What is the term for the management tendency to evaluate employees positively due to high performance in a few areas?

The term that describes the management tendency to evaluate employees positively based on high performance in a few areas is known as the halo effect. This occurs when a manager allows a strong performance in one aspect of an employee's work to influence their overall perception of that employee, even when there may be weaknesses in other areas. Essentially, the positive traits overshadow other aspects, leading to an inflated appraisal.

In organizational settings, the halo effect can be particularly impactful because it often shapes promotions, rewards, and future evaluations. Understanding the halo effect is crucial for ensuring that assessments remain balanced and grounded in a comprehensive view of an employee's performance. This helps mitigate the risk of overlooking areas requiring improvement that are not in the spotlight due to outstanding performance in selected domains.

On the other hand, the other concepts mentioned do not capture this specific phenomenon. For instance, central tendency effect relates to evaluators giving average ratings to all employees rather than differentiating performance levels. Leniency bias is more about consistently giving higher ratings than deserved across the board, regardless of specific strengths. Meanwhile, recency effect refers to the tendency to give undue weight to the most recent performance rather than considering the entire evaluation period.