Rejuvenate your performance evaluation writing skills - Tools: Resources for Managers

HR Magazine, Oct, 1999 by Paul Falcone

Be clear and specific when writing employee evaluations.

Writing annual performance appraisals is a daunting task. The reasons: Formally documenting your perceptions of someone else's work can be potentially confrontational and may undermine your goal of motivating employees. That's why how you document your message takes on critical importance. This testing sheet can serve as a ready reference to refocus your strategies the next time you sit down to write an evaluation.

The Rules

First, here's a brief review of the three basic rules to keep in mind before beginning to write an appraisal:

Rule 1: Whenever possible, shift the responsibility of performance evaluations to your employees. The reason most companies deliver evaluations 90 days to 120 days late is because supervisors don't have the time to collect data. In addition, because relaying negative news can be confrontational (and we all know that the path of least resistance is avoidance), many supervisors postpone documenting inferior performance for fear of making matters worse with the staff.

The solution? Two weeks before an employee's review, give him a self-evaluation form that asks the following questions:

* Address your overall performance track record. What have you done over the past year that has increased revenues, decreased costs or saved time? How have you reinvented your job in light of the department's changing needs? How would you grade yourself in terms of consistency, reliability, interpersonal communications and technical skills?

* In what areas do you feel that you need added support, structure and direction? What can I, as your supervisor, do to ensure that you are fulfilling your career development goals by building a solid portfolio of skills?

* What are your concrete goals over the next review period, and what are the measurable outcomes that will demonstrate that you have achieved those goals?

You will find that many employees will appreciate the opportunity to provide their perceptions of how they've done, what they plan to do and how you could help. It also automatically puts you in the role of career mentor and coach - not unilateral decision-maker and disciplinarian. You will also learn that the majority of workers will be harder on themselves than you would ever have been. That should remove some of the stress of bringing up negative information.

Giving control to your staff members allows you to become part of their career solution. Of course, if you don't agree with your employee's perception of how he performed, remember that you are still the boss and have final say. Any disagreement in terms of perception of an individual's performance will provide an opportunity for open communication in the future.

Rule 2: Remember that you're creating a formal record of an entire year's performance. If you have any remote hesitations about an individual's ability to make it in your department in the upcoming year because of his inferior performance, document it. You should grade the individual as "not meeting expectations" in the "overall score" section at the end of the review form. To do anything less would be irresponsible. If you were later to be challenged in a wrongful termination lawsuit, your positive and generous documentation could be held against you.

Rule 3: There should be very few surprises in the annual review. This is a "total recall" document reflecting 12 months of work. If something totally new needs to be surfaced now, you probably didn't do a thorough enough job communicating with the employee throughout the review period.

So, sharing performance concerns for the first time during the performance appraisal should be the exception, not the rule. Still, sometimes it may be necessary to do so, even though that may blindside the employee.

When documenting new issues in an annual review, recognize that the matter has not been formally brought to the employee's attention. You might write something like, "I recognize that we haven't formally discussed ..., but I felt it appropriate to bring this issue to your attention during this review because ..."

What's Wrong Here?

Following are five real-life examples of documentation that could use improvement. Read each example first, think about how you would change it and then consider the following suggestions.

Sample 1: "As we have discussed throughout the year, you have received many complaints regarding your attitude. You need to demonstrate immediate improvement in this area."

Suggestion: Avoid the term "attitude." Attitude is a very subjective judgment that courts typically dismiss because it is often associated with a difference of opinion or a personality conflict. Instead, be sure to describe the objective behaviors that create a negative perception of the employee in others' eyes. Only behaviors and actions that can be observed and documented belong in workplace discussions and may be presented as evidence in court.

Instead, for example, write, "Peggy received a written warning on 1/14/99 for raising her voice in anger and for using profane language directed at a co-worker. The disciplinary warning specifically stated that if she ever again lost control of her temper, used profane language in the workplace or demonstrated behavior that could be perceived as hostile or threatening, further disciplinary action up to and including termination could result."