bandaidPainless Performance Evaluations: It’s Time to Rip-Off the Band-Aid

Do you dread facilitating performance evaluations? Is completing your organization’s evaluation form a nightmare? Ever wonder what it takes to get your employees to “go the extra mile?” Performance evaluations don’t have to be painful. With a plan and a few simple tools, every manager or supervisor can use the practice of performance management to multiply results.

 

If you didn’t make it for the live online event, fear not! This webinar is available on-demand and discusses how you can help your organization’s managers rip-off the Band-Aids of ineffective performance reviews in order to:

  • Achieve organizational objectives
  • Develop the skills and capability of employees
  • See greater productivity with higher quality outcomes
  • Convey clear performance expectations for each employee

marnieBased on the much-anticipated live webinar series ‘Painless Performance Evaluations’ and best-selling book, author and speaker, Marnie Green will deliver practical and easy-to-implement changes that your organization can use to achieve painless and effective performance management.

 

This live webinar has taken place – get the on-demand video here.

Looking to make performance reviews as painless as possible? Click here to request a free trial of our award-winning online employee performance management software or request a live one-on-one demo today.

CALIBRATION ADDS VALIDITY 

measureWe asked leading Author and long-time emPerform Partner, Marnie Green, for her advice on helping to increase the accuracy & consistency of performance ratings. Here is what she said!

How to Increase Consistency in Performance Ratings By: Marnie E. Green, CSP, IPMA-CP

In focus groups with employees, we often ask, “What would make the performance evaluation process meaningful to you?” The most common, off-the-top-of-the-head answer is “make them fair.” In an effort to increase the sense of fairness, and to emphasize the value of consistency across work groups, the practice of calibration is gaining momentum.

In a recent survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and APTMetrics, 54% of organizations reported that they conduct formal calibration or group review sessions as part of the performance evaluation process. It can increase the accuracy of performance ratings, enhance communication, and break down silos.

In calibration meetings groups of supervisors from the same division or department discuss the rationale behind each employee’s performance rating. Performance calibration meetings provide a forum for discussing the individual performance of employees with the goal of making sure that leaders apply similar standards across the work group. The process helps to ensure that all employees are evaluated on the same criteria regardless of who is doing the rating. Calibration meetings also provide an opportunity for managers to learn how they can increase their ability to observe performance and apply performance standards.

In a calibration meeting, performance ratings are adjusted up or down as needed to ensure that ratings are consistent over work groups and reflect similar standards and performance expectations. Sixty-three percent of the SHRM survey respondents said ratings are changed infrequently during calibration meetings, but 35% said ratings are changed frequently. Rating changes are made because of inconsistency or when a manager learns new information about an employee’s performance during the calibration session.

For calibration to work in the public sector, the agency will need to deliver performance ratings on a focal date, ideally in support of the budget cycle. A neutral facilitator is needed to lead managers through what can be challenging conversations. In the end, taking on the practice of calibration can refocus your organization on what successful performance looks like and encourage discussions about improving performance across the board.

Calibration is one more example of the important conversations that should be taking place in your organization to drive a performance-driven culture. If your agency is struggling to find consistency in performance ratings, maybe calibration is the solution.

See also: Rating Calibration – Don’t Finalize Reviews Until You’ve Taken This Step

About the Author

Marnie GreenMarnie E. Green is Principal Consultant of the Management Education Group, Inc. and is a leading expert in the management of public sector employees.  Her books, Painless Performance Evaluations and Painless Performance Conversations, are used worldwide by federal, state, and local government leaders. Contact Green at phone: 480-705-9394 email: [email protected]

Experience Marnie in Action! Get the video: Driving Employee Performance through Year-Round Painless Performance Conversations