Employment Practices: Performance Management

One of the most fundamental tasks managers and supervisors perform is establishing employee performance expectations. And, for the employee, success on the job requires that they meet those expectations.

Before an employee can be expected to deliver on those requirements, managers must first develop and implement an effective performance management strategy. That strategy must be rooted in effective, consistent communication as well as a commitment to the success of the employee. Failure to do so may result in poor performance by the employee and, possibly, even liability to the manager and the employer.

Performance management embodies several guiding concepts:

• Supervisors set goals and objectives with employees.
• Supervisors evaluate and measure an employee’s performance progress.
• Supervisors provide continual feedback.
• Supervisors isolate performance problems and take appropriate action such as coaching or establishing an improvement plan when needed.
• Supervisors recognize and reinforce positive performance.

Effective performance evaluations help employees do their best to meet their goals, build useful documentation of employees, help clarify job responsibilities, improve manager or supervisor effectiveness and ensure compliance with district legal and contractual obligations.

Performance evaluations should be ongoing, address performance issues, honest and success-driven. To prepare for an evaluation, a manager or supervisor should understand and communicate the timelines and procedures as required by their applicable laws and policies, the job being evaluated, their own role as management in the process and his or her expectations of the employee.

If you are ever unsure on your district’s policies, procedures and best practices regarding employee management, contact your supervisor and/or Human Resources Department for guidance.