Your performance appraisal system is no better than the data on which it is based. Without an accurate assessment of exactly what and how employees are doing, it's impossible to improve productivity or to make personnel, production, or organizational decisions. It's also very hard for supervisors to coach, counsel, or discipline employees about their performance if they are looking at anything other than verifiable facts and observations. From many points of view, then, measuring real performance is a crucial supervisory skill.

Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Civil Rights Act Title VII, Civil Rights Act of 1991, Equal Pay Act, Immigration Reform and Control Act, Jury System Improvement Act of 1978, National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), Pregnancy Discrimination Act, Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Act of 1974

Legal problems from failure to measure real performance could be classified as either "sins of commission" or "sins of omission." In other words, problems entail:

" Using unique performance criteria in a way that discriminates against an individual

" Failing to gather accurate, valid data for an employee whose performance is a problem.

Compliance Tip: Be accurate, consistent, and meticulous in following your system of performance measurement.

Trainees will be able to:

1. Tell why it is important to measure performance accurately.

2. Observe and describe performance accurately.

3. Recognize the difference between factual observations and interpretations (Behaviors v. attitudes/personality traits).

4. Select proper criteria for measurement (i.e., standards, individual objectives, etc.).

5. Establish a fair time period for measuring performance.

6. Document performance consistently and systematically for all subordinates.

I. Purpose of Today's Session

Why is it important to measure real performance?

" Makes performance discussions easier and more useful to acknowledge contributions and improve performance

" Makes departmental planning easier and more accurate

" Employees can better learn where they stand and what they must do to improve

" Supervisors can identify high and low performers

" In cases when personnel actions are possible, it provides documentation.

[Trainer Suggestion: Use, "How to Measure Real Performance," as a transparency or handout to help trainees follow along and ask questions as you discuss this material.]

" Be consistent

" Apply same base standards for everyone in same job

" View each employee as an individual

" Always review the performance objectives you and the employee agreed to in your last appraisal or objective-setting interview

" Set so as to align with company mission/goals

" Communicated to the employees you supervise

" Representative--not just the most recent or conspicuous behaviors

" Complete, but not compulsive. Note pluses as well as minuses. ("Catch the employee doing something good.")

" Confined to the period under review. (Don't hold a grudge for something that happened in the past.)

5. Evaluation of effort, initiative, and following procedures for positions in which employee has little control over results. [EXAMPLE: "When mailing of our revised price list was delayed because of a malfunction of the label printer, Juan telephoned our key customers and hand-addressed packets for those who insisted they needed the information immediately." (If Juan's performance had been judged solely by the criterion of number of packets shipped, he failed. But since this was a problem beyond his control and he made a special effort to salvage the situation, he deserves credit.)]

6. Appraising behaviors and facts, not impressions or interpretations. [EXAMPLE: (a) "Pat does a poor job of following up" vs. (b) "Pat's failure to follow up with a customer caused a complaint to the Customer Service Department." (The second statement is a specific fact. The first is a generalization and an interpretation that could be very hard to defend and would certainly lead to argument.)]

[Trainer suggestion: Ask trainees to list some typical facts, such as attendance, punctuality, number of items produced, number of goods spoiled, error percentage, deadlines met, exceeded, or missed, average number of phone rings before answering, etc.]

Training Exercise

[Trainer suggestion. Do the following exercise with the entire group or have trainees divide into groups of twos or threes to discuss some of the following examples. If you go with the small group option, compare notes on findings back with the big group when all have finished.]

Learning to restrict your observations to facts, rather than conclusions, judgments, assumptions, or interpretations, takes practice. Once you learn how to do this, though, you will find it much easier to communicate with subordinates, especially in the not always comfortable situation when you must correct deficient performance.

For the following statements, decide whether it describes an actual behavior or merely the supervisor's impression of an employee. Suggest ways the impressions could be supported as facts.

1. Micky is very sensitive to the needs of co-workers.

2. Chris has not shown interest in our safety program at all.

3. Sue does not take her work seriously.

4. Terry has demonstrated leadership by developing a new employee orientation program for use with plant employees.

5. Mary is dedicated and loyal. She is always pleasant and is an asset to our organization.

6. Sam tried to solve the problem concerning lack of coverage by instituting a rotating schedule among the staff.

7. Pete is a man I can count on. He has the potential to go far in this organization and has the image we need.

8. Joey has not been delegating responsibility for inventory tasks and therefore misses deadlines and reports.

9. Bruce feels that his ideas and his procedures are the best and should be implemented for the good of the organization.

10. Although I've given her several chances, Becca has not tried to improve herself at all.

1. Using the Right Criteria

" Follow the organization's rating or evaluation system

[Trainer suggestion. Discuss specifics of your organization's system here.]

" Remember always to review the performance expectations, the employee's actual record, and to select the rating that best describes performance in terms of the expectations.

2. Applying Performance Appraisal to Planning

" Use for planning employee development and training

" Use for departmental planning (work assignments, budgeting, etc.)

" Use as basis for best compensation and placement decisions

[Trainer suggestion. Discuss specifics of your organization's system here.]

3. Keeping Accurate Records

" Record direct observations and facts, not interpretations or hearsay

" Record exact dates, times, names, circumstances, etc.

" Keep consistent records--

From individual to individual (Don't single out a person to "build a case" against him or her. Beware of grudges or favoritism.)

Reflect the individual's total performance (not just the positives or negatives)

" If necessary, get data from other relevant sources

" Use the ABC test for all recorded elements:

A--Is it ACCURATE?

B--Is it BEHAVIORAL?

C--Is it COMPLETE and CONSISTENT?

Wrap-Up

1. Recap: As supervisors, you can train yourselves to measure real performance by remembering to look at the right things and taking the trouble to describe what you see accurately. The payoff for acquiring this skill comes in productivity and improved morale.

" Distribute and explain the "Supervisor's Fact-or-Opinion Exercise."

" Answer final questions.

" Hand out and collect instruction evaluations.

" Thank trainees for their participation.

Basic job standards--consistent for all

Individual performance objectives

Priorities for unit/department

Behaviors and facts

Effort, initiative, and following procedures when appropriate

Observe for a representative time

Stay within period under review

Direct observations & facts, not interpretations or hearsay

Dates, times, names, circumstances, etc.

Keep consistent records

If necessary, get accurate data from other relevant sources

Use the ABC test for all elements:

A--Is it ACCURATE?

B--Is it BEHAVIORAL?

C--Is it COMPLETE and CONSISTENT?

Follow our rating system

Appraise performance against the agreed-upon objectives

Use it as a way to further employee training and development

Gather data from the appraisal process for departmental planning

Use as basis for best compensation and placement decisions

To practice observing the difference between facts/behaviors/actions, on the one hand, and opinions/interpretations/conclusions, on the other hand, keep track of your own observations over the next day or two. Every time you find yourself coming to a conclusion about a subordinate's attitude, intent, or motivation, record the employee's name and your conclusion in the first two columns. Then think about, or look for, solid evidence that supports that conclusion. If you find there is a factual basis for what you see in the employee's performance, note and date it. If there is no evidence, cross out the observation as an unjustified (or unsupportable) assumption.

Employee's Name "Conclusion" Evidence Date

EXAMPLE:

Tom Jones girl-crazy; not serious about Tom spends 3 times longer servicing ofice equipment than our other representatives. This 2/14 morning, he spent 45 minutes and made 3 follow-up calls on one paper jam.

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1)

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2)

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3)

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4)

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5)