Tuesday, December 11, 2012

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION INTERVIEWS: GIVING THE INTERVIEW


Welcome back for the third part of the Performance Evaluation Interview topic.  We have already looked at the Pre-Evaluation Information and the Performance Evaluation (PE) Document itself.  Next we will talk about giving the interview itself.  Please feel free to comment about your own workplace experiences regarding Performance Evaluations that you may have seen at your own workplace down below.

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION INTERVIEWS: 
GIVING THE INTERVIEW

Following every review period, you will be required to provide feedback to an employee, discuss their performance, and have them sign the PE document.  This can sometimes be challenging, but hopefully it will be a smooth process provided you have done your homework.  Try to give at least a week’s notice when scheduling the interview so that the employee can adjust their schedule.  Be sure to perform the interview in an appropriately private location.

Starting the Interview

If you have an accurate PE document in hand and you have had your cup of coffee, you ought to be ready to go.  It is suggested that you start the interview with some rapport building.  Even though you are probably already familiar with the employee, it is likely that they are a bit nervous given the weight that is often given to the Performance Evaluations.  A good PE score might mean a better life for the employee’s family and a bad one could devastate them.  Open with an Icebreaker to help ease them into the interview.  A good question to open would be, “How is your day going?” or “How about them Phillies last night?”  Remember to smile a little, as a smile will convey comfort to the employee.  Do not smile too much or it might seem creepy.  

Provide the introduction to the interview.  Explain to the employee the purpose of the Performance Evaluations.  Be sure to tell them about the rating system.  Some candidates may become defensive if they find out they have a three instead of a five.  Discussing the fact that most people get threes, and threes are okay, can help alleviate that defensiveness. 

Performance Measures

It is time to walk the employee through the PE document.  It may be useful to give the employee their total composite score up front.  It is not a secret that needs to be revealed at the end.  Providing that total score in the beginning will release some of the apprehensive energy that may have built up in your employee.  In my opinion, the best way to go through the document is to start at the top and work your way down.  Discuss each Performance Measure and provide some background on the criteria that their performance was based on.  Provide the employee with your reasoning for the grade that you gave them.  Hopefully the employee had provided some input previously which will make easing their concerns easier now.  Take the time to listen to any questions or comments you employee asks.  Listen actively, taking the time to paraphrase the employee’s answers back to them to ensure clarity.  Compare how the employee did during this evaluated period versus what the employee’s PE score was in previous periods.

Closing the Interview

Let the employee know that there is room to grow.  Ask the employee about where they want to be in six months.  Remember that it is important to encourage the employee to talk.  Open ended questions and positive silence can help them provide answers.  Avoid becoming too critical or talking down to the employee during this phase of the interview.  Your goal is to provide the employee with a jumping off point for the next several months.  Give them some praise, let them know that the company is committed to their success, and try to end the interview on a positive note.  Ask the employee to sign the PE document and let them know that you will provide them with a signed copy in a couple of days.

And remember all of you Human Resources professionals:  Be Human... Be a Resource...  Be a Resource for Humans.



Disclaimer:  The views expressed in this post are by the author Trevor Stasik, and do not necessarily reflect the views of any employer or any other organization. Please note, this information is based on my understanding and is only to be used for informational and educational purposes.  Do not take what I am writing as advice.  Seek your own legal counsel and/or see a tax accountant before making business or personal decisions.  The author of this post makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. The owner will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information.


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