On Target with Performance Management
The Employee Review Process

Performance Management

What is performance management?

The goal of performance management (PM) is to enable employees to perform their work to the best of their ability while meeting and perhaps exceeding College targets and standards. For successful PM, the College and individual employees must take responsibility for the continuing improvement of processes and procedures. Additionally, individual skills and contributions need to be encouraged and nurtured by everyone. The purpose of this activity is to introduce one tool used in the performance management process; the performance review.

Why performance management at Edison State College?

Our goal is to develop a new performance evaluation process and performance review form designed to encourage ongoing feedback versus a one time a year evaluation. The performance review form was designed to reflect critical success factors that reflect the College's mission. It is part of a collaborative process that focuses on looking ahead rather than behind and provides an opportunity for everyone to identify individual goals which align with the College goals.

Future plans include the development of an informal self-evaluation process designed to create an opportunity for communication between the supervisor and employee. We will also be developing a document to assist in the development of a "performance improvement plan" designed to provide a framework for activities over the next year which help the employee focus their activities to reach the targeted level of achievement.

What process was used to develop this new form?

 A committee representing employees at different levels and locations of the College was formed and first met in December 2008. As the first step in the process, administrators and various College councils were engaged to provide input and help set the direction for the committee. The committee met weekly from January 2009 through May 2009. The committee's work included:

• Best practices benchmarking for the performance management cycle
• A review of evaluation instruments from peer institutions
• Identification of critical success factors
• Development of a rating scale to help staff meet or exceed the target
• Draft 1 of the performance review document
• Conducting college-wide focus groups with the help of approximately 40 employees
• Development of an adjusted performance review document based on feedback

The committee also drafted a training agenda and communication tools to introduce the pilot process.

When is the pilot process going to take place?

The pilot will begin in September 2009.

Overview of the Performance Review Form

The new form consists of the following sections:

Section 1: Critical Success Factors

Critical Success Factors are the knowledge, skills and abilities employees must possess to successfully support the achievement of the College goals.

Section 2: Goals

Employees are expected to establish goals and objectives for the upcoming year with their supervisor. These goals may be carried forward from the previous year if still applicable, or they may be new as appropriate.  Goal setting should be a participatory process and result in observable, measurable and attainable objectives for the upcoming year.

Section 3: Supervisor Comments

In this section of the form, the supervisor provides an overall rating using the established Levels of Achievement. The supervisor may also provide additional comments.

Section 4: Employee Comments

In this section, the employee is given the opportunity to state how well they understand what is expected of them in regard to job performance. The employee is also provided an opportunity to agree or disagree with the performance review and add additional comments.

Section 1: Critical Success Factors and the Levels of Achievement

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."
- Thomas A Edison

Six Broad Categories

Section 1 of the form outlines the critical success factors.  These factors are divided into 6 broad categories. Additionally, these categories were chosen for their congruency with Edison's stated General Education Competencies.

**Hold the cursor over the text for each category for more detailed information.**

• Customer Focus
• Ethics and Values
• Communication
• Critical Thinking
• Work Effectiveness
• Leadership

Critical Success Factors

Sixteen critical success factors have been incorporated within the defined broad categories. Employees are to be evaluated on the following critical success factors in relation to the tasks and duties described in the job description.

• Customer Focus: Approachability, Responsiveness
• Ethics and Values: Embraces Differences in Others, Professionalism
• Communication: Interpersonal Skills, Cooperation and Teamwork
• Critical Thinking: Problem Solving, Decision Making
• Work Effectiveness: Job Knowledge, Adaptability and Flexibility, Dependability
• Leadership: Ability to Manage Conflict, Coaching/Developing Others, Human Resources Management, Fiscal Accountability

The Levels of Achievement

For each of the critical success factors 5 levels of achievement have been defined.

