| Face the facts: Creating a new performance | | | | expected of all organization members should |
| appraisal system is a difficult undertaking. | | | | be included, described and assessed. If your |
| Its even more difficult if the organization | | | | mission statement isnt clearly visible in the |
| doesnt have a logical, well-tested, | | | | performance appraisal system, cynicism will |
| step-by-step process to follow in developing | | | | likely result. Values become real only when |
| their new procedure. | | | | people are held accountable for living up to |
| | | | them. |
| Based on my experience in helping dozens of | | | | |
| companies create performance appraisal | | | | Six Assure on-going communication. Circulate |
| systems that actually work, here are ten tips | | | | drafts and invite users to make |
| that will help any company create a new | | | | recommendations. Keep the development process |
| performance evaluation system that will | | | | visible through announcements and regular |
| provide useful data and be enthusiastically | | | | updates. Use surveys, float trial balloons, |
| supported by all system users. | | | | request suggestions and remember the cardinal |
| | | | principle People support what they help |
| One Get top management actively involved. | | | | create. |
| Without top managements commitment and | | | | |
| visible support, no program can succeed. Top | | | | Seven Train all appraisers. Performance |
| management must establish strategic plans, | | | | appraisal requires a multitude of skills |
| identify values and core competencies, | | | | behavioral observation and discrimination, |
| appoint an appropriate Implementation Team, | | | | goal-setting, developing people, confronting |
| demonstrate the importance of performance | | | | unacceptable performance, persuading, |
| management by being active participants in | | | | problem-solving, planning, etc. Unless |
| the process, and use appraisal results in | | | | appraiser training is universal and |
| management decisions. | | | | comprehensive, the program wont produce much. |
| | | | And dont ignore the most important |
| Two Establish the criteria for an ideal | | | | requirement of all: the need for courage. |
| system. Consider the needs of the four | | | | |
| stakeholder groups of any appraisal system: | | | | Eight Orient all appraisees. The programs |
| Appraisers who must evaluate performance; | | | | purposes and procedures must be explained in |
| Appraisees whose performance is being | | | | advance and explained enthusiastically to |
| assessed; Human Resources professionals who | | | | everyone who will be affected by it. Specific |
| must administer the system; and the Senior | | | | skills training should be provided if the new |
| Management group that must lead the | | | | performance management procedure requires |
| organization into the future. Identifying | | | | self-appraisal, multi-rater feed-back, upward |
| their expectations at the start helps assure | | | | appraisal, or individual development |
| their support once the system is finally | | | | planning. |
| designed. Ask each group: What will it take | | | | |
| for you to consider this system a smashing | | | | Nine Use the results. If the results of the |
| success? Dont settle for less. | | | | performance appraisal are not visibly used in |
| | | | making promotion, salary, development, |
| Three Appoint an Implementation Team. This | | | | transfer, training and termination decisions, |
| task force should be a diagonal slice of both | | | | people will realize that its merely an |
| appraisers and appraisees from different | | | | exercise. |
| levels and functions in the organization. The | | | | |
| implementation team is responsible for | | | | Ten Monitor and revise the program. Audit |
| accomplishing the two major requirements for | | | | the quality of appraisals, the extent to |
| a successful system. First, developing | | | | which the system is being used, and the |
| appropriate appraisal forms, policies and | | | | extent to which the original objectives have |
| procedures. Second (and the task too often | | | | been met. (One of the great advantages of an |
| overlooked) assuring a successful deployment. | | | | online performance appraisal system is that |
| | | | all of these data are available |
| Four Design the form first. The appraisal | | | | instantaneously.) Provide feedback to |
| form is a lightning rod that will attract | | | | management, appraisers and appraisees. Train |
| everyones attention. Design the form early | | | | new appraisers as they are appointed to |
| and get lots of feedback on it. Dont believe | | | | supervisory positions. Actively seek and |
| anybody who tells you that the form isnt | | | | incorporate suggestions for improvement. |
| important. Theyre wrong. If youre designing a | | | | |
| new form internally, make sure it assesses | | | | A companys performance appraisal process is |
| both behaviors and results. | | | | critically important. It answers the two |
| | | | questions that every member of an |
| Five Build your mission, vision, values, and | | | | organization wants to know: 1) What do you |
| core competencies into the form. Performance | | | | expect of me? and 2) How am I doing at |
| appraisal is a means, not an end. The real | | | | meeting your expectations? Using these ten |
| objective of any performance management | | | | tips will help you develop or select a system |
| system is to make sure that the companys | | | | to will give accurate and complete answers to |
| strategic plan and vision and values are | | | | everyone. |
| communicated and achieved. Core competencies | | | | |