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4 FAQ’s about Writing Performance Objectives

1.     How do I write a performance objective that is at the appropriate level of difficulty—challenging enough without being too difficult to obtain?

Refer to your organization’s job description for the employee’s position, and ensure the performance objective is anchored at the appropriate work level. For example, for an entry-level employee, you can make it clear that the employee is expected to accomplish the performance objective with guidance. In contrast, for a senior-level employee, a performance objective would entail a high degree of independent judgment. For an expert-level employee, the objective should involve highly complex work, coordination across work groups, and/or producing results with far-reaching impact.

Meet with your Management Team to discuss what are appropriate expectations for employees in similar types of jobs and within certain pay or band levels. As appropriate, set common performance objectives for individuals who are doing the same work.

2.     How do I write performance objectives that are specific and measurable when the job is not easily quantified? Read more ›

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Effective Performance Appraisals Rest on SMART Performance Objectives

Effective Performance Appraisals and the success of the whole Performance Appraisal Process rest on well-written performance objectives and Performance Agreements—employees’ blueprints for success.

Some managers cascade performance objectives from their next level managers to their teams, determining which team member(s) will be responsible for which portion of each team objective. Other managers, including those whose teams are on special assignments, write the objectives with their teams. And top management-level employees may write their own objectives with input from their organization’s Board of Directors.

How does a manager draft SMART Performance Objectives? Read more ›

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What Should Employees Document Throughout the Year?

Throughout the Performance Review year, how do employees communicate their results toward Performance Objectives to their managers?  Each employee, with his/her manager, can enter results—as achieved— into the Performance Appraisal or Performance Agreement form. As appropriate, team Status Reports or Excel spreadsheets can be set up to match how results will appear in the Performance Appraisal form.

Many managers encourage employees to keep a book on themselves—that is, to keep their own electronic and printed copies of peer and customer commendations, their results toward objectives and examples of how they demonstrate the Core Values, training certificates, performance documentation, etc. As appropriate, managers can remind employees that the organization is a dynamic environment where re-assignments and promotions happen quickly. So employees need to position themselves to be ready to ‘sell’ themselves, with supporting details about accomplishments, when opportunities for promotion occur. Employees should also be ready to share with a new manager their contributions to their team if a previous manager didn’t pass on complete records to the new manager. Read more ›

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Writing Performance Appraisals is an Ongoing Process

Writing Performance Appraisals is an ongoing process completed throughout the entire review period, rather than just a year-end event. What should happen during that process? At the beginning of the year or whenever a new employee joins the team, the manager and employee discuss and agree upon the employee’s individual performance objectives and create a formal Performance Agreement. Interim discussions provide reinforcement, coaching, and feedback to help the employee reach objectives. The manager and employee document ongoing performance and update the Performance Agreement as needed to identify changes in responsibility and objectives.

Managers use monthly meetings and the mid-year performance evaluation to assess the employee’s performance and provide an opportunity to re-focus on objectives. For the year-end Performance Appraisal, the manager and employee identify results toward objectives and other accomplishments. The year-end Appraisal recognizes accomplishments and lays out a Development Plan for the upcoming year. Read more ›

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Quality Performance Appraisals Contribute to Your Organization’s Success

How does an effective Performance Appraisal/Review Process contribute to an organization’s success?  A high-performing organization is created when:

  • Employees’ individual performance objectives are clear and aligned with the organization’s Vision and goals.
  • Employees receive recognition for their contributions to the organization’s success.
  • Employees’ ongoing professional development is encouraged and supported.

Performance Appraisals are an important tool to help the organization and its employees reach their goals. Effective Performance Appraisals provide a systematic way to evaluate and document employees’ performance, recognize accomplishments, identify developmental areas, and appraise employees’ potential for more responsibility.

How does an effective Performance Appraisal Process contribute to a team’s success?  Read more ›

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5 More Tips for Managing a Remote Team’s Performance

Adapted from our newly updated Writing Effective Performance Appraisals course, here are five more tips for managing performance of a remote team. Enjoy!

  • For improvement areas, develop, implement, and document results toward a plan of action to improve performance. Include timeframes by which improved performance must be achieved. Describe impacts of behavior on the individual’s, the team’s, the organization’s, and the customer’s success as well as consequences of failing to meet those deadlines.
  • Meet regularly with the team in person or virtually to review priorities, highlight individual’s accomplishments, and discuss strategies to overcome obstacles to the team’s success. Read more ›
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5 Tips for Managing a Remote Team’s Performance

For many organizations, the end of the year is also the end of the Performance Review period. The Writing Center’s November and December blogs feature tips adapted from our newly updated Writing Effective Performance Appraisals course.  Here are the first 5 of 10 tips for managing a remote team’s performance:

  1. Just as you would with a co-located team, set and communicate clear team goals as well as individual performance objectives including well-defined deliverables or other results, standards, measures, and timeframes. Track results toward those goals and objectives. Read more ›
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12 Tips for Business Holiday Greetings

Holiday messages that relay sincere thanks and gratitude, used effectively, build visibility and relationships with business customers.  Holiday greeting cards are a good way to reconnect with past customers and rekindle sales, maintain and foster current business relationships, and create new ones.  Says Jacqueline Whitmore, author of Poised for Success: Mastering the Four Qualities That Distinguish Outstanding Individuals (2011), “Cards leave a lasting impression and let others know you’re thinking about them.”

Thus a business can gain enormous value from sending out holiday greetings each year. Customers appreciate a company that has taken the time and effort to select an attractive card, craft a personal message, and then hand-address and mail holiday cards. Colleagues and employees also appreciate messages of thanks and gratitude. Such messages can help motivate staff and maintain a positive workforce.

To send effective holiday greetings, consider these 12 tips gleaned from etiquette gurus:

  1. Start early to order cards and update names and addresses.  Ideally, update contact information ongoing, including land addresses, email addresses, and telephone numbers. Read more ›
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16 Frequently Asked Business Writing Questions

1.  When are “state” and “federal” capitalized?  State and federal are capitalized when part of a proper name such as the name of a federal agency or act, etc. (for example Federal Reserve Bank but federal, state, and local laws).  The terms federal government and government (referring specifically to the United States government) are now commonly written in small letters.  In government documents, however, and in other types of communications where these terms are intended to have the force of an official name, they are capitalized. 

2.  How are “I,” “me,” and “myself” used?  Use I as a subject [Louise and I submitted our reports yesterday.] and after than in comparisons or with understood verbs [She is a faster typist than I (am).].  Use me as an object of a verb [Please put Lila and me on the expense account.] and as the object of a preposition [David assigned the project to Sam and me.].  Use myself when I has already been used as the subject—intensively [I, myself, will handle this.] or reflexively [I hurt myself playing tennis.]. 

3.  What is the difference between “than” and “then”?  Than is a conjunction used in comparisons; then (which rhymes with when) is an adverb indicating time [He is older than I am.  I will see you at dinner and return your book then.]. Read more ›

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