The Art of Performance Evaluations
Most managers and employees view performance evaluations as necessary but difficult to do. Managers do not look forward to the process and most employees see it as a time when unfair demands or criticisms are made of them. They also see it as a one-sided (biased) view of their performance.
Reflecting on the performance evaluations many employees have experienced, there is good reason for the apprehension they feel about the process, which is the primary reason why evaluations are not done on time if at all. When an employee’s performance deteriorates to a level that makes him or her expendable, it is often too late for performance evaluation. Yet if an evaluation is conducted, there is a good chance the employee could be saved. A retained employee increases company moral, reduces costs and increases productivity and profits.
Like many tasks in business, there is need for processes. Accounting needs them, customer service cannot operate without them, inventory management needs them, and so it is with performance evaluations.
Processes minimize the influence of personal bias so the focus can be on the task and the outcome of it. One might ask, what measurable results can a manager and employee expect from a performance evaluation session. Below is a partial list of objectives that managers and employees are experiencing.
Performance Evaluation Expectations
* A bias free appraisal of the job related performance of the employee
* Review of the employee’s performance of specific job related tasks
* Review of the employee’s job related relations with internal and external customers
* Review of the most effective way for the employee to communicate with his/her manager
* Review of the employee’s communication style, and how it affects those he/she works with
* Review of comments made about the employee by internal and external customers
* Review of the best way for the manager to communicate with the employee
* Review of the employee’s perception of his/her work environment
* Establish clear job related objectives for enhancing the performance of the employee
* Establish a clearly stated and agreed upon dateline for meeting enhancement objectives
* And, other expectations specific to the position and company culture.
When companies benchmark positions to identify the personal talents and technical skills needed for the position, they create a set of key accountabilities the employee needs to adhere to and the manager must use to evaluate the performance of the employee. Evaluations conducted after an employee has performed badly for a long time (a year or more) will produce a highly biased evaluation.
The greatest benefit for a performance evaluation is to provide employees with clear, unbiased directions and expectations for them to be successful. Managers may gain information about the employee’s perception of the expectations that are not correct, and how to correct them, during an evaluation review. The need for better listening and communication skills between all parties going forward can be identified as well.
Identifying the key accountabilities of any position and holding the employee accountable for them is vital for building a company’s ongoing success. Poor performing employees have impeded the progress of companies in all industries for a long time, which has contributed in no small measure to the current economic condition of our country.
When employees consistently receive accurate information about what is expected of them they perform better, with less stress on them and those they work with.
Performance Evaluations work – they build teams that build successful companies.
