What is a frame of reference in the context of employee evaluations?

In the context of employee evaluations, a frame of reference is understood as the set of personal standards, beliefs, and experiences that an evaluator brings to the assessment process. When this frame is based on personal ideals rather than objective job performance standards, it can lead to biases in the evaluation. For example, if an evaluator’s own values significantly influence their judgement, they may misinterpret an employee’s actions or skills based on how they perceive those actions through their own lens rather than through the established performance criteria of the job.

This evaluation error does not reflect the actual job performance but rather reveals the evaluator's subjective view and biases, which could lead to unfair or inaccurate assessments of employees. It is crucial for evaluators to strive for objectivity and ensure that their evaluations are based on concrete performance metrics, rather than personal biases or ideals, to provide a fair and constructive review process.