The behavior approach emphasizes what employees do on the job and does not consider the outcomes or products resulting from their behaviors. This is basically a process-oriented approach that emphasizes how an employee does the job, and not what is produced. The behavior approach is most appropriate under the following circumstances.

The link between behaviors and results is not obvious. Sometimes, desired result may not be achieved in spite of the fact that the right behaviors are in place. Outcomes occur in the distant future. When the desired results will not be seen for months, or even years, the measurement of behaviors is beneficial.

Poor results are due to causes beyond the performer’s control. When the results of an employee’s performance are beyond the employee’s control, it makes sense to emphasize the measurement of behaviors. A popular type of behavior approach used mostly for managerial positions is called competency modeling. In a nutshell, competencies are clusters of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) that, together, determine how results are achieved. As such, competencies are not directly observable, but we can measure them by assessing behavioral indicators.