If the aim is to gather evidence of bad performance then the data gathered might not capture items that are evidence of good performance. Basically, you run the risk of applying a filter to the available data such that you're not accurately documenting performance.
The data will be tainted by selection bias and would not characterize what it claims to represent. Another more colorful term for such tainted data is a "shit list".
Sometimes the aim is not to document performance but to create a paper trail to justify future action. This kind of organizational behavior--bad faith bureaucratic procedure, biased scrutiny of performance, opacity of managerial intent, etc.--results in administrative overhead that can be expensive in both financial and human terms.
EDIT: remove "accurately". Combine 2rd and 3rd paragraphs. Remove "So" from start of last paragraph.
The aim is not to document performance generally. The aim is to counteract the natural tendencies of managers to soften their critiques in conversation and of employees to underestimate their poor performance by memorializing feedback in writing.
It's better for employees because it makes it easier for their managers to paint a clear picture of how they need to/can improve, and it's better for managers because in the case they eventually do need to let the employee go, they've already set the expectation clearly, so there are no surprises. As a bonus, there's a paper trail for HR.
The data will be tainted by selection bias and would not characterize what it claims to represent. Another more colorful term for such tainted data is a "shit list".
Sometimes the aim is not to document performance but to create a paper trail to justify future action. This kind of organizational behavior--bad faith bureaucratic procedure, biased scrutiny of performance, opacity of managerial intent, etc.--results in administrative overhead that can be expensive in both financial and human terms.
EDIT: remove "accurately". Combine 2rd and 3rd paragraphs. Remove "So" from start of last paragraph.