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Subjective Performance Evaluations
Return to BlogsPublished: November 17, 2011 12:56 PM
One of the challenges managers have when doing performance
evaluations is controlling the emotions the process creates. Most managers do not like doing them because
of the emotional roller coaster they create.
It is curious how biases create emotions that are hard to control.
The dictionary defines the word subjective as not impartial –
based on a person’s opinions or feelings rather than on facts or evidence. The very reason employees become disgruntled after
performance reviews is there were not as many facts discussed, as there were
feelings. When a manager is asked about
a person is doing, often the answer is “ok but I just feel h/she could be doing
more.”
Facts about a person performance will trump emotions every
time, and will reduce the emotional stress for both parties.
How do you get at the facts of a person’s performance?
Begin with the job description. How current is it. Most companies do not keep their organizational
charts up to date along with that the job descriptions to go with it. Jobs
change to meet the current needs especially in small business that can change
their focus quickly. This presents a
problem for about 70% of the employees in most companies who are in support roles.
They are in the customer service department, the warehouse, the delivery
person, accounting, etc. These folks, if
they are performing well, do not like change that is not explained to
them. Their behavioral style that allows
them to excel in being service oriented makes them very uncomfortable with
sudden changes.
When it comes time for performance reviews this group of
employees responds much better to the facts about their performance level,
which should come from how well, are they performing the duties and
responsibilities as described in the job description? The job description should to be referred to often
by the manager and employee so that both parties will stay job focused, and
less emotionally focused.
When positions are benchmarked by company stakeholders the
process delivers additional information the manager and employee can use to
determine performance based on facts.
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