**Hold the cursor over the text for each level to read the definition and operational requirements.**

• Excels
• On Target
• Acquiring
• Needs Improvement**
• Unsatisfactory***

**A rating of Needs Improvement is required to be discussed with Human Resources prior to the performance review process. At the performance review, the employee should be introduced to a well-defined performance improvement plan and clear set of goals for the next review period

***A rating of Unsatisfactory needs to be discussed with Human Resources prior to the performance review process.

The Performance Review Form

To aid you in this evaluation process, the Performance Review Form has been developed in a rubric format. To create consistency for this process throughout the College, the qualities that define the various levels of achievement for each Critical Success Factor have been listed. For example, the image below shows part of the Customer Focus section.

Customer Focus

Customer Focus Defined: Is responsive to the expectations and needs of internal and external customers; provides quality customer service by creating a welcoming and supportive environment; always acts with the student in mind; anticipates future needs and identifies opportunities to remove barriers; is consistent and timely in delivering on commitments and resolving customer issues.

Category Word Cloud

The Word Cloud above was created from the definitions contained in the category Customer Service and the related Critical Success Factors. Only those definitions under the levels of achievement for the Excels and On Target were included in the Cloud. Note how the words customer, needs, expectations and service are predominant.

NOTE: All employees and positions in the following exercises are fictional.

Customer Focus Exercise 1: Rate Approachability

Background information:

Rachel has been working as a Staff Assistant for 2 years. Among her various responsibilities are assisting full time and adjunct professors throughout the semester, directing or assisting students who come into the office or call with questions, and working with the budget.

To see how Rachel was rated on Approachability, click on the Self Check below.

Customer Focus Exercise 2: Responsiveness

Background information:

Hal began working as the Manager of Landscaping 6 months ago. He is an expert at his job, does outstanding work and the grounds have never looked better. Hal supervises a staff of three.

To see how Hal was rated on Responsiveness, click on the Self Check below.

Ethics and Values

Ethics and Values Defined: Demonstrates professionalism in dealing with a diverse population; emphasizes the importance of understanding and respecting each other's view of the world, personalities and working styles; behaves in a manner consistent with the College's standards of ethical conduct.

Category Word Cloud

The Word Cloud above was created from the definitions contained in the category Ethics and Values and the related Critical Success Factors. Only those definitions under the levels of achievement for the Excels and On Target were included in the Cloud. Note how the words people, exhibits professionalism, differences and values are predominant.

NOTE: All employees and positions in the following exercises are fictional.

Ethic & Values Exercise 1: Embraces Difference in Others

Background information:

Todd is a part-time employee who coordinates the Spring Student Art Festival. In addition to working with the artists, he works with the Facilities Department to reserve the building and lawns that will be used during the festival and the Public Safety Department on security matters. He also works with many volunteers who typically return year after year to help with the setup and operation of the festival.

To see how Todd was rated on Embraces Differences in Others, click on the Self Check below.

Ethics & Values Exercise 2: Professionalism

Background information:

Mariel has been coordinating the Astronomy Program for three years. Her responsibilities include advising students, recruiting part-time faculty, coordinating the department textbook selections and co-managing the departmental budget. She has been working in this capacity at the College for 8 years.

To see how Mariel was rated on Professionalism, click on the Self Check below.

Communication

Communication Defined: Reads, writes, speaks, and listens effectively; applies effective techniques to create working relationships with others to achieve common goals; successfully communicates and collaborates with others to achieve goals.

Category Word Cloud

The Word Cloud above was created from the definitions contained in the category Communication and the related Critical Success Factors. Only those definitions under the levels of achievement for the Excels and On Target were included in the Cloud. Note how the words others, relationships, communicated and effective are predominant.

NOTE: All employees and positions in the following exercises are fictional.

Communication Exercise 1: Interpersonal Skills

Background information:

Rachel has been working as a Staff Assistant for 2 years. Among her various responsibilities are assisting full time and adjunct professors throughout the semester, directing or assisting students who come into the office or call with questions, and working with the budget.

To see how Rachel was rated on Interpersonal Skills, click on the Self Check below.

Communication Exercise 2: Cooperation and Teamwork

Background information:

Francis has been working in the bookstore for two years. His responsibilities include inventory, stocking shelves and working at the book return window. He is also responsible for assisting the others at the register - especially during peak business times.

