ABSTRACT
Why Measure Human Performance? There are many reasons to measure human performance in occupational settings. For example, organizations need to assess their employees’ performance to determine whether they are doing their jobs correctly. Measuring performance can document the contribution of their employees’ work products to the organization’s goals. Further, US regulations require organizations to be able to demonstrate that procedures used to select employees (selection tests, performance standards, and promotion criteria) are directly related to job duties. Organizations also need to determine whether job changes (for example, the introduction of new technologies or procedures) might affect their employees’ performance. It is also necessary to measure system performance (which encompasses the interaction of human and equipment) to assess the effect of job changes on system output. There are other reasons to measure job performance, including identifying employees who should receive higher compensation and determining employees who should receive training (Landy, 1989, p. 92).
