| Monitoring involves conducting periodic checks to | | | | services. |
| determine an employee's level of performance in | | | | (6) Noting and investigating complaints and |
| relation to established performance standards. | | | | commendations. |
| Monitoring provides the data by which performance is | | | | Some monitoring will be ongoing, designed to detect |
| ultimately evaluated. It is important for the supervisor to | | | | performance problems in the early stages. This might |
| monitor the employee's performance, not only to be | | | | involve, for example, checking work samples or |
| able to conduct the performance evaluation itself, but | | | | observing employee activities several times a day or |
| also to be able to reinforce good performance or | | | | several times a week. Other monitoring may be at |
| attempt to improve unsatisfactory performance soon | | | | more widely spaced intervals, either regular monthly or |
| after it occurs. | | | | quarterly reviews, or on an occasional random basis. |
| Ideally, the nature and frequency of monitoring should | | | | Generally, new job or task performance requires more |
| be proposed by the employee. In this case, the | | | | frequent monitoring than recurring work done by an |
| employee will have ownership of the process. It makes | | | | experienced worker, as does follow-up monitoring of |
| a big difference to the supervisor-employee | | | | less than satisfactory performance. |
| relationship if the employee proposes that the | | | | To allow the supervisor to effectively counsel and |
| supervisor simply show up to observe performance | | | | appraise the employee, monitoring should be exact and |
| (say, in a customer service setting). Then when the | | | | the results should be recorded. However, this |
| supervisor appears, the employee will understand and | | | | monitoring should focus on the performance of the |
| accept the supervisor's presence. | | | | key responsibilities for which performance standards |
| However, if the supervisor unilaterally decides to | | | | have been established. |
| observe the employee's performance without any | | | | Monitoring should be conducted throughout the |
| preliminary discussion, there is a strong possibility that | | | | evaluation period, with the supervisor noting observed |
| the employee could perceive the supervisor's | | | | employee performance that meets, exceeds, or falls |
| presence as harassment. | | | | short of the established level for acceptable |
| As a result, if there is some reason why the employee | | | | performance. The supervisor can then review these |
| should not be involved in determining the monitoring | | | | notations at the end of the evaluation period to make |
| plan, it is still imperative that the supervisor advise the | | | | an evaluation of the employee's general performance |
| employee. | | | | of each of the key responsibilities. |
| Monitoring can take several forms, depending upon the | | | | Supervisors should communicate the purpose and |
| nature of the performance that is being appraised. | | | | intended frequency of planned monitoring activities to |
| Wherever possible, it makes sense to use existing | | | | the employees. The emphasis of the monitoring should |
| systems that will not add work steps for either the | | | | be on the improvement of an employee's |
| employee or the supervisor. Some monitoring | | | | performance, not on trying to "trip up" the employee to |
| approaches include: | | | | show the employee in a bad light. If poor performance |
| (1) Reviewing work, either total output or samples. | | | | is the issue, and counseling and remedial training have |
| (2) Observing employee work activities. | | | | not been effective, then the supervisor should initiate |
| (3) Reading reports, charts, time sheets, work records, | | | | progressive discipline rather than maintaining a frequent |
| or logs, etc. | | | | monitoring review that could be construed as |
| (4) Self-reporting on progress by the employee. | | | | harassment. |
| (5) Surveying other units, the public, or clients of the | | | | |