To see how Francis was rated on Cooperation and Teamwork, click on the Self Check below.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking Defined: Demonstrates skills necessary for analysis, synthesis and evaluation; provides an intellectual atmosphere conducive to the stimulation and interchange of ideas; makes decisions in a timely manner, sometimes with incomplete information and under deadlines.

Category Word Cloud

The Word Cloud above was created from the definitions contained in the category Critical Thinking and the related Critical Success Factors. Only those definitions under the levels of achievement for the Excels and On Target were included in the Cloud. Note how the words making decisions, ideas, information and solutions are predominant.

NOTE: All employees and positions in the following exercises are fictional.

Critical Thinking Exercise 1: Problem Solving

Background information:

Stanley works at the College Information Desk. He's been working there for a full year. His responsibilities include attending the front desk, answering questions submitted by email, mailing out information packets and keeping the online question database current.

To see how Stanley was rated on Problem Solving, click on the Self Check below.

Critical Thinking Exercise 2: Decision Making

Background information:

Mariel coordinates the Astronomy Program. Her responsibilities include advising students, recruiting part-time faculty, coordinating the department textbook selections and co-managing the departmental budget. She has been working in this capacity at the College for 8 years.

To see how Mariel was rated on Decision Making, click on the Self Check below.

Work Effectiveness

Work Effectiveness Defined: Demonstrates the skills and uses the technology necessary to collect, verify, document and organize information from a variety of sources; uses logic to determine effective solutions; understands job duties, college processes and related work; is dependable and can be counted on to complete work on time and in an accurate manner; can flex and adapt to changing goals and work requirements.

Category Word Cloud

The Word Cloud above was created from the definitions contained in the category Work Effectiveness and the related Critical Success Factors. Only those definitions under the levels of achievement for the Excels and On Target were included in the Cloud. Note how the words follow-through, timely, adapts, completed and reliable are among the predominant.

NOTE: All employees and positions in the following exercises are fictional.

Work Effectiveness Exercise 1: Job Knowledge

Background information:

Ingrid has worked as a Technology Help Desk technician for the last three years. Her responsibilities include phone support for software and hardware problems, entering work orders for the technical support staff, working with walk-in customers and maintaining the information in the online support web pages.

To see how Ingrid was rated on Job Knowledge, click on the Self Check below.

Work Effectiveness Exercise 2: Adaptability and Flexibility

Background information:

Vince is the manager of the residential hall, Palm Towers and has worked at the College for 4 years. Palm Towers houses 200 students and Vince supervises 4 residential assistants, one for each floor. Vince is also responsible for providing programming support and training, crisis management, personal conflict intervention and being in an on-call duty rotation.

To see how Vince was rated on Adaptability and Flexibility, click on the Self Check below.

Work Effectiveness Exercise 3: Dependability

Background information:

Alyssia has worked in the Registration Department for 5 years. Over the course of time, she has held several positions. She has been in her current position for 2 years. Her responsibilities include , assisting students at the registration desk and assisting students with online registration over the telephone -- she is the primary support person assigned to this task. She has been coached over the past year to work with the phone calls before helping out at the desk.

To see how Alyssia was rated on Dependability, click on the Self Check below.

Leadership

Leadership Defined: Promotes a common purpose consistent with stated College goals; demonstrates a commitment to innovation, continuous improvement in organizational performance and fiscal accountability; invests in others to assist and help them reach and realize their potential; effectively bridges differences to facilitate consensus or agreement.

At Edison State College we believe that every employee has the ability be a leader and help others succeed.

Note: In this category, you will see the addition of an opportunity to indicate whether or not the employee manages or supervises others or engages in informal or formal leadership activities.

Category Word Cloud

The Word Cloud above was created from the definitions contained in the category Leadership and the related Critical Success Factors. Only those definitions under the levels of achievement for the Excels and On Target were included in the Cloud. Note how the words resources, employees, effectively and feedback are predominant.

NOTE: All employees and positions in the following exercises are fictional.

