How to Give Constructive Feedback on an Employee Evaluation

Providing constructive feedback on an employee evaluation is one of the best gifts a supervisor can give an employee. Employees depend on supervisors for guidance and direction in performance improvement. The supervisor has the responsibility for developing team members and delivering an outstanding product or service. Part of this responsibility is providing constructive feedback to employees in a manner that is positive and motivating to the employee.

Things You'll Need

• Copy of employee's personnel file
• Copy of job description
• Copy of company policy regarding performance evaluations
• Copy of written documentation of employee's performance for evaluation period

Instructions

1. Review the employee's personnel file for any issues (attendance, tardiness, discipline) that may affect the evaluation. Make a list of the positive skills the employee possesses and the areas for improvement. Research any training programs or other on-the-job opportunities the employee may have for additional learning.

2. Revisit the job description to determine if it is challenging to the employee.This can be a good topic of conversation during the evaluation. Asking for the employee's input into how the job description can be improved shows that the company values the opinions of the employees. It is also a motivation for the employee to work harder to improve performance and add value.

3. Prepare the evaluation according to company policy. Refer to the list of positive skills the employee has demonstrated and the areas for improvement. Focus on the observable behaviors and results. For example, if one of the areas of improvement is in the number of errors found in reports, you might write "turns in reports in a timely fashion, but could improve in the number of errors found in the reports."

4. Schedule a private and quiet area for the evaluation. Begin the conversation with a couple of positive comments about what the employee does well. Present the constructive criticism in a positive way. For example, "Tom, I noticed that your reports are containing more errors than necessary. Help me to understand how we can correct this situation to have fewer errors."

5. Develop a plan of action for improvement. Ensure that the employee understands the plan and agrees with the timelines. Follow up with the plan and provide feedback accordingly.

Tips & Warnings

• Follow up any improvement plans in a timely fashion.

• Do not use the performance evaluation as a punishment.

• Keep copies of the evaluation in a confidential file.

• Do not share information about an employee's evaluation with her co-workers.

References

• Constructive Feedback in the Workplace
• Performance Management: Performance Improvement Plan