How to evaluate your marketing staff: assessing employee performance leads to quicker attainment of marketing goals

University Business, Jan, 2005 by Bob Sevier

* Key results for that individual and his or her job

* General professional qualities and characteristics

* Key results for a media relations person, for example, might be:

* Increase number of feature articles in The Oregonian from X to Y during the next 12 months

* Complete a media tour of West Coast editors with the president of the college

* Revise the media expert database

For an alumni officer some key results might be:

* Increase the average annual fund contribution from X to Y

* Update the alumni database

* Increase the number of alumni who attend homecoming from X to Y

Of course, these key results must be clearly delineated and customized for the individual and her or his job. Under general professional qualities and characteristics people are often evaluated, using a five-point Likert scale, on such things as:

* Has a positive, supportive attitude

* Communicates well

* DispLays initiative

* Is committed to quality

* Is committed to service

* Has engaged in professional development

The first part of the evaluation focuses on individual accomplishments, while the second is interested in whether or not this individual is a contributing member of the larger team and is growing professionally. Both parts of the evaluation are critical.

WHEN THE EVALUATION IS OVER

Now that the evaluation is over, it's still not over. You need to decide your next step. For your best employees, the evaluation should conclude with two eLements--first, a formal professional development plan that captures their imagination and contributes to their growth; and second, a reward.

A quick phone survey of friends and colleagues at colleges and universities revealed that none of them had a formal professional development plan in place. This is a tremendous missed opportunity. Valued employees need to know that they are, well, valued. This involves creating a career path and a means to get there.

And then there is the issue of compensation. Smith, of Slippery Rock, says that increased compensation is the evidence of the evaluation. A great review with no reward is actually destructive and serves to undermine performance. But, while Smith speaks of compensation, there are other rewards you can offer including:

* Promotion (with a salary increase)

* Increased autonomy

* Increased authority

* The chance to attend a conference or seminar as part of professional development

* Increased access to resources (a new computer for a designer)

While these other rewards are helpful, eventually, especially if the person continues to perform well, that person will want cash. If you can't provide the cash, eventually they may leave or quit contributing. Ironically, we often pay new people, it seems, more than we pay existing people who have the same abilities and already know how to work within the system.

For employees that are languishing or working below par, you must pull alongside so you can more carefully diagnose the problem so that corrective action can be taken. This might incLude training, assigning a mentor, modifying the scope of work, changing positions, or even lightening the work Load. If you do not offer some sort of support or remedy, there is LittLe LikeLihood that the next evaluation will be any better.