Leadership Exercise 1: Ability to Manage Conflict

Background information:

Alfred is an Admissions Officer who has been with the College for 3 years. His primary responsibility is to recruit, evaluate and enroll an academically accomplished and diverse student body to the College through day-to-day communication with students, parents, secondary school officials and alumni.

To see how Alfred was rated on Ability to Manage Conflict, click on the Self Check below.

Leadership Exercise 2: Coaching/Developing Others

Background information:

Constantine is the Director of Alumni Programs and has been with the College for 5 years. She supervises one Program Planner and one Program Assistant. She is responsible for the development, marketing, and implementation and evaluation of a comprehensive array of experiential travel and educational programs and events to reach a diverse alumni audience.

To see how Constantine was rated on Coaching/Developing Others, click on the Self Check below.

Leadership Exercise 3: Human Resources Management

Background information:

Kira has been the Library Manager for 3 years. Her responsibilities include ordering books, supervision of the front desk staff, scheduling study room reservations and managing the budget.

To see how Kira was rated on Human Resources Management, click on the Self Check below.

Leadership Exercise 4: Fiscal Accountability

Background information:

Jack, the Cafeteria Manager has been with the College for two years. His responsibilities include supervising the staff, planning the menus, ordering supplies and managing the budget.

To see how Jack was rated on Fiscal Accountability, click on the Self Check below

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From Managing to Leading: Leila's House of Corrections

Linked from www.Bnet.com

Section 2: Goals

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."
Thomas A. Edison

Employees are expected to establish goals and objectives for the upcoming year with their supervisor. These goals may be carried forward from the previous year if still applicable, or they may be new as appropriate.  Goal setting should be a participatory process and result in observable, measurable and attainable objectives for the upcoming year.  In part A below, the employee and supervisor should review and comment on the achievement of last year's goals.  In part B, the employee and supervisor should establish objectives for the upcoming year.  Part C should specifically address training and development.

SMART is a common acronym used to evaluate goals. Although the origin of the term is unknown, the SMART goal setting process is often used by experts to describe the essential ingredients of "good" goal setting. A well-rounded goal statement will be:

• S - specific, significant
• M - measurable, meaningful
• A - attainable, agreed upon
• R - realistic, relevant, results-oriented
• T - time-framed, tangible, trackable

Framework for SMART job goals, which are related to the College's mission:

• Evaluate and streamline <Insert Process Here> process to increase departmental efficiency.
• Reduce expenses by <Insert Number Here> % by evaluating current providers and reviewing potential new resources.
• Make recommendations, create project plan and execute activity to introduce technology to the procedure which is currently being done manually.
• Evaluate and make recommendations to improve <Insert Activity Here> activity to maximize effectiveness of department. 

Framework for SMART training and development goals:

• To increase project planning skills, partner with manager and serve as primary contact on <Insert Initiative Here> initiative.
• Secure training and resources to help you excel as a first time supervisor.
• Improve follow-through and communication with staff, implement periodic team meetings and provide updates to manager following those meetings.
• Identify a "buddy" to give feedback regarding your communication style. After meetings and other personal interactions, solicit their thoughts on how you conducted yourself and take appropriate action to improve.

Part A: Narrative Describing Achievement of Goals from Last Year

This section should include a narrative describing the achievement of goals from last year.

Part B: Establishment of Upcoming Year Goals

In this section, the supervisor should establish a minimum of three (3) goals that relate to the mission of the college for the upcoming year.

Part C: Training and Development Goals

This section should specifically address training and development goals.

Setting SMART Goals Video from Bnet.com

Ed Muzio, President & CEO of Group Harmonics, says that by setting SMART goals—specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based—you can avoid a lot of frustration. Managers who follow these steps increase the chances of an employee completing a task successfully and decrease the amount of time it takes to meet their goals. Video linked from www.Bnet.com.

Section 3: Supervisor's Comments

Based on this performance evaluation, the supervisor should check the overall rating of the employee's performance using the following scale:

• Excels
• On Target
• Needs Improvement*
• Unsatisfactory*

This section also provides the supervisor with an opportunity to provide additional comments.

