THE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION PROCESS
Completing the Annual Performance Evaluation

Employees need and deserve specific feedback on how they are doing in
order to maintain motivation and achieve performance goals (this is the yearly
report card – we have gotten them all of our lives and have come to expect
them to let us know how we are doing)

They should also receive feedback throughout the year to let them know how
they are doing. Don’t wait for the formal review to praise work or pass on
complements –or- to alert employees to specific problem areas so they can
improve or be prepared for corrective measures

Documentation of performance on an ongoing basis helps support requests
for promotions or salary increases as well as disciplinary actions. (Many times
supervisors want to discipline an employee, but their evaluations do not
reflect any past problems with performance)

Use a standard process to evaluate all employees and apply the process
equally, consistently, and objectively. Base the ratings on the employee’s
performance rather than on personal characteristics that are not job-related.

The main elements of the cycle are (1) Completing the evaluation and
preparing for the evaluation conference,
(2) Meeting to discuss the evaluation (3) Improving future performance.

Remember, future merit raises may be linked to evaluations. Don’t mark
someone “commendable or superior performance just so the employee can
qualify for a merit increase.

BEFORE COMPLETING THE PERF. APPRAISAL
o Review the Employee’s job description and consider the essential
functions of their position. Update the job description if it has changed
since the last meeting.
o Review goals that were set during the last performance evaluation (did
they meet their goals, did the goals change, did something prevent
them from reaching their goals?)
o Review any other documentation related to the employee during the
evaluation period. This could include notes, letters of commendation,
departmental counselings, disciplinary actions, etc.
o If the employee’s reports to others up or down the supervisory chain,
be sure to solicit their input

COMPLETING THE EVALUATION
o The Admin/Prof evaluation is based more on supervisory skills than
the classified evaluation
o Solicit input from the employee as to their own appraisal of their
performance the past year and then develop the final appraisal for the
evaluation conference
o Use action verbs: initiated, completed, facilitated, and coordinated.
o Develop a realistic, specific ‘Mutually Understood Goals’ section.
Employee should have input on goals.
o Have a detailed corrective action plan for areas of deficiency (with
periodic reviews on specific dates)
o The Classified evaluation is a tool to relate individual performance to
departmental, division, and University goals.
o Also used to clarify job responsibilities and the quality of performance
expected
o Used to enhance manager/employee communication
o Used to foster employee competence and growth
o Used to provide data to facilitate administrative decisions (promotions,
raises, etc.)
o Be able to cite legitimate, job related reasons for any rating
o All ratings must be documented with comments in each section
o On the ‘attendance’ section absences approved for sick leave, FMLA,
and Workers Compensation cannot be considered when rating
attendance. If they are frequently late to work, take more than the
allotted time for lunch or frequently have unscheduled absences, then
attendance can be marked unsatisfactory.
o Use action verbs: demonstrates, initiates, completes
o If you mark ‘consistently unsatisfactory performance’ or ‘below
satisfactory performance’ on an evaluation, document the specific
performance or behavior deficiency in the space provided and then list
the corrective action in constructive terms along with a time frame for
correcting the deficiency on the ‘job weaknesses’ or ‘mutually
established goals’ part of the evaluation. You should also list an
expected time frame for correction of the behavior or performance and
a date you will check on progress toward the goal. You may attach a
sheet to the evaluation if you need more space than is provided on the
form.
o The Classified Evaluation must now be signed by the administrative
officer of that unit to eliminate the possibility of discrimination against a
protected class. They should be signed before the performance
evaluation conference in case changes are recommended. (This is the
result of recent TCHR audit)
Meeting With the Employee to Discuss the Evaluation
o Manage the evaluation meeting. Avoid interruptions, including the telephone.
This is an important meeting and that is the message the employee should
receive.
o The performance appraisal is a tool for communicating with the employee.
Be sure to encourage the employee to talk during the meeting and be a good
listener.
o Do not rate current performance only. The appraisal is for the time period
January 1 through December 31, time since last appraisal, or time since
employment.
o Be consistent and honest. Give ratings based on performance and behavior.
Don’t allow your ‘feelings’ to interfere with an accurate appraisal.
o Prepare for the meeting. Remind the employee to prepare questions for the
meeting. Review your records on the employee so you have explanations for
all of your ratings. There should be no surprises. If there are problems
noted, employees should already be aware of them.
o Set realistic goals. Ask for the employee’s input related to the goals she/he
would like to accomplish during the next appraisal period.
o Follow up in all applicable areas (such as ‘unsatisfactory’ ratings) with
timetables for corrective action. Follow up on ‘mutually established goals’ or
‘job weaknesses’ for the next evaluation period. Failure to do so sends a
negative message to the employee and weakens the importance correcting
deficiencies or meeting goals.
o A performance appraisal should never be used as a disciplinary action.
However, and employee may be told that if areas are not corrected and/or
performance brought up to ‘satisfactory’ within the established time frame,
discipline could occur.
o End the meeting positively. Emphasize your support for the employee’s
continued development. Ask the employee to sign the appraisal. Give the
employee a copy, keep a copy for your departmental files, and send the
original to Human Resources for the personnel file. The employee can also
attach a sheet with their comments if they wish to do so.
CONSTRUCTIVE PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK TIPS
o Make the feedback specific
o Base feedback on specific events, behaviors, etc.
o Describe exactly what was done well and/or what could be improved
o Consider the employee’s feelings; focus on the action/behavior, not the
person
o Explain how the positive or negative behavior affects job performance, coworkers, the department, the students, or the University
o Give feedback out of a genuine desire to be constructive, not to hurt
o Limit feedback to one aspect of behavior or performance at a time
o Work with the employee to come up with ways to reinforce and repeat
positive behaviors and correct inadequate ones
o Follow up with more feedback and action plans as needed
Improving Future Performance
o Give employees a chance to develop and expand their abilities (opportunities
to take courses, training workshops, and work on challenging projects)
o Encourage the most skilled employees in your area to mentor the less skilled
o Keep all employees focused on the goals and activities that contribute most to
departmental, divisional and University accomplishments
o Give employees regular feedback
o Try to obtain equipment, information, and other resources that help
employees do their jobs better
o Identify and eliminate time wasters such as surfing the Net, meetings with no
clear agenda, reports nobody reads
THE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT CYCLE
Anyone that supervises others in the workplace has a complex, demanding job.
The performance appraisal system at U.T. Tyler is designed to be a useful tool in
managing the performance of those you supervise.
1. Set goals and performance standards
2. Communicate expectations
3. Provide support for performance
o Information
o Training and coaching
o Counseling and discipline
o Job design and work systems
o Incentives (financial and non-financial)
4. Monitor performance against standards
5. Appraise performance (both formally and informally)
6. Provide ongoing feedback on performance