Performance Management System

Conducting A Performance Evaluation Meeting

A performance evaluation meeting involves a dialogue with the employee. The dialogue sets the tone and promotes a shared understanding of goals and expectations - for both the employee and the supervisor. The supervisor's relationship with each employee is unique; the performance evaluation document should be customized to the employee each review period.

The most important goal of a performance review is to guide the employee into the future. At the end of the review, an employee should have a clear understanding of the performance expectations for the next review period. As changes occur over the review period, make adjustments and document changes to the objectives. Evaluations naturally lead directly in to employee development discussions.

A performance evaluation allows you and your employee to communicate about:

Reviewing the job description and incorporating changes in job duties and responsibilities;
Setting performance expectations and key responsibilities of the job;
Reviewing how effectively performance expectations have been met in the past;
Discussing how to meet or exceed performance expectations in the future;
Establishing an employee development plan.

Remember: Communication is the key!

Get Ready
Get Set

Before starting any performance evaluation document, consider the following points:

The employee should understand the performance review process and who, what, when, and where it will happen. Eliminate surprises! Ideally, this should be communicated early in the employment relationship – until the appraisal delivery time.
All supervisors are required to develop formal performance evaluations for their employees once a year. Newly appointed or promoted classified employees must serve a probationary period. The employees are required to have a 6-month evaluation.
Remember, you can request an extension of an entrance or promotional probationary period, but this MUST be requested PRIOR to the employee working 1040 hours. Ask your Human Resource Employee Relations Specialist about this process.
Performance appraisals are legal documents.
The timing of the actual performance evaluation meeting is important, not just from the University's perspective but from the employee’s perspective. Choose the time and environment that will create the most successful dialogue.
Remember, formal performance evaluation documents are used to make employment decisions.

Specific expectations include:

Use the Boise State University Performance Evaluation Document for all classified staff. We encourage the same evaluation document template for professional staff employees, but departments should check with their departments or appropriate Vice Presidents to ensure consistent practices within VP unit.
Check with your department Director/Dean or Appropriate Vice President, to determine the process preferred or required. For example, many managers support the draft evaluation be reviewed by second level supervisor or department director/Dean prior to finalizing with employee. Be sure to address any content requirements. For example, there may be specific performance standards your agency requires in addition to the statewide standards.
Boise State University typically receives signatures from the first and second-level supervisors, and the final document is sent to the Dean or Director level for approvals. This gives managers an opportunity to coach supervisors on content, goals, and perceived biases.
Boise State's distribution process for the final appraisal document is as follows: original summary form and performance evaluation document is sent to Human Resource Services, one copy given to the employee, and one for the manager's file.
Know your employee's review cycle. There may be specific expectations concerning when the performance evaluation should be completed (probation completion annual evaluation or special evaluation).

Go!
The Process

1. Know Yourself!

Respect employees’ diversity in ideas and approaches. There are many ways to achieve a goal. Be aware of how your own value system may affect the evaluation document - positively or negatively.
Establish the performance goals. Don't dictate the method - it can stifle creativity and productivity.
Maintain objectivity throughout the evaluation process and the evaluation document. Watch for 'rating biases' or personal perceptions that can creep into the performance evaluation document and discussion. A bias can be anything that can affect the way you evaluate someone's performance, but does not reflect actual performance outcomes. Many times, a second level review (e.g., with, second level supervisor, management, or an Human Resource Services Employee Relations Specialist) can point out potential biases.

When evaluations are based on facts, the following situations can be avoided:

Waterfall Effect	The employee receives good evaluations for a long time then suddenly is hit with a negative evaluation without having a clue there was something wrong.
Halo Effect	One positive item overshadows everything else during the rating period. The employee is always seen in a positive light, regardless of performance.
Horns Effect	One negative situation overshadows all positive performance aspects during the rating period. The employee is perceived negatively, regardless of performance.