Please Note: * An overall rating of Needs Improvement or Unsatisfactory must be discussed with Human Resources prior to presenting the review to the employee. In addition, a performance improvement plan will need to be created to include time-specific, achievable and measurable levels of improvement.

Performance Evaluation Tips

Avoid Pitfalls When Evaluating Performance

Pitfall - Too Much...

Writing too much on a performance review can result in too many non-descriptive words that can be misinterpreted or cloud key messages. This can also result in a very lengthy discussion that lacks focus.

Pitfall - Too Little...

On the flip side, some managers don't write enough. Some choose to skip comments altogether and only list ratings. This can leave room for misinterpretation or actually de-motivate an employee from performing to their absolute best, even if the ratings are favorable.

Pitfall- Too Late...

If there is any "new news" for the employee that is written on their performance review, it's too late. The golden rule of writing and conducting performance reviews is that there should be NO SURPRISES for the employee.

Pitfall – Too Personal...

Though usually based on good intentions, comments that reach beyond job specifications or sparing someone's feelings with comments that don't match the rating can be confusing for the employee and may create a legal risk for the manager and the College.

Keep it Simple When Evaluating Performance

The most effective way to write a review is to keep it factual, concise and objective. In other words, keep it simple. 

Following these three guidelines while writing a performance review will provide clear feedback for the employee and serve as a guide for a focused performance review discussion:

What, How and What Now?

1. What level of skill or accomplishments the employee demonstrated in this area (the result).
2. How the employee demonstrated this skill (the behavior that drove the result, i.e., "Your attention to detail ...") and how often (i.e., occasionally, usually, most of the time).
3. What Now?  Provide coaching on what the employee should stop, start or continue doing in this area.

Here are some additional recommendations for writing performance reviews:

Avoid Using:

• Long, inflated or pompous sounding words geared to impress rather than express
• Run-on sentences
• Vague terms
• Statements based on speculation or word mouth

Focus on Using:

Every day language

• The second person singular as if you're speaking directly with the employee (i.e. "You are..." instead of "She is...")
• Facts and behaviors
• Specific examples

Section 3: Supervisor Tips for Conducting the Appraisal Meeting

During the meeting, the following format and communication techniques will help you provide recognition and make employees more open to ideas for improvement:

Open the Meeting by Stating Its Purpose and Format.

• Emphasize that the goal is to objectively review performance and promote improvement.
• Mention the importance of two-way communication.

Discuss the Overview

• Briefly summarize the employee's performance over the last year. Emphasize the positive when possible before noting areas for improvement.
• Review the rating system and definitions within each category.

 Give Your Observations and Appraisal of the Employee's Performance for Each of the Designated Areas

• Discuss accomplishments and strengths first. Provide specific examples, offering credit and praise where it's deserved.
• Discuss weaknesses or areas where performance fell short, with specific examples.
• Acknowledge any circumstances beyond the employee's control.
• Focus on this employee; do not compare him/her with any other employee.

 Expect Disagreement and Encourage Two-way Discussion

• Try to achieve mutual agreement – agree to disagree only if absolutely necessary.
• Let unhappy employees vent, but don't get into arguments.
• Avoid attacks – keep it objective and use examples and statistics to back up your conclusions.
• Ask if the employee has any suggestions to improve performance.

 Work with the Employee on New Performance Goals and Action Plans

• Discuss your measurable personal goals and department goals linking to the College's goals for the next year.
• Offer help (training, coaching) when applicable.
• Discuss a timetable to monitor progress.

Close the Meeting on a Positive Note

• Assure the employee that you want to work together towards further development.
• Summarize agreed-upon actions.
• Have the employee sign the review document and note any comments.

 Responding to Reactions

 Employee who is Not "On Target"

• State the situation clearly.  Emphasize performance, with concrete examples in the "As evidenced by" section following the related critical success factor. Be sure to discuss these examples in the meeting.
• Make employee aware of consequences of poor performance.
• Encourage employee to discuss the problem.
• Coach employee to develop solutions to problem.
• Offer help, agree on action plan, and set frequent follow-ups on progress.

