Employee’s Guide to Performance Appraisal

Monday, May 16, 2011 – Thursday, June 30, 2011

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Table of Contents

Introduction 2 Preparing for the Performance 4 Appraisal Meeting Self-Appraisal Checklist 5 Tips for Receiving Feedback 6 Required Competencies and Key 7 Indicators Performance Standards 14 Employee Online User Guide 15 Next Step: Setting Goals 17

Goal Setting Exercise 18

FAQ’s 19

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Introduction

Emmanuel College’s annual Performance Appraisal

Program is a process for enhancing job performance and

increasing communication between the supervisor and the

staff member.

The Performance Appraisal Program is an opportunity to

guide staff development. Done effectively, performance

appraisals build rapport between supervisors and staff,

create a link between individual and institutional goals, and

serve as a guide for continuous improvement and learning.

The Performance Appraisal Program is comprised of two

components; the online appraisal tool through

www.interviewexchange.com and a face-to-face meeting

between supervisor and employee.

The following describes the specific benefits that the

Performance Appraisal provides to staff, supervisors and

to the College.

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For staff, the College’s Performance Appraisal Program offers opportunities for:

· increasing job satisfaction;

· training/professional development;

· promoting a sense of ownership and self-direction;

· improving job performance.

For supervisors, effective performance appraisals of staff can:

· yield better teamwork and cooperation;

· set clearer expectations;

· produce better departmental performance;

· clarify roles as supervisor and mentor;

· improve job performance;

· develop the supervisor as a leader.

For the College, effective performance evaluations contribute to:

· better service to students and other members of the

community;

· staff alignment with strategic goals;

· enhancement of a climate that values all employees;

· an overall improvement in work performance; and,

· engaged employees who go above and beyond

individual job requirements to contribute to the

success of the College.

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Preparing for the Performance Appraisal Meeting

This may be the first formal feedback session for you and your supervisor. Enter into this discussion with an open mind.

Determine the objectives/concerns that you want to address; this meeting is more than a conversation.

You may want to take notes to confirm your understanding of the appraisal.

Be conscious of your non-verbal communication. What messages are you relaying?

Be ready to hear a problem and listen actively.

Enter the discussion as a joint venture in problem-solving. What challenges did you face this this year?

Avoid being defensive. This is about performance, not a personal attack.

Resolve any barrier to effective communication. Check that you understand what your supervisor’s concerns are and how to address them.

Clearly state and mutually agree upon the specific results of the discussion. What are the next steps?

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Self-Appraisal Checklist

Before sitting down to complete the Self-Appraisal, it is helpful to gather the following information for your own review and reference:

What are my strengths in performing my job?

What are my major accomplishments over the last year?

In what areas of my job do I need to improve?

In what areas do I need more training and experience?

How can my supervisor help me do my job better?

What have I done in the area of professional development?

What are my professional goals for the coming year and over the next few years?

What are my supervisor’s objectives?

Which objectives can I help him or her achieve?

How has my performance contributed to the mission of the College?

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Ten Tips for Receiving Feedback

1. Take this opportunity to clarify what your supervisor’s expectations are of your role.

2. Practice receiving feedback by asking for feedback from your

supervisor and others who observe your performance through-out the year.

3. Manage your frame of mind. View the appraisal process as an

opportunity to learn about your strengths and areas to develop. 4. Prepare your objectives. What do you want the outcome of the

session to be? Are you focused just on a rating or on longer term growth?

5. Be honest with yourself. If you’ve had difficulties with the job,

what did you do to overcome them? What was the root cause of the problem?

6. Focus on problem-solving and bring ideas for resolution. 7. Accept constructive criticism. Remember that it’s your

performance that’s being discussed; it’s not an attack on you! 8. Ask for specific examples - both positive and negative. 9. Avoid acting defensively. Listen to responses and think about

how you sound. 10.Develop action plans and other follow-up systems.

