Appraising Employee Performance
It can happen a couple of times a year or even once a year. Employees dread it and managers must prepare for it. It is employee evaluations.
This is when managers and supervisors must appraise their employees’ performance. How well do the employees perform their task? Are there ways for the employees to improve? Do the employees work well together? These are just some of the concerns everyone in a management position must consider.
Every business has their own method for appraising an employee’s performance. Some use rating systems, others check boxes next to questions that apply to the employee, and there are even software packages available for appraising and managing employees. These systems allow you to easily monitor real-time employee productivity and generate an in-depth evaluation. To be clear, there are many different methods available. However, no matter what method a business uses, there are some universal topics to consider.
Quality of Work
This is the big one. The quality of an employee’s performance is probably the number one thing a manager must consider during evaluations. They must gauage how well an employee performs their job, do they complete their job in a timely manner, do they have difficulty getting their job done, and so on. Also condered are any completed jobs that the employee turned in that had to be rejected.
Gauging the quality of work can also depend on the type of business. Businesses that involve sales will evaluate the employee’s number of sales for a specific time period. However a manager does it, the quality of an employee’s work needs to consistently meet with approval.
Absenteeism
Another big consideration is how often the employee calls in sik or misses work for one reason or another. A reliable employee will be at work at least 29 days out of the month. Sure, everyone gets sick occasionally and soemtimes the unexpected happens and an employee has to miss work. But a manager must consider what is beneficial to the company. If an employee consistently misses work, then they can cause a problem with production. Either their work piles up and othersmust wait on them to catch up or other employees may have to stop what they are doing to complete the work load of the missing person. Whichever happens, it slows things down which is not good for the company. An employee that rarely calls in sick or misses work is at least there to keep up with their work, are knowledgable about the daily goings on at the office, and help to keep production running smoothly and on time.
On Time
Just as important as being at work is being on time. A relaibel employee should be at work by the time business opens. Even if they spend a few minutes getting that cup of morning coffee, they are accounted for and ready to begin the day. When employees are late, just like being absent, it slows down production. There might be a client waiting that morning or a project that needs to be turned in first thing. Being late delays all of these things and can push back other work projects, thus delaying their completion. If an employee is on time, they can avoid all of these things.
Company Policy
Every company has its own policy of rules and regulations that employees must adhere to. These policies can be anything from required business attire to proper communication between departments. A company wants an employee who follows policy. By not following policy, an employee may cause friction between themselves and management. Employees who do not follow company policy are exhibiting behavior that is counteractive to company goals and objectives. The ideal employee will recognize policy rules and follow them without rebelling.
Personal Habits
An employee’s personal habits should not interfere with how a company operates. This can include everything from grooming habits, eating habits, style of dress, and gossip. An employee who is lacking in the groomng area can be a big distraction. If they don’t bath, brush their hair, or at least dress in clean clothes, they are going to bother other employees. If an employee eats food that others might find unappetizing, this can also be a problem. And everyone knows that gossip has a way of traveling round an office. But an employee that spreads gossip can interfere with work production.
Goals Met
When evaluating an employee’s performance, a manager needs to look to see if that employee has met their goals and company objectives. Every job position should have goals. These can change on a regular basis and can be used to see if an employee is improving in their assigned position. Employees who consistently do not meet their goals are either in a position that they may not be qualified for or they are not applying themsleves properly to the job.
Compatibility With Others
Another important aspect to consider when evaluating an employee’s performance is their compatability with others. This involves how well an employee gets along with the other employees and members of the team. A manager needs to observe how well liked the employee is and how well they work with others. Arguing with others or causing any friction between themselves and the other members on the team is a definite red flag. The ideal employee should be someone who can get along with everyone, even those who might tend to grate on your nerves.
Self Appraisal and Peer Appraisal
When it comes to performance evaluation, the most common type is of course done by a manager or supervisor. Howvever, there are two other types of appraising an employee’s performance. There are self appraisals and peer appraisals.
A self appraisal is used in conjunction with a manager’s appraisal. The employee is usually given a questionaire or evaluation form to fill out. They must honestly evaluate their own performance, telling what tasks and duties they think they excel at while listing areas they think they need to improve on. This form is then compared to the manager’s appraisal and used for the evauation.
Peer appraisal is a form of evaluation done by an employee’s fellow workers. Their peers in the office or workplace are given an evaluation form to fill out. The information is generally the same found on self appraisal forms and manager appraisal forms. Peer appraisal can be useful because it can show what one’s co-workers think of their perfromance.