What does emotional bias in evaluations often lead to?

Emotional bias in evaluations often leads to unfair treatment of employees because it influences the evaluator's judgments and perceptions. When personal feelings, whether positive or negative, affect the evaluation process, it can cause the evaluator to make decisions that are not grounded in objective performance metrics. For instance, if a supervisor has a strong personal dislike for an employee, they might rate that employee's performance lower, regardless of actual work outcomes. Conversely, an evaluator with a favorable emotional bias may overlook significant areas of underperformance due to a personal affinity. This subjectivity undermines the fairness and objectivity that should be inherent in performance evaluations, leading to inconsistent, unreliable results that can affect employee morale and development.