Best Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale Examples

A behaviorally anchored rating scale is a measurement instrument used to rate items based on their relative position along a continuum.

A BARS is a rating scale where respondents indicate their agreement or disagreement with each item using a point system. Unlike traditional rating scales, the points in a behaviorally anchored rating scale relate to the respondent’s choice, and the response options range from 1 to 5.

A critical incident technique identifies and documents specific, observable behaviors—both effective and ineffective—that significantly impact job performance. This serves as a basis for performance evaluations, training, and development.

What are Examples of the Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale?

Before diving right into the examples, understand the seven points of the scale and the specific behaviors you can assess with BARS. With regards to the teamwork dimension, a seven-point scale is as follows:

1. Strongly disagree
2. Disagree
3. Neither agree nor disagree
4. Agree
5. Strongly agree
6. No idea
7. Not applicable

Researchers at the University of Toronto have developed the scale for this dimension. The scale measures employees’ perceptions of team development. It consists of five items that assess employees’ perceptions of the following dimensions:

1. Teamwork – Employees’ perception of the degree to which they work well together
2. Communication – Employees’ perception of whether they communicate effectively with others
3. Trust – Employees’ perception of trust between them and other members of the team
4. Respect – Employees’ perception of respect among team members (e.g.,” I feel my treatment is fair”)
5. Cooperation – Employees’ perception of collaboration among team members

In addition, two more questions regarding the importance of teamwork and communication were not in the original questionnaire.

A behaviourally anchored rating scale is written in English, translated into Chinese, and back-translated into English. The results showed that the translation was consistent.

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BARS Example

Let’s look at the following scenario to create an example.

Scenario

Your company wants to improve its customer service. To this end, you ask customers who made purchases if they would recommend your company.

Questions

• How should your company respond when a customer asks, “Would you recommend us?”
• What kind of answer would make you more likely to give a positive recommendation?
• What kind of answer might make you less likely to provide a positive reference?
• Which one of these answers would you most likely choose?

Responses

There are these possible responses:

• Strongly disagree
• Disagree
• Neither agree nor disagree
• Agree
• Strongly agree
• I wouldn’t recommend your company because it doesn’t provide quality products/services.
• Disagree
• It’s unlikely that I will recommend your company because it does not offer great products.
• Neither agree nor disagree.
• I’m not sure what to say.
• Agree
• I’d recommend your company because it offers high-quality products

The above example shows how to apply the BARS to a situation. In this case, we asked participants to rate their level of agreement on a five-point BARS.

How Can You Use Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale Throughout Employee Lifecycle?

Behaviorally anchored rating scales affect many situations, such as critical incidents, throughout the employee lifecycle. Here are some examples.

1. Performance Appraisal

Performance appraisal is a way of rating performance and providing feedback to employees. It is carried out through the employee evaluation process. The employee appraisal process helps managers understand how well employees perform their duties and whether they need training.

2. Feedback

Feedback is a way of giving information about an individual’s performance. Employees may receive praise or criticism from their managers after rating performance. They may also get feedback from peers. This type of feedback is called 360-degree feedback.

3. Training

Training is a process by which an individual receives new skills or knowledge. Employees may get training through formal classes or informal mentoring.

4. Developmental Opportunities

Development opportunities allow employees to learn new skills or advance within their current position. Managers often use developmental opportunities to help employees grow professionally.

5. Promotion

Promotion is a reward given to employees who do good work after employers develop performance dimensions. Employees’ promotions strongly rely on merit and individual performance, but sometimes promotions are given as rewards for outstanding performance during critical incidents and are determined through the employee appraisal process.

6. Termination

Termination is when an employee leaves their job. The most common reason for termination is poor performance. Other reasons include misconduct, such as stealing money or failure to meet expectations.

7. Job Search

A job search is when an employee looks for a new job. Sometimes, employees look for a better opportunity at their current employer.

8. Career Planning

Career planning is when employees decide what career path they want to take next. Some employees decide to change jobs while others stay put.

9. Retention

Retention is when an employee stays with their current employer. Retention is difficult if there is no clear plan for growth. However, retention is easier if the quantified behavior ratings show a clear growth plan.

10. Evaluation

Evaluation is when a person gives feedback to another person. Depending on an individual’s performance, evaluations can be positive or negative. In assessments, evaluators should focus on the strengths of the other person.

