The insulted worker thesis : seven 'deadly diseases' of performance rating

Performance rating may be experienced as insulting to workers. A discursive analysis of coal miners’ reactions to being performance-rated indicates that rather than morale boosting, ratings can be morale busting when scores are interpreted as diminishing a worker’s sense of worth, contribution or competence. The insulted worker thesis suggests that reducing employees to a performance rating score runs the risk of generating a profound sense of insult and belittlement leading to negative organisational consequences in various forms of resentment and retaliation.