PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS – WHY DO THEY GO WRONG? TEAM BOWLING GREEN 2016

WHAT PERSONNEL TASKS DO MANAGERS DISLIKE THE MOST? FIRING AN EMPLOYEE

WHAT PERSONNEL TASKS DO MANAGERS DISLIKE THE MOST? FIRING AN EMPLOYEE CONDUCTING PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS

WHY EVALUATE PERFORMANCE? DOCUMENT PERFORMANCE GOAL SETTING / EMPLOYEE & ORGANIZATION DOCUMENT ISSUES PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES GIVE FEEDBACK SO EMPLOYEE KNOWS EXPECTATIONS DOCUMENT FOR LATER DISCIPLINE OR TERMINATION WHY EVALUATE PERFORMANCE?

WHAT SHOULD PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL INCLUDE? GOALS WITH MEASURABLE OUTCOMES (e.g. priorities, deadlines) CLEAR STANDARDS, EXPECTATIONS HOLD INTERIM DISCUSSIONS AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK ABOUT EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE, INCLUDING POSITIVE & CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM COACHING & IMPROVEMENT PLAN IF EMPLOYEE NOT MEETING EXPECTATIONS WHAT SHOULD PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL INCLUDE?

WHERE DO MANAGERS GO WRONG? APPRAISALS ARE USUALLY ANNUAL EMPLOYEES NEED MORE FREQUENT FEEDBACK AND GOAL PLANNING SHOULDN’T CONTAIN SURPRISES, SHOULD SUMMARIZE COMMENTS EMPLOYEE HAS HEARD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR UNPLEASANT SURPRISES INDICATE SUPERVISOR IS NOT BEING CANDID OR COMMUNICATIVE WITH EMPLOYEE WHERE DO MANAGERS GO WRONG?

WHERE DO MANAGERS GO WRONG? APPRAISAL SHOULDN’T BE A ONE-WAY LECTURE BETTER TO HAVE TWO-WAY DISCUSSION WITH EMPLOYEE ASSESSING HIS/HER OWN PERFORMANCE AND SETTING GOALS FOR IMPROVEMENT WHERE DO MANAGERS GO WRONG?

WHERE DO MANAGERS GO WRONG? RATINGS BY ONE SUPERVISOR OR DEPARTMENT ARE UNIFORMLY “EXCELLENT” OR “SATISFACTORY” IT IS INAPPROPRIATE / ILLOGICAL TO RATE EVERYONE AT THE SAME LEVEL THE BEST EMPLOYEES SHOULD BE RECEIVING THE BEST RATINGS WHERE DO MANAGERS GO WRONG?

WHERE DO MANAGERS GO WRONG? EVALUATION INFLATION RATING MEDIOCRE EMPLOYEE AS COMPETENT; COMPETENT AS COMMENDABLE SUPERVISOR DOES NOT WANT TO CONFRONT EMPLOYEE OVER CERTAIN WORK ISSUES SO GIVES ‘COMPETENT’ RATING GIVING POSITIVE FACTORS TOO MUCH WEIGHT OVER NEGATIVE ONES WHERE DO MANAGERS GO WRONG?

WHERE DO MANAGERS GO WRONG? EVALUATION OF ATTITUDE, NOT PERFORMANCE VAGUE STATEMENTS ABOUT DEMEANOR CAN BE MISCONSTRUED AND POSSIBLE SOURCE OF GRIEVANCE OR DISCRIMINATION CLAIM AVOID USE OF THE WORD “ATTITUDE”. FOCUS ON EXAMPLES OF PERFORMANCE ISSUES. WHERE DO MANAGERS GO WRONG?

WHERE DO MANAGERS GO WRONG? EMPLOYEES WHO ARE DISMISSED RECENTLY RECEIVED EVALUATIONS RANGING FROM “COMPETENT” TO “EXCELLENT” REVIEWS HELP DOCUMENT PERFORMANCE IN CASE DISMISSAL BECOMES NECESSARY. AN INCORRECT APPRAISAL CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR EMPLOYER TO DEFEND ITS ACTIONS LATER WHERE DO MANAGERS GO WRONG?

