Calibration is a meeting where managers compare and discuss the ratings they are proposing for their teams, before those ratings are finalised, to check that similar performance is being rated similarly across different managers.
What it means
Without calibration, a generous manager's "meets expectations" can mean something quite different from a strict manager's "meets expectations" - calibration surfaces and corrects that drift before ratings flow through to pay decisions.
Where it fits in
Calibration typically happens between the appraisal draft and its finalisation, and where an organisation uses forced distribution, calibration is often the forum where that distribution is actually enforced across teams.
Key rules
- A cross-manager session aligning ratings to a consistent standard.
- Corrects drift where similar performance is rated differently by manager.
- Happens between draft and final appraisal ratings.
- Often the forum where forced distribution is enforced.
