PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT GUIDE
Phase 2: Tracking & Feedback
Effectively managing performance means that the performance plan is not just a document signed and put away until the annual performance review. This phase of performance management is critical because employees are more likely to repeat successful performance and make needed adjustments when they received timely and specific feedback. Supervisors have a responsibility to track, provide feedback and document employee performance throughout the review period.
Observing Performance & Identifying Needs
Effective leaders look at the objectives of their work group and organization and identify the knowledge and skills people need to achieve these objectives. They continually identify coaching needs by observing and collecting information on what is happening in the work group so they will know what has been accomplished and when to provide coaching for employee success or for performance improvement.
The process of collecting data about employee performance can be the most challenging and time-consuming aspect of performance management. Managing this step effectively not only drives employee success, but will make the process of performance evaluation much easier.
- Observe and take input from others on your employee’s everyday interactions with customers and co-workers
- Focus data collection on critical incidents identified in the performance plan
- Use what you've got or create accurate but easy ways to collect observations
- Fit the observation frequency to situation and establish checkpoints for review
- Use objective data that quantifiable and does not pass judgment, but describes what actions occurred
- Promote ownership by involving employees in monitoring their own performance
Record the observation and give related feedback as soon as possible after the observation. Keep it balanced by addressing both effective performance and areas for development.
Coaching & Feedback
Coaching sometimes involves a formal, well-planned discussion and other times less formal day-to-day feedback to provide redirection to a more effective approach. Use the guidelines for Effective Interactions to engage employees and work toward a productive outcome.
Coach to support employee success before they:
- Take on a new responsibility or learning a new skill
- Work with new internal or external customers
- Handle a new or difficult situation
Coach to improve performance when employees are demonstrating such unacceptable work habits as:
- Tardiness, absences or other work rule violations
- Missing time or budget targets
- Receiving co-worker or customer concerns
Keep coaching and feedback ongoing throughout the review period:
- Rely on data and/or facts, not opinion
- Give timely feedback especially if related to development in order to allow for improvement
- Keep it relevant by connecting to current work performance expectations
Feedback
Performance feedback may be positive - providing information on what has been done well - or developmental - offering guidance for a more effective approach. Consider using a feedback model to keep feedback effective:
- Specific - describes the observed situation or task, action taken, result and may include an alternative action and enhanced result
- Timely - provided as soon as possible after the observation, when it can make the most impact and the employee has the opportunity to make changes if needed
- Balanced - addresses actions as well as results
Participate in the Essentials of Leadership or Maximizing Performance workshops to learn how to use the STAR/AR model for effective feedback.
Documenting Performance
Although the EKU staff evaluation process does not require that documentation of interim performance feedback be submitted as part of the PE form, maintaining evaluator documentation of employee performance and performance feedback throughout the review period provides samples of:
- Specific, documented positive feedback for use in the annual performance review
- Specific, documented examples of areas needing improvement for the annual performance review
- Specific, documented examples to support disciplinary action if it becomes necessary
There are many ways to record and maintain information on performance. Consider using a performance log and performance file that are kept separately for each employee (not part of the employee personnel file). Insert notes on critical performance (and your feedback) on the log when it occurs and documentation into the file that supports the employee's formal performance plan. Keep documentation objective by making it relative to work performance.
Some examples of appropriate documentation of work performance to include in logs and files:
- Your own factual observations
- Factual input from others
- Sampling of work products
- Quantitative reports
- E-mails
- Certificates of completion
- Letters of commendation
- Reminders of relevant disciplinary action
Examples of inappropriate documentation to include:
- Unsubstantiated comments
- Personal opinions
- Medical Information or information related to physical restrictions or accommodations
Because employees will also be completing self-evaluation as part of the annual review, they should be encouraged to keep documentation of their own performance.
SAMPLE FORM: Performance Log
Managing Performance Problems
Some chronic performance or work habit problems or serious misconduct require additional consultation and action and should always be addressed when they occur:
- Continually falling short of goals
- Repeatedly arriving late or missing work
- Violating a major safety rule
- Threatening or harassing behavior
For additional assistance with chronic work problems, contact Gary Barksdale, HR Director.