Long-Term Employee

• Show appreciation and don't take for granted.
• Discuss something new that you've observed or would like to see for the new year (goals, accomplishments, etc.).

 Employee Who Agrees Too Quickly

• For some people this is a way of avoiding a problem. Probe to see what their real feelings are.
• Make sure employee understands problem and consequences.
• Determine if agreement is sincere and emphasize steps for improvement.
• Establish process to follow up.

 Angry Employee

• Let employee blow off steam but don't interrupt.
• Listen and ask open-ended questions to identify the true nature of the challenge.
• State your point of view calmly.
• Don't try to reach agreement if employee stays angry. Set a second meeting.

 Employee Who's Just Getting By

• Clarify standards and expectations.
• Ask open ended questions and listen to identify employee's feelings about the job.
• Reinforce strengths and mutually develop a plan for improvement.
• Establish process to follow up.

 Employee Who Wants Too Much

• Remind employee that compensation and increase guidelines are set by the College and reviewed periodically to ensure internal and external equity.
• Explain that promotions reward performance over time, perhaps years.
• Let the employee know that career advancement doesn't always involve moving up. Growth can occur by expanding scope in current job or a lateral move.
• Make no promises, and don't let employee infer any commitments.
• Provide a realistic picture of future prospects.

 Silent Employee

• Ask open questions to encourage employee to talk ("What do you think of…" "What are your plans for…").
• Listen and show interest.
• Do not feel obligated to fill silences.

Supervisors: Preparing for a Performance Review

Performance Reviews: A Video linked from www. Bnet.com.

Are you daunted by the prospect of performance reviews? Giving negative feedback can create anxiety, especially for first time managers. By preparing in advance, controlling the setting and following up, your employees will know you are dedicated to their success.

Section 4: Employee Comments

In this section, the employee is given the opportunity to state how well they understand what is expected of them in regard to job performance by choosing one of the following:

•     Completely clear. I know exactly what is expected of me.
•     Usually clear. I seldom have to ask.
•     Not clear. I'm unsure of my duties and responsibilities.

The employee is also provided an opportunity to agree or disagree with the performance review and add additional comments.

If the employee would like to meet with a representative of Human Resources to discuss this review, position description or any other area concerning your employment with Edison State College, she/he is encouraged to call Human Resources at (239) 489-9293.

Tips on How to Prepare for Your Performance Review

Your first step is to become familiar with the review process.

Understand that the desired Level of Achievement is "On Target." On Target is the defined standard of excellent performance for each of the critical success factors at Edison State College. When one is On Target, she/he is actively propelling the College forward as it strives to fulfill its goals.

Note that the Level of Achievement "Acquiring" is a new concept introduced into the performance review process. When an employee is Acquiring, they are in the process of learning or developing knowledge or skills through experience or through training.

It could be said that the employee is doing an excellent job but has not yet attained the proficiency necessary to earn the On Target rating due to being new to the job, expanding their scope of duties or learning a new position.

A performance evaluation is a great opportunity to identify your strengths, areas for improvement and opportunities for the coming year. Strive to use the time constructively to help assure a rewarding and positive experience for you and your supervisor.

Identify Your Goals

Goal setting can make a significant impact on motivation. A well written goal focuses on results. Review your job description and the goals of your department. Make sure that you review the goals of the College. It is each employee's responsibility to think about their job in terms of how it fits into the overall picture. What can you do to help propel the College forward?

Be sure that you and your supervisor have the same understanding of your goals.

Be sure your goals are SMART goals.

Document Your Achievements

Give yourself a head start. Keep a file or list of your achievements throughout the year. Try to describe them in specific, behavioral terms. It may also be helpful to provide the list to your supervisor prior to the meeting.

Communicating with Your Supervisor

Do you bombard your manager with questions the minute she walks in the door? Managing up is the ability to understand and appreciate your manager's roles, responsibilities and stresses. Find out how to balance that with getting the help you need.

Managing Up by Bnet.com