PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS – DON'T SWEAT IT!!

No one enjoys employee performance appraisals.  Whether you’re the appraiser or the appraised, you’re likely to suffer from excessive perspiration just thinking about the process.  Yet it is that very process that can keep an employer out of court, or at least provide documentary evidence to support a performance-based termination and defeat a claim that performance was just an excuse for an otherwise wrongful termination.  In addition, evaluations play an important role in reinforcing positive employee behavior, eliminating negative characteristics, and clearly communicating expectations.  When conducted on a routine basis, evaluations can help establish trends and identify measurable benchmarks for future performance.  Documentation of repeated problems that have not been adequately addressed serves as a reasonable warning to the employee that his or her position is in jeopardy.  Appraisals that include a discussion of the employee’s limitations may bring out the need for alterations to the job or work environment that are necessary to comply with any reasonable accommodation requirements.  And managers who review their employees’ performance at least once a year can better evaluate eligibility for promotions and other personnel changes. Finally, discussing the evaluation with the employee and obtaining the employee’s signature help ensure that the employee has read and understands the employer’s expectations and is willing to meet them.