HOW TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS 1. USE THE DOCUMENT PERIODICALLY, AT LEAST QUARTERLY, TO ASSESS PROGRESS USE IT AS A RUNNING RECORD OF PERFORMANCE DISCUSSIONS ALL YEAR; ACCOMPLISHMENTS & PROGRESS OTHERWISE, WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER EXCEPT WHAT HAPPENED THE PAST FEW WEEKS? DON’T LET A SINGLE INCIDENT (GOOD OR BAD) COLOR YOUR ASSESSMENT HOW TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS

HOW TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS DOCUMENT PERIODICALLY INCLUDE POSITIVE & NEGATIVE BEHAVIORS WRITE OBSERVATIONS, NOT ASSUMPTIONS AVOID BIASED LANGUAGE. LANGUAGE INAPPROPRIATE IN CONVERSATION IS ALSO INAPPROPRIATE IN THE LOG PROVIDE REGULAR FEEDBACK HOW TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS

HOW TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS 2. ENGAGE EMPLOYEE IN TWO-WAY POSITIVE DISCUSSION EMPLOYEE SHOULD BE TALKING AT LEAST HALF OF THE TIME MAKE MAJORITY OF CONVERSATION POSITIVE, REINFORCING, AND DEVELOPMENTAL SET THE RIGHT ATMOSPHERE: COMFORTABLE SETTING, CONVENIENT TIME, ALLOW FOR UNINTERRUPTED TIME HOW TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS

HOW TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS 3. FOCUS ON RESULTS DESCRIBE PERFORMANCE PROBLEM: FOCUS ON EMPLOYEE’S RESULTS IN SPECIFIC, NONJUDGMENTAL TERMS REINFORCE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS; REFER TO JOB DESCRIPTION IF NEEDED DEVELOP PLAN FOR IMPROVEMENT; ASK EMPLOYEE FOR SOLUTIONS HOW TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS

HOW TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS 3. FOCUS ON RESULTS OFFER YOUR HELP, COMMITMENT TO TRAINING, RESOURCES, & ASSISTANCE TO REACH PERFORMANCE GOALS ALTERNATE POSITIVE & NEGATIVE COMMENTS IF YOU HAVE LIST OF PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS TO ADDRESS EMPHASIZE THE EMPLOYEE’S POTENTIAL, POINT OUT STRENGTHS HOW TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS

HOW TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS 4. SET GOALS THAT REINFORCE EMPLOYEE’S ABILITY TO PLAN AND IMPLEMENT THE STEPS NECESSARY TO REACH THE GOAL INVOLVE EMPLOYEE IN SETTING GOALS KEEP GOALS REALISTIC: DIFFICULT, DESIRABLE, DOABLE FIND OUT WHAT MOTIVATES THE EMPLOYEE, TO MAKE WORK “FLOW” AVOID MICROMANAGEMENT HOW TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS

HOW TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS 5. TURN NEGATIVES INTO POSITIVES USE CLEAR, NONJUDGMENTAL LANGUAGE THAT FOCUSES ON RESULTS & BEHAVOR. NOTICE THE POSITIVE & NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF THESE STATEMENTS: • “Your work has been sloppy lately.” (Negative: too vague) • “Your last three reports contained an unacceptable number of statistical errors.” (Positive: cites specifics) HOW TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS

HOW TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS 5. TURN NEGATIVES INTO POSITIVES • “You’re obviously not a mathematician.” (Negative: focuses on the person, not on performance) • “I know you’re capable of producing more accurate work.” (Positive: reaffirms confidence in employee’s abilities) • “Don’t let it happen again.” (Negative: blanket demands) • “How can we prevent errors from creeping into reports?” (Positive: asks for feedback on improving performance) HOW TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS

