 - Chelsea Winegar, COE Director
Performance evaluations do not have to be a stressful experience for anyone involved in the process. Below are some suggested best practices for managers writing evaluations. Enjoy!
Preparation
When gearing up for a performance evaluation, remember that employees crave feedback to feel valued and understand their strengths and areas for improvement. There should be no surprises when it comes to evaluations. Coaching and feedback conversations should be happening throughout the year.
Set aside some quiet, uninterrupted time to write the evaluation, looking at the entire performance cycle—not just recent events. Use the employee’s mid-year evaluations to help summarize the past year and avoid focusing only on the latest occurrences.
While some agencies may require self-evaluations, they are a critical part of the process. Supervisors should encourage team members to be open and honest and share that this is an opportunity for them to share their views on their performance. Pay attention to how their performance and behavior match up with expectations, current performance plans and goals, and ongoing conversations. Make sure the evaluation reflects their overall performance, including any warnings or disciplinary actions.
Questions to Consider
To guide your evaluation, think about these questions and jot down any specifics that led to your answers:
- Did the employee hit the expected outcomes this year? How?
- Did they go above and beyond in any way?
- If they fell short of expectations, why?
- Were there any barriers beyond their control?
- Did they meet behavioral expectations in their job performance and interactions?
- What key accomplishments should be highlighted?
- How do their self-evaluation comments align with your assessment?
- Did they receive any warnings or disciplinary actions during the cycle?
Remember, agency HR Units are here to support managers and employees through any part of the year-end process.
Checking Biases
It's crucial to check our biases, because we all have them, when reviewing employee performance to ensure a fair and objective evaluation. Be aware of any preconceived notions you might have about the employee. Reflect on whether your personal preferences, stereotypes, or past experiences are influencing your judgment. Use specific examples and data to support your assessments, and compare your evaluation criteria with those used for other team members to ensure consistency.
I ask my team to provide strengths and opportunities in their self-evaluation. This helps me check my own biases.
Effective Writing Techniques
Start by reviewing your answers to the above questions and weaving them into the evaluation. Think about what you want to achieve with your feedback and make sure that comes across in your writing. Writing can be tough, so just start anywhere and refine later. Use technology, such as Grammarly, to help. Additionally, give yourself time for breaks. Taking a break before finalizing can help you review with fresh eyes, catching any unclear points or areas needing more examples.
When writing, focus on behaviors and core competencies as outlined in the performance process. Your agency may also have some additional competencies to take into consideration. Reflect on how these show up in the employee’s work and daily interactions. Include both successes and areas for improvement, providing clear, factual information without assumptions. Specific examples will help the employee understand your feedback.
Performance Rating
Once you’ve finalized the comments, apply the performance rating for each section using the 5 point rating scale. Keep in mind, a "Successful" rating means the employee is meeting expectations, which is a 3. The "Exceptional" rating are for those employees who consistently go above and beyond, showing initiative and needing little supervision.
Check that the comments support the rating and consider any coaching or disciplinary actions that happened during the cycle. Think about how the employee might react to the rating and prepare to explain it clearly. If the employee gets a "Needs Improvement" rating, work with HR to evaluate this alongside any corrective actions taken throughout the year.
Delivering the Evaluation
**Logistics & Preparation**
Get those Final Evaluation conversations scheduled now!
When it’s time to deliver the evaluation, schedule the meeting in advance and choose a private spot for a face-to-face discussion, either in person or virtually. Let the employee know ahead of time when the meeting will be. Have two copies of the evaluation ready—one for you and one for the employee.
Think about how the employee might react and practice what you’ll say. It might help to role-play the conversation with HR or another leader.
**Conducting the Meeting**
During the meeting, remember how it feels to be on the receiving end of a review. Choose your words carefully, considering how they might be perceived. When giving tough feedback, start with the why, like “I’d like to discuss an area that I think you have potential to improve…” Summarize the discussion and give the employee time to read and ask questions. Take notes during or right after the conversation.
**Closing**
Wrap up the meeting by thanking the employee for their work and highlighting what you value about their contributions. Give them time to ask questions or comment, ensuring you both have a clear understanding of the feedback, expectations, and support needed. Also, ask for feedback on how you can better support them as their supervisor.
By following these guidelines, supervisors can write and deliver performance evaluations that are clear, fair, and helpful for employee growth.
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