Performance Programs and
Evaluations for Supervisors of
Classified Employees
AGENDA
Performance Program, Probationary Period, Annual Evaluations
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Definitions
What goes into a Performance Program; how is it used (for annual
evaluation)?
How to write tasks in a Performance Program:
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What is to be done; To what; How/Why/When/Where?
Discuss examples of well-written and poorly written objectives
The probationary period: setting employees up for success:
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Regular feedback
Coaching
Follow-up
The annual performance evaluation
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Includes “no surprises” – it’s a summary of the prior year’s performance,
taking into account regular feedback and coaching
Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory
“Wow, I’m so excited
for my performance
appraisal today!” said
no one, ever.
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Performance Program
Probationary Period
Annual Performance Evaluation
What’s the difference?
Performance Program
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Outlines objectives for employee to complete during the
probationary period and annually
Basis for performance evaluation
Probationary Period
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Final step in the selection process
Opportunity to evaluate an employee on knowledge,
skills, and ability not evaluated by other parts of the
selection process. Evaluation is based on the
Performance Program.
Annual Performance Evaluation
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Completed once a year for employees who have
successfully passed the probationary period
Based on Performance Program
Performance Program
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Hiring process
Duties and responsibilities
Classification Standard
Revisions
Basis for the Annual Performance
Evaluation
• Hiring process
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Staff Appointment Request Form
• No Performance Program for temporary
employees unless Provisional
Specific
Measureable
The Performance Program
Timebound
Reasonable
The tasks should reflect operational needs and must
encompass the whole job, starting with the most
important.
Task statements should consist of 3 components:
1. What is done (the action)
i.e., “Prepare cover sheet”
2. To what
i.e., for Vacancy Report
3. Qualifiers (How, Why, When, Where, etc.)
i.e., “on a daily basis,” “weekly”
Task Examples
Bad:
Sweep hallways.
Sweep hallways as needed.
Good:
Sweep hallways on a daily basis. Hallways must be
kept free from debris at all times.
Better: ?
Bad:
Assist students and parents with problem resolution.
Good:
Assist students and parents within 24 hours with
problem resolution inquiry by email, phone, or mail.
This requires applying up-to-date knowledge of
regulations and current issues. Demonstrated
knowledge and customer satisfaction will be the criteria
of evaluation.
Key Points in the Performance
Program:
• Reporting relationships
• Functional relationships
• Spell out tasks, responsibilities and duties
• Use the correct title
• Specify the evaluation period
• Signatures
The Probationary Period
• Crucial-Permanent
• Time varies
• Evaluations every 2
months
• Specific and clear
• Notification sent to
employee when
complete
Inaction is An Action!
Set Up Your Employees for Success!
• Give feedback regularly (e.g., weekly, monthly)
• Give feedback to address specific performance
issues
• Coach your employees to improve performance
• Use the tools that are available (e.g., additional
training, providing examples, demonstrating proper
methods for tasks, counseling)
You don’t need to micro-manage, but you do need to actually
supervise so you know how the employees are doing, and what
you can do to help them improve!
Meet With Your Employees Regularly
Schedule regular meetings with your employees to
discuss assignments and performance
• If you have pre-scheduled meetings on a regular
basis your employees will have less of that “going to
the principal’s office” feeling when you meet with
them.
• Even 15 minutes every week, month or quarter can
increase productivity and save you time by avoiding
major issues later.
Meet With Your Employees Regularly
This frequent formal and informal interaction
with your employees should be an open
communication.
• It should not be a one-way street, in either
direction.
• Building walls in communication with your
employees will hurt both of you.
Keep in Mind…
If an employee is not told that his/her performance is
unacceptable, the employee will probably assume that is
acceptable.
• Do not assume that an employee knows something needs
to be changed unless you specifically tell them.
If you observe something, don’t think, “I’ll file that away
and bring it up during the formal evaluation.” Address it
immediately.
• You have to have the difficult conversations. Doing nothing
is not an option and putting it off will only make it worse.
Any counseling of your employees should be behind
closed doors, not in a public setting.
Feedback, Coaching and Follow-Up
Keep an ongoing record of your interactions and of the
performance of each employee.
It must be kept in a secure area and should include:
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Dates and details of incidents, conversations, and meetings
Training or conferences the employee attends
Specific examples of good and poor performances
Important accomplishments, positive feedback, “happy letters,” etc.
Again, don’t just sit on these and wait for the annual evaluation,
go over them with the employee periodically (ideally at the
regularly scheduled meeting).
Follow-up is a key part of this process. If you discuss an
issue with an employee in a meeting, check on it and
provide informal feedback before the next meeting.
Feedback, Coaching and Follow-Up
This ongoing record is meant to help you remember
specific dates and details.
• If you need to give a counseling memo, you will have the
dates of incidents and interactions accurately recorded and
they can be added to the memo.
This ongoing record will not, I REPEAT, WILL NOT be
admissible during any formal process.
