence, the assessor would be able to produce a thorough assessment. Subsequently, a direct superior will be confident to give counseling to his junior officers concerning their strengths and weaknesses, and also efforts that could be done for their development. 

IT usage. 

The usage of Information Technology (IT) in the PA Implementation is a must. Every data of officer’s honor and evaluation must be compiled accumulatively to be analyzed in depth and it could become useful for his service span and life time development. In the contrary, there are not  any software applications customized by means of the 180° evaluation and 360° development approach. And also with a multiple-source feedback effect, it would be impractical and feeble in its confidentiality.

Other advantages in using IT is that every officer would be able to access it through the internet to receive assessments about himself. He could also receive tips and critiques for his development such as information about books that he must read, courses and trainings that are necessary to take, and suggestions of things that he must do.

Closing. 

PA Implementation in the military is very much needed in order to support one’s professionalism which are expertise, sense of duty, and corporateness.  By using the success methodology, PA consists three of the four aspects that are required to be supported by a psychometrical approach. Therefore, there will be accurate and thorough datas to be used in placements, transfers, promotions, selections, and effective self developments.

Reference

1.    Derven, M.G. (1990). “Assessment. The Paradox of Performance Appraisals”. Personnel Journal.February.

2.     Endro Tjahjono Ardisutopo, Konsepsi Dapen Perwira TNI AD yang berbasis perilaku dan berorientasi total feedback dalam rangka menghadapi tugas di masa mendatang yang menuntut kompetensi dan akuntabilitas kinerja, 2010.

3.         Hart, G. & Lind, W.S. (1986). America can win: The case for military reform. Bethesda, MD: Adler & Adler.

4.          Hidayat, Eri. R. (2005). A case study of the use of a competency framework in the Australian Army for performance management and development. Tesis Master of Human Resources Management and Coaching (Psychology), University of Sydney, Australia.

5.   McClelland, D.C. (1973). Testing for competence rather than for intelligence. American Psychologist, 28(1)

6.          Murray, W. (1999). Does military culture matter? Orbis, Winter 1999