Performance Appraisals – Setting Expectations
Review the Job Description and the Job Duties. (Core Competency Listing)
Determine if the list of job duties and key performance indicators are still up to date for this employee. Before having the formal review sit down with them (preferably when they were hired) and let them know what is the expectation. If the expectations are set early, it will be easy to measure whether they have met the expectations.
Setting Expectations for the employee early on will help them keep on track during the course of the evaluation period. Review the goals with the employee during periodic check-ins (not just the annual review) but possibly 3 month check-ins if you have an annual review period.
Some examples of setting expectations may be:
If there is a sales quota or target for the employee, you might have numbers involved. Terry must generate X$ in revenue.
Monitor progress for the said time frame, if Terry was supposed to generate X$ in revenue and you notice he is on target after 3 months to achieve it, you might visit with them and reset the goal, or if they aren’t meeting it, obviously you would meet to discuss how you guys can work together to achieve the goal and the expectation that was set.
Performance Appraisals should not just be a once a year process, but rather an ongoing conversation that you and your staff can have regarding the goals for the company and the team.
Once you have set the goals, monitoring and providing feedback should be your next steps.