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Required Competencies

& Key Indicators

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Quality of Service

KEY INDICATORS

Responds to requests with an appropriate level of urgency;

Anticipates future needs and regularly improves systems and responds as needed;

Adapts to change quickly;

Applies rules and policies appropriately;

Adjusts behavior to fit the situation or person as appropriate;

Modifies plans and goals to meet changing institutional demands and opportunities;

Capitalizes on opportunities to reduce costs, improve student service, increase productivity, increase student satisfaction, improve decision-making and reduce waste.

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KEY INDICATORS Commits fully to the mission of the College; Stays current in own job field and is committed to professional development; Demonstrates a willingness to go beyond the boundaries of the job to benefit others; Seeks ways to better understand the needs of students and to improve service to all constituencies; Anticipates internal and external forces that will impact the future effectiveness and efficiency of the College and responds with needed change; Incorporates the College’s mission and values into development plans; Is a self-starter who develops new ideas/solutions; Sets high standards for own work; Reaches decisions based on the highest ethical standards.

Engagement & Initiative

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KEY INDICATORS: Arrives on time ready to work;

Has a minimum of unplanned absences;

Returns calls/voice mails/e-mails in a timely manner;

Produces work that is free from error;

Demonstrates strong attention to detail;

Arrives at appointments, meetings and events on time;

Uses technology efficiently and effectively;

Works in a safe manner;

Demonstrates appropriate technical expertise;

Follows supervisor’s standards and guidelines for the established goals and outcomes;

Performs duties in accordance with College

policy;

Makes effective use of time and follows through on assigned tasks.

Commitment & Accountability

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Communication

KEY INDICATORS Expresses ideas effectively through written and oral communication;

Gives clear direction;

Actively listens;

Deals effectively with angry or demanding people;

Consults with supervisor about actual or potentially sensitive issues;

Assumes responsibility for communicating relevant

information to supervisor on a timely basis;

Listens to and considers the view of others; considers the advantages, disadvantages, usefulness, potential results and other relevant factors of alternatives;

Has open communication style and sets others at ease in conversations, and encourages positive interaction;

Ensures clear, accurate understanding of requests by listening attentively and asking appropriate questions;

Clearly and patiently explains why certain requests

cannot be met and provides appropriate alternatives.

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Teamwork & Cooperation

KEY INDICATORS Maintains effective working relationships with co-workers, supervisors and the public;

Treats co-workers with honesty, courtesy and respect;

Functions effectively with administrative peers;

Has a manner of dealing with people that encourages joint problem-solving, openness and candor;

Works effectively with people across organizational boundaries;

Refers to others appropriately;

Takes ownership of problems and avoids finger pointing.

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Leadership & Management

KEY INDICATORS Gives clear direction;

Delegates decision-making;

Develops others;

Makes appropriate decisions;

Gives criticism and praise correctly and is consistent with all staff;

Encourages flexibility and personal initiative by others;

Shares information and keeps people-up to-date;

Solicits input, ideas and expertise of others;

Builds team spirit;

Resolves conflict quickly;

Works as a facilitator and coach;

Encourages participative decision-making;

Holds employee accountable for problem-solving and continuous streamlining of work processes;

Ensures that employees are trained appropriately;

Incorporates the College’s mission into the goals of the department.

(For supervisor employees only)

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Exceeds Expectations Performance clearly surpasses the fully proficient level for this period. The employee who reaches this level of excellence does so through truly unique and exceptional application of knowledge, skill, and/or ability that may be difficult to sustain over time. Meets Expectations Performance is what would be expected of an employee who is fully experienced and qualified. The individual who reaches this level of performance can be depended upon consistently to attain the expected results. Minimally Meets Expectations Performance only marginally meets the requirements of the position. The employee demonstrates an inconsistent level of achievement and requires more direction and guidance than normally expected for routine functions. Needs Improvement Performance does not meet what is required. Performance is unsatisfactory and little or no significant developmental progress or improvement has been evidenced. Improvement is essential; corrective action planning is required.

