How to Evaluate an Employee

An evaluation review meeting can create an atmosphere of constructive, open communication.

Employee evaluations are often seen as a necessary evil for those in management. In many companies, they are stressful for employees and a trial for managers. If you are in charge of evaluating staff, you can turn the process into an opportunity for growth for both the company and your employees. Powerful evaluations take a considerable amount of time and effort but can pay off in increased motivation, stronger employees and a more open corporate culture.

Instructions

1. Take notes throughout the entire evaluation period. Start a file on your computer and make notes about each employee's performance on a regular basis and when something out of the ordinary happens. Note both positive and negative occurrences and make detailed comments that will help you remember the event months down the road when evaluations roll around.

2. Use the employee's job description as a basis for the evaluation. Turn each responsibility or qualification into an individual point. Go through the list and check off each task the employee is handling, making notes about responsibilities that need attention. As you read, add additional duties that the employee has taken on over the course of the evaluation period. If you are not familiar with any of the duties, talk to an immediate supervisor or coworker to get a deeper understanding.

3. Write about the tasks the employee can do to improve his job performance. Include anecdotes or examples to back up your requests, referring to your notes from the evaluation period. Ask for input in areas where you don't have firsthand experience; this is particularly important if you are evaluating a technical employee but do not have complex technical skills. Address both tangible aspects, like client response time, and intangible things, like attitude. Include specific, actionable steps the staff member can take to improve.

4. Include praise and positive comments. Mention work that the employee has done particularly well over the entire evaluation period so that they know you are paying attention. Talk about specific instances and let them know how they have helped the company and the team.

5. Use clear, direct language that will be easy for the employee to understand. Don't beat around the bush or try to soften the blow, particularly when you are delivering criticism. To make sure that the evaluation makes sense, have a supervisor read it over and make edits.

6. Offer your employees the chance to review the evaluation with you. Schedule a time after the individual has had time to read through the report, process the information and come up with questions. Invite him to ask for clarification and dispute any of the points; there is a chance that you are not seeing the full picture. During the session, take advantage of his experience by asking him how you and the company can better serve him and the company's clients.

References

• NOLO: How to Conduct Employee Evaluations