Please share these important ideas with the managers and supervisors in your organization to help them write more meaningful performance evaluations.






As we approach the end of the year, you may be starting to think about writing annual performance evaluations for your employees. Soliciting employee feedback before you begin writing can provide you with helpful and specific input. Here are some tips for soliciting and using employee input in performance evaluations:

• Remind the employee that while you have kept records about their performance, you may have missed something along the way. You are providing an opportunity for the employee to highlight their accomplishments over the past year.



• Ask for specific examples including a list of accomplishments, process improvements they recommended and/or implemented, letters or emails of commendation they received that have not been forwarded to you, training completed that you may have not recorded, and anything else that they feel is important to share that will give you a complete look at their performance.



• DO NOT ask the employee to fill out the actual evaluation form on his or her own and submit it to you. This approach leads to the employee feeling as if the evaluation duties are being delegated. Employees want your opinion, however you convey it. Supervisors who ask employees to complete their own evaluations and who do not add significantly to the content of the employee?s evaluation are seen as lazy, as cowards, or as both.



• Use a standard format for soliciting feedback from an employee about their work performance. The following example could be used to ask the employee for their input and ideas:

   This is to confirm our meeting on _________________ to discuss your performance
   over the last __________ months/year and to create a plan for your performance
   for the coming year.

   Your input is essential to the success of our meeting and I value your ideas. Please
   respond to the following questions in as much detail as possible. I will use this
   information as I prepare the performance evaluation documents.

   Please return this to me by _______________ so that I can incorporate your    perspectives into the evaluation.

• Present the self-evaluation as an optional exercise. While it is recommended that supervisors ask for input to ensure that performance events and details are not overlooked, if an employee chooses not to provide input to the process, they should not be required to do so.

Painless Performance Evaluations is an Award-Winning Finalist in the Business Management category of the Best Books 2006 Book Awards. Learn more about our latest honor at USA Book News.