You find yourself facing your manager, observing them as they push a performance evaluation towards you across the table. Your gaze bypasses the text and fixates on a solitary figure: 3 out of 5. Although the written critique commends your leadership on the project and points out specific areas for improvement, that middling score feels like a final judgment.
Research from Cornell University indicates that this response is more than mere personal sensitivity. A study published in *Academy of Management Discoveries* revealed that employees tend to perceive performance evaluations that consist solely of narratives as more equitable compared to those that include numeric ratings. In four experiments involving approximately 1,600 participants, the elimination of scores allowed individuals to concentrate on development instead of feeling evaluated.
The research group evaluated three prevalent formats: ratings only, narratives only, and a mixture of both. Professor Emily Zitek and her colleagues anticipated that the hybrid method would merge clarity with nuance. However, the numbers consistently derailed the dialogue.
## When a Score of Three Feels Like Defeat
Middle scores elicited the most intense negative responses. Participants receiving average numerical ratings reported feeling more severely judged than those who got similar feedback purely in words. The narrative portion faded into the background once the score was seen.
This trend persisted even when the narrative section remained unchanged. A paragraph detailing solid performance with opportunities for growth was perceived differently depending on whether it was accompanied by a number. Without the rating, employees viewed the feedback as a guide. With the score, they fixated on the rating itself.
> “At the start of this project, we believed that combined feedback might be ideal, but we ultimately discovered that the narrative-only format yielded the best outcomes in terms of perceptions of fairness and minimizing negative evaluations,” Emily Zitek notes.
The researchers spoke with HR experts to gain insight into why organizations stick to numerical systems despite their downsides. The conclusion boiled down to ease of administration. Comparing performance across different departments, determining bonus structures, and justifying promotion choices all become significantly more complex without standardized ratings.
## The Exceptions
Narrative feedback lost its edge in certain contexts. When evaluations were extremely positive, the format’s impact diminished. Employees receiving outstanding reviews regarded all three formats as fairly equivalent. Likewise, when feedback was directly linked to forthcoming compensation, individuals preferred to see the numbers affecting their salary.
These boundary conditions highlight the inherent conflict in performance management. Numbers fulfill organizational requirements whereas narratives address developmental needs. A manager aiming to assist someone in improving faces different limitations versus a system striving to distribute limited resources among many employees.
The study does not advocate for the total removal of ratings. Instead, it quantifies what many employees have sensed but struggled to articulate: that scores carry psychological significance that can detract from the constructive aim of feedback. For managers dedicated to fostering growth rather than merely gatekeeping, this trade-off is significant. The decision is not solely about format but about the true objectives of a performance review.
[Academy of Management Discoveries: 10.5465/amd.2023.0308](https://doi.org/10.5465/amd.2023.0308)
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