Performance Standards

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Employee Online User Guide

1. Supervisor invites Employee to complete a self-appraisal. Generally the supervisor gives 3-5 days to complete it.

2. Employee completes the self-appraisal A. Login to Interview Exchange www.interviewexchange.com B. Click “Start Review” from the Dashboard C. Type Employee Name, Position, and Supervisor’s Name D. Select “Annual Review” for review period; and

Department E. Click “Create Form”

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F. Click Self-Appraisal (+) sign to view and complete the questions. Make sure to click “Save” for each section.

G. Click “Complete Form” to notify Supervisor that the self-appraisal was completed.

4. Supervisor will then rate Employee on the required competencies. After Supervisor completes this portion, Employee will receive a notification to review the performance appraisal.

5. Supervisor will schedule an appraisal meeting with Employee to discuss the performance appraisal. 6. Employee will then acknowledge receipt of the

performance appraisal, acknowledging they have been given an opportunity to examine the contents and certifying that job performance was reviewed and discussed..

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Next Step: Setting Goals

During the performance appraisal meeting, the supervisor and employee should also discuss goals for the year. Both should be prepared with a draft of 3-5 possible goals for the year. Goal set-ting is a two-way process and it is critical that the employee un-derstands and agrees upon the goals and expected outcomes. A good way to begin thinking about goals is to examine the main job responsibilities of a position or the projects that you need to complete within the year. Some goals may be personal, some departmental, and some pro-fessional. All goals must be relevant to the employee’s position and should be written as S.M.A.R.T. Goals. S.M.A.R.T. Goals are goals that are Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely. Example of a S.M.A.R.T. Goal: 1. My goal is to create a spreadsheet for the budget. (Specific) 2. This spreadsheet will track expenditures on a monthly basis.

(Measureable) 3. I have the Excel skills to complete this task. (Attainable) 4. Creating this spreadsheet will reduce errors and help the de-

partment meet its goals. (Relevant) 5. The creation of this spreadsheet will take approximately two

weeks to complete. (Timely)

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Once goals have been developed and mutually agreed upon, the Goal Setting Exercise should be completed. If the employee has written more than three goals, attach an additional page to the document. The form should be kept by the supervisor and the employee and reviewed throughout the year. This form can be downloaded from the performance appraisal instructions on Interview Exchange.

Goal Setting Exercise

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FAQ’s Q: Are performance appraisals done annually or by anniversary date? A: Beginning in May of 2011, the College is moving from an

anniversary date to a focal (common date) performance appraisal program.

Q: If I have recently had a performance appraisal does my

supervisor need to complete the process again through the new system?

A: If your performance appraisal was conducted prior to January 1, 2011, your supervisor will need to complete the process again through our new system.

Q: How long will I have to complete the self-appraisal? A: Generally supervisors should give 3-5 business days for the

employee to complete the self-appraisal.

Q: How do I receive a user id and password to Interview Exchange?

A: The Office of Human Resources will initially set up all employees in the system. The employee will then receive an auto-generated e-mail directing them to www.interviewexchange.com to register.

Q: Why does the supervisor need to click on “copy” for each of my self-appraisal questions?

A: Clicking “copy” indicates that the supervisor has reviewed

your responses. It does not indicate that your supervisor

agrees with them.

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For additional support or questions please contact the

Office of Human Resources at 617-735-9991.

Q: What happens if I disagree with my supervisor’s appraisal of my performance? A: The supervisor and employee should discuss the differences in

an effort to reach a mutually satisfying resolution. If a resolution is not achieved, the supervisor should arrange for the employee to discuss the appraisal with the next level of supervision who would consider the reason for disagreement and discuss the matter with both parties to seek a resolution.

Q: What is the process if a resolution cannot be reached? A. If a resolution cannot be reached, the employee should prepare

a written statement of the reasons he or she disagrees with the appraisal. This statement should be sent to the Director of Human Resources within five working days after the appeal. The Director of Human Resources will review the

Information and discuss the matter with the employee and supervisor within ten business days. Q: If I approve my performance appraisal does that indicate that I agree with the appraisal? A: Not necessarily. Clicking on “Approved” only indicates that

you have been given the opportunity to examine the contents

of the appraisal and that your job performance was reviewed

and discussed.

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The Office of Human Resources 400 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115 www.emmanuel.edu