HOW TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS 6. SELF-EVALUATION DON’T ASK EMPLOYEE TO FILL OUT THEIR OWN EVALUATION FORM BUT… ASK SOME CORE QUESTIONS HOW DO YOU FEEL YOU HAVE PERFORMED THIS YEAR? WHY IS THE CITY A BETTER PLACE BECAUSE YOU ARE HERE? WHAT HAVE YOU SPECIFICALLY ACCOMPLISHED IN TERMS OF DECREASING EXPENSES, INCREASING EFFICIENCY, OR SAVING TIME? HOW TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS

HOW TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS 6. SELF-EVALUATION WHICH PERFORMANCE AREAS DO YOU WISH TO DEVELOP? WHAT CAN I, AS YOUR SUPERVISOR, DO TO HELP YOU BY PROVIDING DIRECTION AND FEEDBACK, TO HELP YOU BUILD YOUR SKILLS AND STRENGTHEN YOUR PERFORMANCE? WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR NEXT YEAR? WHAT ARE MEASURABLE OUTCOMES SO YOU WILL KNOW YOU REACHED THOSE GOALS? HOW TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS

CITY OF BG EVALUATION TIMELINE PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES FORM(S) JULY: ESTABLISH/PLAN PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES & STANDARDS FOR NEW FISCAL YEAR; SIGN OBJECTIVES FORM; KEEP IN FILE JANUARY: COMPLETE PROGRESS REVIEW AND SIGN OBJECTIVES FORM; KEEP IN FILE JUNE: COMPLETE ANNUAL REVIEW SECTION AND SUBMIT WITH PERF. MGMT. REPORT FORM CITY OF BG EVALUATION TIMELINE

CITY OF BG EVALUATION TIMELINE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT REPORT (EVALUATION) FORM JUNE: COMPLETE ALL SECTIONS OF THE REPORT, MEET WITH EMPLOYEE, SIGN FORWARD REPORT WITH COMPLETED OBJECTIVES FORM TO SUPV., DEPT. HEAD SUBMIT TO H.R. FOR REVIEW, FILE PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES FORM(S) JULY: RESTART FOR NEW YEAR CITY OF BG EVALUATION TIMELINE

PERFORMANCE DIMENSIONS SPECIFIC TO DIFFERENT OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS ALL SHOULD BE RATED OR “UNOBSERVED/NA” ANY DIMENSION RATED “NEEDS IMPROVEMENT” OR “UNSATISFACTORY” SHOULD THEN HAVE COMMENTS UNDER “ACTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT” RATING SYSTEM

CRITICAL DIMENSIONS PERFORMANCE CRITICAL FOR SUCCESS ON JOB SELECT AT LEAST FIVE COULD BE THE SAME FOR ALL POSITIONS IN A JOB CLASSIFICATION RATING SYSTEM

OVERALL PERFORMANCE SUMMARY RATING SHOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH DIMENSION RATINGS IN PART 1 PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL PROCEDURES (PAGE 23 FROM MANUAL) PROVIDE GUIDANCE SUPERVISORS/MANAGERS SHOULD ALSO WATCH FOR CONSISTENCY IN RATINGS FROM ONE EMPLOYEE TO ANOTHER / ONE SUPERVISOR TO ANOTHER OVERALL PERFORMANCE SUMMARY

RESOURCES ON THE CLICK DOCUMENTS – HUMAN RESOURCES – PERFORMANCE EVALUATION PROGRAM CATEGORY PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT DEFINITIONS MANUAL PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT MANUAL PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL PROCEDURES (PAGE 23) PERFORMANCE EVALUATION DO’S & DON’T’S FORMS PMP CODES FOR JOB TITLES ON CLASSIFICATION SCHEDULE UNDER THE “CLASSIFICATION/PAY SCHEDULE CATEGORY”