Planning • Monitoring • Developing • Rating • Rewarding

Roles and Responsibilities:

Dates:

Points to consider when writing Performance Elements:

• How to determine if a Performance Element should be Critical or Non-Critical:

  Critical Performance Elements:

  • Define work assignments or responsibilities of such importance that unacceptable performance in that element would result in a determination that the overall performance is unacceptable.
  • Are used to measure individual outcomes that the employee directly controls.
  • Should outline responsibilities that are essential to the work of the organization.

  Non-Critical Performance Elements:

  • Can be used to measure team-based outcomes if the individual is a team or working group lead.
  • Are still important and they are considered as part of the summary rating.

  A Performance Element Should be Marked Critical If…

  • It is a major component of the employee’s job.
  • Unacceptable performance on that element would result in serious consequences to the work unit.
  • The Element requires a significant amount of the employee’s time.
  
  

Other Items to Consider When Writing Elements:

• Are there any elements from your plan (as the supervisor) that can be cascaded down to the performance plan of your employee(s)?
• Can use elements from the Supervisor EPCS for employees who are team leads.
• Elements should be clearly defined, stand alone segments of an employee’s responsibilities.
• Performance Plans can contain up to eight Performance Elements.

Points to Consider when Writing Performance Standards:

• Other Items to Consider When Writing Elements:

  Performance Standards should be written as SMART Goals that are specific to a given task and written according to an employee’s skills and abilities.

  Specific – the performance standard should be stated as simply, concisely, and explicitly as possible. This answers questions such as; how much, for whom, and for what?

  Measurable – a measurable goal has an outcome that can be assessed either on a sliding scale, or as a hit or miss, success or failure.  Writing measurable performance standards allow for a clearer, more objective evaluation.

  Aggressive yet Achievable – an achievable goal has an outcome that is realistic, but challenging given the employees’ abilities, job requirements, resources, and time available.

  Results oriented – performance standards should be written as a noun that identifies the expected accomplishments (a product, service, or result), not as a verb, which describes an activity or task.

  Time-based – where applicable, performance standards should outline specific time frames for the relevant performance appraisal period.  Performance standards should not be written to reflect assignments or goals that are longer than the performance appraisal period.   If a multiple phase project is being evaluated, then it is important to name the specific outcome that is expected for the current period. 

• How to Write Performance Standards as Outcome Statements:

  Each Performance Standard (PS) must be written as an outcome statement.  We will use the following example Program/Project/Function Objective (PPFO) Element from a Branch Chief in the Flight Systems Implementation Branch at ARC. (Completed Sample Plan)

  
  

  Note that all of the Performance Standards are written as outcomes.  Instead of writing the requirement as a verb: “Ensure test facilities are utilized with no unscheduled downtime,” the PS is written as an outcome in the form of a noun: “Centrifuge Test Facilities and equipment are utilized with no unscheduled downtime.” 

  For each PS you write, you should make sure that each statement is written in terms of what the result or outcome of the activity will be. A good way of double checking this is to write each PS as nouns and not as verbs.  If you are still having trouble with it, you can start with the list of tasks the employee needs to complete then ask yourself: What will the end result be if this task is performed to my expectations?

• How to Write Performance Standards at the “Meets Expectations” Level:

  To write a Performance Standard (PS) at the “Meets Expectations” level means that each one must be written according to the minimum level of output that will result in a “Meets Expectations” Rating.  Again referring to our example:
  
  
  
  The first PS written explains that the Centrifuge Test Facilities are operated within 1-5 days of approved schedule and at or below approved budget.

  This means that if Test Facilities are operated within that time frame, the employee can expect to receive a “Meets Expectations.”  In this way if Jim operates the facilities significantly below budget or ahead of schedule, it would contribute towards a higher rating on this element.  Another example is on PS 3 in regards to customer satisfaction – the standard indicates that customers must be “satisfied.”  If Jim’s customers rated their experience as “Outstanding” or “Excellent,” it would also contribute to a higher rating.

• How to Include Specific Measures:

  Not every Performance Standard has to have a quantitative measure assigned to it, but whenever possible, supervisors should include specific deadlines, time limitations, budget restrictions, or other measures for quality, quantity, timeliness, or cost-effectiveness. 

  Examples:

  • Proposal for new work is completed by September 30 (timeliness)
  • Attended 60% of all department meetings (quantity)
  • Customer feedback indicates that customers are satisfied (quality)
  • Project delivered at or below budget (cost-effectiveness)
  • Project delivered according to approved schedule (timeliness)
  • Instituted new process to improve cost effectiveness by 20% (cost-effectiveness)

Questions to Ask Yourself When Writing Performance Standards:

• Are all the PS nouns describing a specific outcome?
• Have I included specific measures (e.g., quality, quantity, timeliness, and cost-effectiveness)?
• Is there room for performance above and below the stated outcome?
• Does the PS adequately communicate my expectations to the employee?
• Does the PS collectively represent every expected outcome from the element?
• Did I review the written performance standards for the mandatory elements and make any needed changes?

Detailed and Matrixed Employees:

When employees are detailed or matrixed, it is still the responsibility of the home supervisor (supervisor of record) to conduct a performance planning session and to complete a performance plan for that employee.  It is important that every employee’s performance plan accurately represent the entire body of work that is expected of that employee for the coming year. If you have an employee that is detailed or matrixed to another organization(s), it is your responsibility to confer with the Project Manager of the detail or matrix assignment to determine if any additional performance elements or standards need to be added.