Performance Management

Performance Evaluation Guidelines

Establishing and maintaining an effective
performance evaluation system is important to
an agency. A critical role of an agency Human
Resource (HR) section is to help the agency
select or create a useful evaluation system.

Although State HR Policy 50.035.01 provides a
model performance evaluation form, there is
not a standard format for performance evaluation. Regardless of the
evaluation tool or format an agency chooses, the evaluation should be
honest, fair, respectful and meaningful.

A performance evaluation or appraisal is a method of measuring an
employees adherence to agency performance standards. The evaluation
provides an employee with constructive feedback and performance
expectations, helps the manager identify and record an employees
strengths and areas for improvement, and sets goals for career
development. The performance evaluation should tie into the overall
mission and goals of the agency. The formal evaluation period covers
one year. Informal evaluation is continuous. Employees on trial service
benefit greatly from monthly evaluations.

Some Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) contain specific
information about performance evaluations for represented employees.

The following are general guidelines to follow before, during and
after writing the performance evaluation.

Before writing the evaluation:
Use or create some type of evaluation format. If the agency does
not have a standard performance evaluation format, a narrative
style, a rating scale or a combination of both could be used.
Consider various categories to evaluate, such as: production, team
involvement and participation, meeting competencies of the unit,



attendance, punctuality, completing paper work, customer
response time, customer satisfaction, etc.
Obtain information from previous supervisors if the employee had
more than one supervisor during the evaluation period.
Obtain input from the employee about their accomplishments,
barriers and goals.
Gather input from partners or customers if useful.
Assemble all information into some type of order.
While writing the evaluation:
Describe behavior as objectively as possible. Avoid judging the
behavior or making subjective observations. For example, Dooley
could do better if he put his mind to it, or Ethel is a really sweet
person who means well.
Avoid the use of common phrases that are vague and
imprecise. For example, people person, goes above and
beyond, or cant cut the mustard.
Avoid any reference or inference to any disability the employee
may have.
Avoid words like never and always.
Avoid any reference to any absences due to illness, workers
compensation, or protected leaves such as Family and Medical
Leave.
Avoid labels such as good or bad and avoid inflammatory
words such as gross or extraordinary. These terms are difficult
to defend in court.
Include both positive areas and areas needing improvement. Give
specific examples of good and substandard employee
performance, if applicable. Do not discuss other employees in the
evaluation.
Mention any discipline that has been previously addressed with
the employee during the reporting period. If an employee has not
been informed of the discipline or serious performance issues, the
evaluation is not the time to address it for the first time.
Include a signature line and a statement that indicates the
employees signature means they have read and received a copy
of the evaluation.
After the evaluation is written:
HR should review the performance evaluation and discuss it with
the supervisor if necessary. Seek the appointing authoritys input.
The supervisor and the appointing authority must sign the
evaluation.
Schedule a meeting with the employee to discuss the performance
evaluation. A performance evaluation is not a disciplinary
document and a conference about it is not an investigatory
meeting.
Present a copy of the performance evaluation to the employee.
Give the employee time to read the evaluation. Answer any
questions the employee may have.
Have the employee sign the evaluation and provide the employee
with a copy.
Place the signed evaluation in the employees personnel file.
Have the employee sign an updated position description at the
same time. The supervisor and the appointing authority should
sign the position description too.
If the employee disagrees with the evaluation, allow the employee
to provide a written statement to place in the employees
personnel file with the evaluation. Review the written statement
provided by the employee to assess it for merit. The agency may
change the performance evaluation based on the employees
written statement.
If the employee refuses to sign, write on the signature line,
employee refused to sign. Either initial or sign and date the
statement. Have a second manager do the same.