BARS: Behaviorally anchored rating scales BARS are scales used to rate performance. It is process of evaluating an employee’s performance of a job in terms of its requirements. It is an appraisal method that aims to combined the benefits of narratives, critical incidents, and quantified ratings by anchoring a quantified scales with specific narrative as GOODS, MODERATES, and POOR PERFORMANCE.
BARS METHOD BARS rate these behaviors for each employee , which indicates whether the behavior is exceptional, excellent, fully competent, or unsatisfactory. The BARS method for this specific task in this specific job could read as follows: 5 — Exceptional performance: Accurately completes and submits all status change notices within an hour of request. 4 — Excellent performance: Verifies all status change notice information with requesting manager before submitting. 3 — Fully competent performance: Completes status change notice forms by the end of the workday. 2 — Marginal performance: Argues when asked to complete a status change notice. 1 — Unsatisfactory performance: Says status change notice forms have been submitted when they haven’t.
Advantage of BARS It’s behaviorally based . The BARS system is totally focused on employee performance. It’s easy to use . The clear behavioral indicators make the process easier for the manager to carry out and the employee to accept. It’s equitable . With its heavy emphasis on behavior, the evaluation process comes across as fair. It’s fully individualized . From the standpoint of consistency within a company, BARS is designed and applied individually and uniquely for every position.
Disadvantage of BARS The process of creating and implementing BARS is time-consuming, difficult, and expensive. Sometimes the listed behaviors still don’t include certain actions required of the employee, so managers can have difficulty as signing a rating . It’s high maintenance . Jobs change over time, which means that BARS requires a high degree of monitoring and maintenance. It’s demanding of managers . In order to successfully conduct BARS evaluations, managers need detailed information regarding the actions of their employees. Gathering such data can be quite time-consuming, and many managers end up letting this slide.