Last but not least: Green-white-red employee evaluation system
Employees at Unilever are evaluated using a traffic-light system. Green stands for «high potentials,» red for «underperformers,» and white for the middle category. That certainly gives the expression «to have a clean slate» a whole new meaning...
The consumer goods group Unilever already uses this job performance evaluation system for its management. According to reports in the Financial Times Deutschland, it is to be extended to other employee groups from January. This writes Wuv.de on Thursday. Resistance to this is now being voiced within the company. One wonders why - shouldn't every employee consider themselves lucky to be part of a color traffic light?
Apparently, the employee system is a nine-field matrix, with "strong" employees ranked in green at the top right and "weak" employees ranked in red at the bottom left. According to a statement from Unilever, this tool includes not only a performance appraisal but also an individual potential analysis and employee-specific development plans. Other employee groups are now being included in this process.
What is significant for the company is that various employees feel massively pressured. According to Wuv.de Group Works Council member Hermann Soggeberg points to a high quit rate and numerous cases of burnout in the Group. Not every employee seems to be thrilled about seeing his or her own work performance value divided into green-red-white. But what does it matter? The main thing is that management can play with the color traffic light. (uma)
