Performance Plans in Employee Performance Management

Communications, Management, Personnel Comments (0)

A performance plan is a written document between a manager and an employee of what the manager expects from the employee in tangible, measurable results.

The expectation stated in the performance plan should be based on the position description that describes the employee’s job.  If the position description and the performance plan are not congruent, then the employee is not being appropriately evaluated or paid.

The goals stated in the performance plan should be SMART goals.  Refer to my earlier podcast for a discussion of SMART goals.

I don’t think that the goals should be behavioral.  For example, a goal to “maintain good customer rapport” is behavioral or not measurable.  Such goals are not quantifiable and contribute only indirectly to the bottom line.  Behavioral issues should be addressed when the manager observes deviations from the organization’s standards.  Behavioral features like attendance, respect, team player, etc., are conditions of employment.

Plans should be brief, ideally documented on one type written page.  I think if plans can not be so briefly described either the performance objectives have not been completely thought out or the plan is describing how to accomplish the objectives.

Plans should state what is desired, not how to do the job.  The employee will select the appropriate strategy and behaviors to accomplish the job.  Doing so is the value add that the employee brings to the organization.

Plans, while based on the position description, should provide some possibility for growth, challenging the employee to develop new skills or to perform at the next level.  Plans should contain and identify objectives that exceed the requirements of the job, thus providing this challenge for performance and growth.

The plan should be a working document.  The employee and the manager should each maintain a copy of the plan and should periodically review the plan together.  I will discuss Performance Counseling in another podcast.

To summarize:

• Base performance plans on the job description.
• Use SMART goals.
• Define task objectives, no behavioral objectives.
• Be concise.
• Make the plan a joint working document.
• Write the plan to provide a challenge.
• Review performance against the plan periodically.

Craig @ November 1, 2008