Performance development

Managers refer to performance appraisals or annual reviews as one of their most disliked tasks. Performance management eliminates the performance appraisal or annual review as the focus and concentrates on the entire spectrum of performance management and development issues, including employee performance development, training, cross-training, challenging assignments, and regular performance feedback.

It is the process of creating a work environment or setting in which people are enabled to perform to the best of their abilities. Performance management is a whole work system that begins when a job is defined as needed. It ends when an employee leaves your organisation.

The term 'performance management' is not a substitution for the traditional appraisal system; the term describes a broader work system context.

Much work is invested, on the front end, to improve a traditional employee appraisal process. In fact, managers can feel as if the new process is too time consuming.

Once the foundation of developmental goals is in place, however, time to administer the system decreases. Each of these steps is taken with the participation and co-operation of the employee, for best results.

As part of the general work system:

¤ Define the purpose of the job, duties and responsibilities;

¤ Define performance goals with measurable outcomes;

¤ Define the priority of each responsibility and goal;

¤ Define performance standards for key components of the job;

¤ Hold interim discussions and provide feedback about employee performance, preferably daily, summarised and discussed, at least, quarterly. (Provide positive and constructive feedback.)

¤ Maintain a record of performance through critical incident reports. (Jot notes about contributions or problems throughout the quarter, in an employee file.)

¤ Provide the opportunity for broader feedback. Use a 360-degree performance feedback system that incorporates feedback from the employee's peers, customers, and people who may report to him/her; and

¤ Develop and administer a coaching and improvement plan if the employee is not meeting expectations.

Immediate preparation

¤ Schedule the Performance Development Planning (PDP) meeting and define pre-work with the employee.

¤ The employee reviews personal performance, documents 'self-assessment' comments, and gathers needed documentation, including 360-degree feedback results, when available.

¤ The supervisor prepares for the PDP meeting by collecting data including work records, reports, and input from others familiar with the employee's work.

¤ Both examine how the employee is performing against all criteria, and think about areas for potential development.

¤ Develop a plan for the PDP meeting, which includes answers to all questions on the performance development tool with examples, documentation, and so on.

Observation and feedback

Observing work performance and providing feedback about it should be a routine part of the performance management process. Feedback should be based on observed and/or verifiable work-related behaviours, actions, statements, and results.

This type of feedback is called behavioural feedback. When employees receive feedback that is timely, frequent and specific they are more likely to understand what is expected of them, to repeat successful performance and to improve their work when necessary.

Observing employee performance and offering feedback about what you see should be a routine part of the way you manage employee performance. Feedback is influential and is most effective in reinforcing or improving work performance when the employee has confidence in the basis of that feedback. And you, as the performance manager, will be more confident when giving feedback based on information that you can support.

Observing employee performance

From the standpoint of performance management, observation involves noticing specific facts, events, or behaviours related to work performance and the results of work performance. Observations are the raw data upon which effective performance feedback may be based.

The purpose of observing employee behaviour and the results of work performance is to identify and describe it to help the employee be successful and continue to develop his or her skills, knowledge, and experience.

When you make observations about the results of employee performance, the output employees generate and the impact of their work, you gather additional information to make both praise and constructive feedback more effective. Observations should be the basis for feedback, and may also suggest actions, which might be taken to support, develop or improve performance.

Feedback based on observed or verifiable data is more likely to influence employee behaviour than feedback, which cannot be supported by firsthand information. It is not always possible to observe employees at work, but you should build occasions to observe their performance into your workday.

In that way, you provide opportunities to understand what they do, to talk with and get feedback from them, to see employees as they perform at their best and to recognise areas in which their performance could be improved.

When you can't be present to observe employee performance, be sure that you have processes in place through which you can learn about how they're doing. These processes should be open, fair, and understood by everyone. Options for obtaining input about performance in your absence may include, but are not limited to, the following:

¤ Evaluate the output and products of the employee's work;

¤ Have routine one-on-one meetings with your employee and include discussions of performance;

¤ Periodically review and discuss with your employee the standards of performance for his or her job and your expectations;

¤ Ask your employee to do periodic reports and share them with you for discussion;

¤ Obtain feedback from customers - in writing when possible;

¤ Do brief stand-up check-ins or phone calls;

¤ Ask an appropriate person who is present day-to-day to serve as a work leader or give the person authority to act in your stead, and ensure that everyone understands the person's role;

¤ Perform routine spot checks of the employee at work;

¤ Ask for confidential evaluations of employee performance by peers (or direct reports of supervisors). This process should be clearly understood by everyone and applied fairly to all.

The performance development meeting

The meeting should include a flexibly planned agenda. Rapport and a sense of trust are also vital to ensure success at the meeting. A few additional guidelines follow:

¤ Establish a comfortable, private setting and rapport with the employee;

¤ Discuss and agree upon the objective of the meeting, to create a performance development plan;

¤ The employee discusses the achievements and progress he/she has accomplished during the quarter;

¤ The employee identifies ways in which he/she would like to further develop his/her professional performance, including training, assignments, new challenges, and so on;

¤ The supervisor discusses performance for the quarter and suggests ways in which the staff member might further develop his/her performance;

¤ Add the supervisor's thoughts to the employee's selected areas of development and improvement;

¤ Discuss areas of agreement and disagreement, and reach consensus;

¤ Examine job responsibilities for the coming quarter and in general;

¤ Agree upon standards for performance for the key job responsibilities;

¤ Set goals for the quarter;

¤ Discuss how the goals support the accomplishment of the organisation's business plan, the department's objectives, and so on;

¤ Agree upon a measurement for each goal;

¤ Assuming performance is satisfactory; establish a development plan with the employee that helps him/her grow professionally in ways important to him/her;

¤ If performance is less than satisfactory, develop a written performance improvement plan, and schedule more frequent feedback meetings. Remind the employee of the consequences connected with continued poor performance;

¤ The supervisor and employee discuss employee feedback and constructive suggestions for the supervisor and the department;

¤ Discuss anything else the supervisor or employee would like to discuss, hopefully, maintaining the positive and constructive environment established thus far, during the meeting;

¤ Mutually sign the performance development tool to indicate the discussion has taken place;

¤ End the meeting in a positive and supportive manner. The supervisor expresses confidence that the employee can accomplish the plan and that the supervisor is available for support and assistance;

¤ Set a time frame for formal follow up, generally quarterly.

After the performance development process meeting

¤ If a performance improvement plan was necessary, follow up at the designated times;

¤ Follow up with performance feedback and discussions, regularly throughout the quarter. (An employee should never be surprised about the content of feedback at the performance development meeting.);

¤ The supervisor needs to keep commitments relative to the agreed upon development plan, including time needed away from the job, payment for courses, agreed upon assignments, and so on;

¤ The supervisor needs to act upon the feedback from departmental members and let staff members know what has changed, based upon their feedback;

¤ Forward appropriate documentation to the Human Resources office and retain a copy of the plan for easy access and referral;

¤ Occasionally, though not often, performance problems may arise that will warrant documentation and performance counselling. Others may be persistent enough to warrant taking more serious steps. However, before initiating any formal corrective or disciplinary action, consultation with your HR Department should be sought and maybe also professional guidance for further direction.

CSB Employment Agency has been supporting the local business community with its services since 1987. For further information write to them at Vincenti Buildings, 14/19, Strait Street, Valletta VLT 08, or call 2122-5800 or 2124-6543, fax: 2123-0520, e-mail: jobs@vacancycentre.com, or visit www.VacancyCentre.com.