Other Rating Scales For Employee Evaluation

There are several other types of rating scales that you could use to develop performance dimensions besides the behaviorally anchored rating scales. Behaviorally anchored rating scales are instrumental because they provide a way to measure different aspects of a person’s personality in a single test. Such quantified ratings also provide a way to compare two individuals’ personalities.

These are:

1. Likert Scales

Likert scales are similar to behaviorally anchored rating scales but don’t require specific anchor points. Instead, they ask questions like “How satisfied are you with your life?” or “How important is this task?”.

2. Nominal Scales

Nominal scales are similar to behaviorally anchored rating scales. They ask questions like “What is your favorite color?” or “Who would you vote for president?”.

3. Visual Analog Scales

Visual analog scales are similar to behaviorally anchored rating scales. They allow people to make ratings along a quantitative data continuum rather than just choosing one point. For example, a visual analog scale with numerical ratings might ask, “On a scale of 1-100, how happy are you right now?”

4. Multi-item Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales

Multi-item scales are similar to behaviorally anchored rating scales and graphic rating scales. They have many items, including numerical ratings, each with an anchor point. For example, multi-item scales might ask about things like “Your ability to communicate easily even in critical incidents ” or “The quality of your relationships.”

Pros and Cons of Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale

Behaviorally anchored rating scales are easy to use. You must choose three behaviors that represent the traits you want to evaluate. It makes it easy to administer the survey. It also allows you to get quantitative data about a person’s personality.

However, behaviorally anchored rating scales aren’t always accurate like most traditional ones. For example, some people may not know which behaviors they should rate. Also, some people may think of themselves as different from how others see them. Here’s a list of behaviourally anchored rating scale advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages of Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale

Compared to traditional rating scales, it is quick and easy to use: You can administer a survey during critical incidents by asking people to rate their personality traits.

It’s easy to compare two people’s personalities: If you want to compare their performance dimensions, you can look at their scores.

They give you information about a person’s overall personality. Using a behaviorally anchored rating scale, you’ll learn more about a person’s character than a trait questionnaire.

Disadvantages of Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale

Some people may not know what behaviors to rate. If someone doesn’t know what they like or dislike, they won’t know what behaviors to rate.

Some people may think of themselves in ways that differ from how others view them: Some may think of themselves as more outgoing than they are.

Conclusion

Above, we have provided a behaviorally anchored rating scale example to help you understand how this review scale works. Although it is an old method of reviewing employees’ behavior, it still gives a clear idea so you can take mandatory steps to overcome the negativities.

FAQs

Here are the most frequently asked questions about the Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale (BARS).

What is the Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale (BARS) in performance management?

The Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale (BARS) is a performance appraisal method that combines quantitative and qualitative analysis elements to evaluate employee performance. Using specific behavior examples as anchors creates a structured framework for measuring performance.

How does the BARS method evaluate employee performance?

The BARS method evaluates employee performance by using a predefined set of behavioral indicators corresponding to different performance levels. These behaviors are specific to each job role, making the assessment tailored and precise. For instance, in the case of a customer service representative, examples of behaviors might range from efficiently resolving customer issues to exhibiting a lack of attentiveness.

What is the role of the nine-point scale in the BARS method?

The BARS method often uses the nine-point scale to rate behaviors along a continuum. Each point on the scale represents a level of performance, from poor to exceptional, with behavioral descriptions provided for each level. This approach ensures clarity and uniformity in performance evaluations.

How is the final scale developed using the BARS method?

The final scale in the BARS method is developed through a collaborative process involving subject matter experts, supervisors, and employees. They identify critical job-related behaviors and classify them according to performance levels. This participatory approach helps ensure the scale is valid and reliable for appraising employee performance.

Why is BARS considered a reliable performance appraisal method?

BARS is reliable because it reduces subjectivity in performance evaluations by relying on observable and clearly defined behaviors. It eliminates ambiguity by providing concrete examples of what constitutes each level of performance, making it especially effective in roles like customer service representatives where specific behaviors impact outcomes.

How does BARS improve the evaluation of customer service representatives?

BARS improves the evaluation of customer service representatives by focusing on key behaviors that directly impact customer satisfaction. For example, a representative may be rated on their ability to resolve issues promptly, communicate effectively, or follow company protocols. The method highlights strengths and areas for improvement in a structured way.