Examining the effects of a performance management reform on employee attitudes and organizational climate

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article employs a difference-in-differences design to study how a ‘managing for results’ reform in New York City public schools affected employees’ attitudes and perceptions of organizational climate. Findings show that the reform produced largely negative effects on employees’ attitudes and perceptions, and the effects were heterogeneous by organizations’ performance levels. This study expands performance management research by examining its effect on employee attitudes and organizational climate. It presents a more nuanced view of how employees react to and receive performance management reforms and contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the consequences of performance management reforms.