Perhaps the most extreme version of these systems is what is known as “forced ranking,” a method pioneered by General Electric in the 1980s where it was known as “rank and yank.”8 In a forced ranking system, employees are not merely ranked on a one-dimensional scale; a certain predetermined percentage of employees must be designated as above average, a certain percentage must be designated as average—and a certain percentage must be designated as below average. Those employees assigned to the top ranks receive bonuses and promotions. Those at the bottom receive warnings or, in some cases, are
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rank and yank