Feedback, Coaching and Follow-Up
For any Notice of Discipline or appeal of an evaluation, the
only file that will be reviewed and referenced is the official
employee file in Human Resources.
• Everything in the official file has been presented to, and signed by, the
employee (if the employee refuses to sign we use the alternatives laid out
in the contracts) and can be reviewed by the employee by appointment.
• If you did not present a counseling memo (which is constructive, not
punitive) to the employee, you will not be able to reference those
behaviors and interactions to support a notice of discipline or an
unsatisfactory evaluation.
• You must be able to verify that the employee was made aware of the
behavior and given an opportunity to correct it. The only acceptable
verification is the content of the official employee file in HR.
Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision.
The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain
uncommon results.
Andrew Carnegie
Make sure you record and discuss the good
things too!
• The last thing you want to do is turn your meetings into “This is a list of
things you did wrong since our last meeting.”
• If the employee excels at something, acknowledge it.
• If the employee improves on or corrects something you asked them to
address, acknowledge it and thank them for addressing it.
• You don’t have to use the “praise sandwich” method but make sure you
talk about the good and the bad and give the employee an opportunity
to address his/her concerns. Remember, this should be a dialog.
Preparing for the Annual Evaluation
1. Let the employee know that his/her formal evaluation is
coming up and schedule a meeting time.
2. Ask the employee to provide you with a written summary of
his/her accomplishments for the year before you complete
the evaluation
– You are not asking them to write their own
evaluation, just getting some highlights
3. Review your supervisor notes for the year.
4. Review the performance plan for accuracy for the next
evaluation period.
 Performance Evaluations should be done annually
 Performance Evaluations must be accurate!
The first things an arbitrator or outside agency will ask any employer for are
Performance Evaluations and write-ups. Far too often they find an
employee who was terminated for poor performance, but has no counseling
or discipline on file and glowing Performance Evaluations.
You should give your evaluation careful consideration and be sure it
accurately reflects the employee’s performance. If it does not, it may come
back to haunt you.
No Surprises!
The formal written written evaluation should be the formal
expression (summary or recap) of the ongoing evaluation
process.
• It is not the time to bring up any new issues.
Any specific areas of concern should have been handled
as they developed through the counseling process.
Each employee’s Performance Evaluation must have an
overall rating of either “Satisfactory” or “Unsatisfactory.”
• Employees have the right to appeal “Unsatisfactory”
ratings.
• Before you give an “Unsatisfactory” rating, ask yourself:
– “Can I verify that the employee was made aware of their poor performance
(counseling memo) and given an opportunity to correct it?” If the answer to
this question is not a clear yes, the “Unsatisfactory” rating will likely be
overturned.
– Keep in mind that failing to address underperforming employees will reflect
on you as a supervisor. You don’t want to have to tell your supervisor that
an “Unsatisfactory” rating was overturned because you didn’t do the
necessary work to support the evaluation.
– It is highly recommended that you consult with Human Resources before
you present an “Unsatisfactory” evaluation to your employee.
Presenting the Written Evaluation
• Double-check your work before you meet with the employee.
• Start on a positive note. Acknowledge improvements and
accomplishments.
• Discuss the specific points of the evaluation. These should
generally mirror the Performance Program they are based on.
• Discuss future goals, both for the employee and the
department as a whole, and specific plans to achieve those
goals. This process should be used as a development tool,
as well as an evaluation tool.
• Conclude on a positive note, focusing on the future.
1. After presenting the evaluation, inform the employee they have the
right to respond to the evaluation in writing, and have this response
attached to the evaluation in their Official Personnel File.
2. If the overall rating is “Unsatisfactory”, inform the employee that they
have the right to appeal the rating.
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The time limit and appeal method vary by contract but in general an employee has
10-15 days from when they receive the written evaluation, and the appeal goes to
specialized panel.
3. Both you and the employee should sign the evaluation. The employee
signature is to indicate they received and discussed the evaluation, not
that they agree with it.
4. After each of you sign the evaluation, make a copy for the employee
and another for your records. The original should be forwarded to
Human Resources in a Confidential Envelope.
Rinse and Repeat
Now it is time to complete the Performance Program for the
next evaluation period and continue the process.
Performance Program/ Evaluation Process
Quick Reference-Classified Service
Employee starts a position
March 15, 2015
If significant changes to tasks occur
before the end of the evaluation
period, prepare and present a
revised Performance Program to
the employee.
Prepare Performance Program utilizing old
performance plan from previous employee,
classification standard and goals for the
department. List most important tasks first and
expectation for performance and behavior.
On or before March 15, 2016, prepare
evaluation, meet with the employee for their
input, schedule a time and discuss. Sign and
return completed evaluation to Human
Resources.
Update or affirm Performance Program for the
next performance period (2016/2017). Discuss
with employee and employee should initial
then send to Human Resources.
If the employee is on probation in new
position, prepare probation report
every 2 months for the duration of the
probation period.