What goes into creating a good performance management plan?
When it comes to effectively gauging your employees' efficacy, what's your performance management process? What goes into writing a performance management plan? What do you look for in a performance management system or service?
Perhaps most importantly, how do you manage underperformance from your employees? What should a performance review include?
Thanks!
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Feb 25, 2020
A good performance management plan follows a certain step-by-step process. It starts with the supervisor selecting an appropriate time and place to meet with the employee in order to review the evaluation in private and without interruption. In conducting the performance evaluation interview, it is important for the supervisor to follow these guidelines:
Never allow personal feelings to influence what is said to the employee.
The discussion should be kept on a professional level, not a personal one. Personal comments are inappropriate.
The employee should never be allowed to control the interview.
The evaluation form is discussed with the employee and an explanation given as to how each category was rated. Specific examples should be cited whenever possible. An employee who does not understand his evaluation is less likely to try to improve their performance.
An employee’s strengths and good performance must be recognized and reinforced with praise. This should not just be restricted to the evaluation interview. Positive reinforcement is an ongoing process.
As a general rule of thumb, allow two strengths for every weakness. If you cannot attain this ratio, it could indicate either a serious problem with that employee or with the evaluator’s objectivity.
A discussion of weaknesses must be accompanied by suggestions for improvement. This counseling is an integral part of the evaluation process since the objective is to improve the overall performance and behavior patterns of the employee. Most employees want to know where they stand and how they can improve.
A commitment must be obtained from the employee to correct, or at least improve, any problem areas. The employee must be made to realize that an improvement will be expected. In some cases, the supervisor may require that the employee receive further training or education. The poorly performing employee may be assigned to another employee who is to serve as their trainer. This is a good way to begin to instruct successful employees in management skills.
The employee must be given the opportunity to make comments and should be encouraged to do so. It is important to remember that the evaluation interview is a dialogue between the supervisor and the employee.
Both the supervisor and the employee should be required to sign an evaluation form upon completion. A copy of the evaluation is provided to the employee and the original should be given to the HR manager for filing in the employee’s personnel file.
Performance reviews need to be followed up with periodic, informal progress reports. There must be a continuous exchange in order to identify and correct problems before they become serious.
A formal evaluation may be done at any time that the supervisor feels it will have beneficial effects. It must be seen as a tool to openly discuss job performance and mutually seek improvements.
Underperformance can be overcome through appropriate training, coaching and motivational mentoring. Setting up a performance-based incentive plan is always a strong motivating factor to improve performance at all levels.
Nov 22, 2019
My answer may not quite answer your question, but I have a few tips for anyone managing employees.
1) Give them data. Track how each employee does as well as the department/store does as a whole. Send an email blast to all the employees weekly giving kudos to those that stood out for one reason or another. Create a chalkboard type thing in the breakroom and let them see how they compare to everyone else.
2) Gamify it a bit. Create fun prizes or bonuses to employees that stand out each month.
3) Positive reinforcement is king. So many bosses only focus on stuff that employees need to work on. It's a much better tactic to give props to those that stand out and do it in a way that everyone knows. During reviews, focus on the good followed by areas that need work.
4) Don't put too much time into turning an employee into a good one. Keep the ones that are awesome and give up on the ones that aren't. Keep hiring until everyone you have is absolutely irreplaceable.
Nov 14, 2019
Hi Andrew!
Performance management is a whole process that begins when an employee joins and ends when he leaves your organization.
According to my experience, the performance management plan should contain all of these components:
• Clear and defined job descriptions.
• Providing effective new employee orientations, assigning mentors, and integrating your new employees into the organization and its culture.
• Requirements and accomplishment-based performance standards, outcomes, and measures between the employees and their managers.
• Meetings to get to know your employees' strengths, weaknesses, and abilities to contribute what you need.
• Ongoing education and training as needed.
• Ongoing coaching and feedback.
• Quarterly performance development planning discussions.
• Effective compensation plans and recognition systems that reward people for their ongoing contributions.
• Provide promotional/career development opportunities including lateral moves, transfers, and job shadowing for staff.
If an employee’s performance is unsatisfactory, try arranging on-going training for him/her.
A performance review usually includes attendance, punctuality, daily tasks, contributions to the company, productivity and various other factors that affect his performance.
Hope this helps!