2. Gather Information and Feedback

Gather all your information before starting the performance evaluation.
Consider asking the employee for input. For example, “What achievements are you most proud of this year?” and “Are there obstacles to your success on the job?.” (See Self Evaluation Questions.)
Think of the BIG picture or ‘core message’ you want to give your employee. Ask yourself, “What is the single most important message I want to communicate about the individual’s performance through this evaluation? Once you have that in mind, you can go forward.
Give actual examples of the employee’s performance whenever possible. Match examples to performance expectations and ratings.
When appropriate, get input from other appropriate sources about one employee's performance. For example, a Department Chair may want to get input from department faculty regarding the Administrative Assistant who supports the faculty and Department Chair. This could be accomplished via confidential e-mail to department faculty asking to answer the same two or three questions about how one Administrative Assistant provides support to faculty (was it timely, accurate, and ask for examples of projects or work completed).

3. Communicate

If you have an issue with part(s) of an employee’s performance, take the courage to confront it with respect and dignity. Hinting, hoping, or inferring won't achieve the success you are seeking.
Before meeting with the employee, review the communication tips in this program. Remember, people tend to do what is measured.
Listen.

Review the section on effective listening and feedback

4. Set the Stage

Choose a day and a time to deliver the performance evaluation when energy will be high. Monday morning and Friday afternoon may not be the optimum time, depending on the work environment.
Choose an environment that allows for privacy and discussion. An office is often more conducive to conversation than a board or meeting room. Eliminate distractions such as walk ins, phone calls, and emails. Sit with the employee, rather than across the desk from the employee.
Give the employee advance notice of the performance evaluation meeting so he/she can be prepared. Again, eliminate the element of surprise.
Allow for adequate time to deliver the performance evaluation, to set expectations, and to answer questions.
Consider bringing in another staff member if you know the evaluation will be difficult to deliver or receive. Consider consulting with your Human Resource Services Employee Relations Specialist.

5. Complete the Appraisal Document

Employees appreciate receiving descriptive comments. Take the time to develop comments that have meaning, provide examples, and give direction.

Descriptive comments provide historical data for future supervisors who need to understand the context in which behaviors occurred.The significance of good documentation builds over time!

6. Deliver the Performance Evaluation

The evaluation document is an opportunity for a dialogue between supervisor and employee. Simply handing the evaluation document to an employee and asking him/her to read and sign it, is not effective.
Whenever possible, plan to have the employee read the full draft evaluation prior to the discussion period with the supervisor.
Remember, the evaluation should not contain surprises! Significant events or performance concerns included in the document should have been discussed with the employee during the review period.
Work to gain and maintain rapport throughout the evaluation meeting. Good rapport enhances clear communication.
Employee participation is the key to successful communication during the performance management process.

Learn More:
Writing Performance Statements

There are some evaluations that are more difficult to deliver. Click on the examples below.

What About the
Difficult to Deliver Evaluation?

The Geographically Distant Employee
The Employee With More Technical Expertise Than the Supervisor
The Passive/Aggressive Employee
The Employee in Denial
The Employee in Non-Agreement

Motivating for Success

In today's turbulent, often chaotic work environments, success depends on employees making full use of their own strengths and talents. Managers play a key role in providing a motivational climate for employees to use their strengths. However, they often view motivation as a mystery because it is extremely complex and personally driven. The complexity of motivation is influenced by both external and internal factors (communication, interpersonal relationships - especially with the supervisor, culture, etc.) and the fact that individuals are motivated by different things in different ways.

Definition

Twyla Dell writes of motivation, "The heart of motivation is to give people what they really want most from work. The more you are able to provide what they want, the more you should expect what you really want, namely: productivity, quality, and service." (An Honest Day's Work, 1988)

Advantages

A positive motivation philosophy and practice by managers will improve productivity, quality, and service. A motivational environment helps people:

- achieve goals
- gain a positive perspective
- create the power to change
- build self-esteem and capability
- manage their own development and help others with theirs

Action Checklist for Managers

The following checklist is designed for managers with responsibilities for managing, motivating, and developing staff at a time when organizational structures and processes are undergoing continual change:

Read the gurus (Herzberg's hygiene theory, McGregor's X and Y theories and Maslow's hierarchy of needs)
Know what motivates you
Know what motivates your staff
Walk the job (be sure you understand the work, expectations and performance)
Remove demotivators
Demonstrate support and provide recognition
Be wary of cash incentives
Decide on an action (positive, focused on the future)
Manage change
Understand learning styles & preferences
Provide feedback
Create opportunities for achievement and accomplishment
Provide opportunities for learning and growth
Increase the amount of challenge
Help answer the question: How does the individual relate to the department or University mission?

