HR Basics: Performance Management

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HR Basics is a series of short lessons

designed to highlight what you need to

know about a particular Human Resource

Management Topic in today's HR Basics we

explore Performance Management

discussing the development of great

tools ensuring feedback and the critical

role of

documentation Performance Management

refers to the processes that ensure an

organization connects Mission with the

work of its

employees Performance Management

involves two related activities one

evaluating the performance of employees

against the standards set for them and

two helping them develop action plans to

improve their

performance outcomes of effective

Performance Management include

clarifying job responsibilities and

expectations and enhancing individual

and group productivity developing

employee capabilities through effective

feedback and coaching driving behavior

to align with the organization's values

goals and strategy providing the basis

for making human resource decisions and

finally improving communication between

employees and

managers Performance Management tools

include appraisal forms often times

referred to as performance reviews or

other terms your Performance Tools must

be relevant to organizational outcomes

that you seek to achieve appraisal forms

and processed documents must be tailored

to an organization's Mission Vision and

values When developing a performance

evaluation form do your homework Find

evaluation forms from similar

organizations or organizations that

share your philosophy of Performance

Management review of these

characteristics can help you develop

great forms that are tailored to your

organization Competency Based

performance appraisals make a clear

connection between employee behaviors

their knowledge skills and abilities and

the Mission Vision and values of your

organization individual and team

competencies should be rated against

organizational values again make sure to

reinforce your organizational language

and terminology for all aspects of the

process and makes specific reference to

competencies values and descriptions of

those things most important to your

organization to connect mission to work

every performance appraisal tool should

be directly tied to an employees job

description it's up to you to decide

what elements should be included in your

performance appraisal

tools however there are standard

elements of Performance Tools that every

organization should consider they're

listed here first demographic

information identifying employees then a

standardized rating scales selected to

reflect the goals of your organization

most commonly a clear fivepoint scale

job related assessment of Performance

Based on specific job related criterias

and concrete examples of performance

issues and then fourth self-evaluation

encouraging active participation of

employees engaging them in their Pro in

the

process five smart goals providing for

Clear definition and follow through of

desired outcomes and sixth and finally

employee development ensuring an

interactive process regarding training

and employee growth these standard

elements will create a userfriendly and

useful performance appraisal tool for

your

organization now let's talk about

feedback which is essential to any

strong Performance Management System

both positive and constructive feedback

should occur as soon as possible no

performance feedback whether it be

positive or negative should be left to

an annual performance meeting I often

say there should be no surprises in

these meetings it's critical to be

specific spe ific when providing any

performance feedback clearly and

concisely state the feedback support the

feedback with facts and job related

examples and focus on behaviors not

judgments here are some quick tips for

providing positive and constructive

feedback in positive feedback thank and

recognize frequently people like to hear

that they're doing a good job individual

recognition and praise should be given

in a way the the employee prefers so

understand employee

preferences recognize Behavior by

communicating how it's helping you the

team the company and themselves and

encourage continued behaviors make sure

they know what to do in the future now

the more difficult constructive feedback

be prompt with constructive feedback the

sooner you provide it the more likely

the individual will connect the feedback

to their behavior deliver constructive

feedback in a private setting at a

scheduled time in a well prepared manner

discuss specific behaviors not personal

traits you have shown up late for the

project meetings is better than you are

not committed to this project describe

what you saw and heard not your judgment

or

evaluation your presentation ran 45

minutes 15 minutes over time is better

than you did not prepare properly for

the

meeting finally clearly Define changes

you want to see made and desired

expectations and outcomes next time

limit your presentation to fit the

scheduled time

slot HR professionals recognize that

strong strong documentation is critical

in Performance Management and managing

employee relations issues their

challenge is to teach managers how to

document performance issues in an

appropriate manner the purpose of

documenting performance problems isn't

just to protect the employer in case of

a lawsuit it's also to show the steps

we've taken to help someone be

successful performance documentation

must tell a story rooted in fact

painting a descriptive picture of the

employee Behavior with

words good documentation creates

credibility for the employer by showing

that employees are treated in a fair and

consistent manner however some common

mistakes and documentations are made

making vague unclear statements about

what the employee needs to do to improve

adding personal attacks or subjective

comments and providing little or no

evidence or fact to support decisions of

discipline or

termination follow these guidelines for

Effective documentation one know your

audience obviously it's the employee but

the audience is broader including

decision makers agencies lawyers maybe a

judge or a jury write for the reader

perspective second be factual learn the

facts and describe the who what where

when and why paint a word picture of the

facts three

describe expectations don't simply State

show up on time instead say your job

begins at 8:00 a.m. at which time you

should be at your desk ready to answer

client calls number four describe what

needs to change describe the job related

conduct not the individual articulate

how the behavior impacts others and the

organization five avoid judgments don't

use words such as always or never

they're broad which can easily be

disputed by

employees number six avoid vagueness

avoid vague phrases that could produce

grounds for

discrimination number seven include both

sides include the employees explanation

for their conduct and behavior showing

multiple perspectives demonstrates

fairness in the process number eight

create an action plan include deadlines

for the employee to use don't just say

we expect you to improve immediately

instead say we expect your report to be

submitted by 5:00 p.m.

tomorrow number nine follow up on

expectations action plans and deadlines

and document it if you don't follow up

it shows that you don't care and 10

detail consequences describe the

consequences of the behavior or poor

performance continuing

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