The primary purpose of a performance evaluation is to provide an opportunity for open communication about performance expectations and feedback. Most employees want feedback to understand the expectations of their employer and to improve their own performance for personal satisfaction. They prefer feedback that is timely and given in a manner that is not threatening. In order to use the performance evaluation successfully a supervisor must avoid the following common pitfalls.
1. Waiting for the Performance Evaluation to Give Feedback
Performance management is a daily supervisory responsibility and integral to management. It is a mistake for a supervisor to perceive the performance evaluation process as an isolated event rather than an ongoing process. If proper goal setting, coaching and feedback are done periodically, then the results of the performance evaluation will not be a surprise to the employee.
2. Over Emphasizing Recent Performance
A superivsor should not allow a recent event to color the perception of the employee’s performance for the entire period. Over emphasizing recent performance can lead to an inaccurate and unfair assessment. Instead, a supervisor should take notes throughout the performance period so that s/he is not relying on a faulty memory.
3. Too Subjective
A supervisor should focus on specific employee behaviors, rather than on general personality traits. For example, do not describe the employee as “angry and emotional.” Instead, focus on the workplace behavior that is the problem and state “you have been insurbordinate on two occasions in the past three months. This behavior is unacceptable and must stop.”
4. Being Too Positive or Too Negative
Some supervisors rate higher or lower than the employee deserves because s/he wants to motivate them to do better or because they think there is always room for improvement. Some supervisors also may inflate a performance evaluation to avoid having a confrontation. Supervisors should be sure to give bad news even if it is uncomfortable. If a supervisor avoids telling an employee about performance problems, the employee won’t know that s/he needs to improve and the problem will persist.
5. Being Critical Without Being Constructive
If the supervisor does not explain how the employee can improve, the employee is likely to miss the validity of what the supervisor is saying. This does not help the employee or the supervisor. Instead the supervisor should give specific examples of where the employee is lacking and suggestions on how the employee can improve.
6. A One-Sided Conversation
Good supervisors remember to listen and promote two-way communication. It is a good idea to ask employees for their comments on the performance evaluation. If the process is interactive, employees are more likely to understand their evaluations and supervisors are more likely to understand the employee’s perception of the evaluation.
7. Failure to Set Specific Goals and Expectations
Clarifying and discussing the performance goals for the coming year is a valuable use of a supervisor’s time and will help to ensure that there is no miscommunication and there are no suprises. Performance goals should be set jointly by the employee and the supervisor. Goals should be both short- and long-term. Additionally, goals should be precise and quantifiable where possible. For example, completing a specific project within a set time period.
The bottomline is that a performance evaluation is a tool a supervisor can use to help enhance the efficiency of the work unit. This tool is a means to help ensure that employees are being utilized effectively. Employees can use it as a clear indication of what is expected of them before the supervisor tells them how well they are doing, and then as feedback of how well they did. The performance evaluation doesn’t have to be feared or looked upon as a negative experience if it is done with avoiding these common mistakes in mind.
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