The Human Moment at Work

Other important ideas for motivating employees include minimizing rules and policies and ensuring employee involvement, whenever possible, in decisions which affect their work parameters and their work environment. In other words, engage employees in setting realistic goals and expectations, and then set them free to achieve incredible results!

Through consistent application of the eight steps in the performance management system and with these insights regarding motivation and conducting performance evaluations become easier.

Motivation and Communication

"More of/Less of " Motivation List - A simple way of identifying what employees want more of in their jobs (and what they want less of) is to ask each employee what job and environmental factors they wish to have increased and decreased. Done quarterly, this process gives managers a chance to understand what employees want. Surveying employees and new hires about what motivates them helps managers better understand how to keep their work interesting and challenging. Topics should include what frustrates you? What challenges you? What are your learning goals?

Learn More:
Morale, Motivation, Job Satisfaction

Putting it All Together - Ideas to Grow & Develop People

Managing performance more and more often means encouraging an environment that enables individuals to manage their own performance through learning and career options. Consider using one of the following tools:

Performance Development Plan This type of development plan is used for short-range goals in one to three performance areas.

Career Development Plan

This type of development plan is used to focus an individual's work experience and training on long-term organizational needs and personal interests.

Development Plans Assist to:

Solve performance problems and turn difficult performance discussions into positive action.
Retain high-potential individuals by identifying new challenges and ongoing opportunities.
Prepare employees for promotions and other major new responsibilities. Also helps employees adapt to organizational change.
Motivate employees to reach personal as well as professional goals.
Improve employee morale by focusing attention on the value of individual contributions.
Enhance and support succession planning within an organization.

Activities to Consider When Developing Performance Plans:

Below are examples of some typical activities which could be considered appropriate for employee development.

On-the-job training, cross-training, job shadowing
College course work or certificate programs
Attending or participating in professional organizations
Coaching or consulting
Individual career counseling
New employee orientation
Working with or as a mentor
Management development programs
Attending workshops, conferences, or teleconferences
Internships
Self-study or reading assignments
Online learning projects
Attend meetings for you or with you
Participation in special projects
Training classes

Moving Toward a More Motivating Workplace

According to Leigh Branham, author of "The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave," the following are the reasons capable employees start questioning their decision to join a company, start thinking of leaving, eventually disengage, and, finally, leave:

Reason #1: The job or workplace was not as expected.
Reason #2: A mismatch between job and person.
Reason #3: Too little coaching and feedback.
Reason #4: Too few growth and advancement opportunities.
Reason #5: Feeling devalued and unrecognized.
Reason #6: Stress from overwork and work-life imbalance.
Reason #7: Loss of trust and confidence in senior leaders.

Answer these questions:

How do employees become 'disconnected' in your workplace?
How does acknowledgement look or feel in your workplace?
What are your top three motivators? Why do you stay in the job you are in?
List the names of at least one half of the employees you supervise. Next to each name, write at least one thing that motivates that employee.

Leadership Means . . .

• Establishing an environment conducive to excellence.

• Managing for performance

• Taking all opportunities to support individual and organizational achievement and growth.

• Communicating Expectations clearly and concisely

• Holding employees accountable

Congratulations!

You have completed the Boise State University Human Resource Services online Performance Management Program.

Critical Compliance Step

We are required by law to provide proof that all supervisors and managers complete this Performance Management Training. Therefore, a Certificate of Completion for this program must be available for audit in your official personnel record located in Human Resource Services.

Please print, complete, and mail this form (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.) to Human Resource Services at MS: 1265.

For information on a 2-Day Classroom training on Performance Management, visit the Idaho Division of Human Resources Training website.

Last reviewed November 2007