Frequently Asked Questions About Performance Evaluations

Last updated: August 23, 2021
Estimated reading time: 7 min

Have questions about performance evaluations? We’ve got answers.

1. Is it okay to bring up an issue in an evaluation that I’ve never raised before? How do I frame it if I do?

我们经常提醒经理们，绩效评估中不应该有任何惊喜，因为(理想情况下)你一整年都在给员工反馈——通过定期的检查和反馈。我们不建议“保存”评价反馈，因为你等待的时间越长，它的效果就越差。也就是说，我们知道评估提供了时间来更深入地思考员工的工作表现，这意味着你可能会发现趋势，或者只是想以不同的方式来构建一些东西。如果你发现自己处于这种情况，停下来反思一下。如果这真的是你第一次提出问题(一个优点，一个需要改进的领域，或者一个具体的例子)，通常最好把它留给签入，而不是正式的性能评估。如果这个问题似乎很重要(无论是表扬还是需要改进的地方)，确保你明确承认你应该早点分享它。你可以说，“我意识到我以前从来没有提过这件事，但在反思今年的事情时，我觉得这是值得讨论的重要事情。”

2. What if we didn’t set goals or set expectations about the “how”?

To be successful in their role, staff need to understandhowyou expect them to approach their work, just as clearly as they knowwhatthey’re responsible for achieving. It’s hard to fairly evaluate how well someone demonstrated “adaptability” or “inclusive leadership” if those expectations were never communicated—and defined within the context of the role (“pushes work forward through obstacles, which inevitably arise, and actively seeks input from others”). If this is the case, consider reframing how you evaluate competencies in thewritten evaluation; turn it into a reflection and discussion instead. Do an assessment (and having your staff do a self-assessment) that answers the following questions:

  • 员工表现良好的心态、做法或价值观是什么?这些方法是如何帮助他们获得结果并维护组织价值的?
  • What mindsets, practices, or values could the staff member work on going forward? How will this show up in (and positively impact) their area of work?
  • Summarize: What competencies should they demonstrate in the coming evaluation period?

少关注评级，多关注评价的叙述部分。通过这次谈话来确定哪些事情进行得很顺利，哪些事情可以做得更好，以及对未来的期望。

3. How much should we take context or extenuating circumstances into account when assessing results?

It’s not only reasonable to take context into account: it’s important. We encourage managers to “hold the bigger picture,” weighing effort and context alongside results while working to build thekind of relationshipwhere you can talk openly about challenges that impact performance.

当情有可免的情况是个人的时候，除了“什么”之外，评估“如何”尤为重要。例如，假设你的开发主管没有实现他们的筹款目标，因为他们不得不请更长时间的病假。在这种情况下，你可以考虑他们是如何与你和团队沟通的，或者他们完成项目的情况如何。然而，如果股市下跌阻碍了他们实现筹款目标，你应该承认这种情况，并赞扬他们为使组织接近目标所做的工作。相反，如果他们(勉强)完成了他们的目标，即使收到了一份意想不到的礼物，也可以合理地指出，鉴于捐赠收入的增加，他们实际上应该能够超过目标。This is an excellent opportunity to get curious about what happened, uncover any misunderstandings, and recalibrate around expectations.

4. Should I do anything differently for high-performing staff members?

Here’s the truth: retention is built on cumulative, small moments throughout the year—so don’t save your praise or questions about their ambitions for the end-of-year performance evaluation. You should develop, invest in, appreciate, and talk trajectory with all staff members during check-ins. When it comes time for performance evaluations: summarize and set sights on the year ahead. If someone is doing exceptionally well, use the performance evaluation to formally recognize their work and ensure they feel valued. When noting “areas of improvement,” frame your feedback in terms of how they could go from good to great (or great to greater!). For example, you could say to your communications manager, “You’ve done a great job at managing our editorial calendar and making sure we meet all our deadlines. Because of your work I see us achieving even higher engagement with our base next year. Let’s talk about ideas when we meet.” You can also use this as an opportunity to talk about what their next steps in the organization might be. What might the “next level” look like for them? Are there new responsibilities and challenges they’d like to take on? What would it take to get them to sign on for another two years?

5. When should we do evaluations?

Because performance evaluations often go hand-in-hand with promotion decisions (which typically come with raises), aligning your evaluation cycle with your fiscal year makes sense. For some organizations, this means starting the process at the end of the year (say, November or December). We recommend doing all of them at once, rather than timing it with individual work anniversaries. The concentrated timing makes it easier for the whole team to prioritize and focus on performance evaluations. Also, having a performance evaluation “season” creates greater accountability and cements feedback as part of your organizational culture.

6. How much time should we set aside to do evaluations?

我们建议为这个过程提供大量的时间和空间。至少在评估截止前六周，通知所有工作人员评估程序已经开始。让经理们和员工们分享关键的截止日期，并把它们写在日历上:a)自我评估的截止日期;B)管理者评估的截止日期;c)讨论的会议时间。我们强烈建议尽量减少或暂停其他组织范围内的承诺或要求(如调查、新计划等)。组织遇到的一个常见的陷阱是把评估当作人力资源清单上的一个项目，而这个项目是建立在人们已经在做的“真正的工作”之上的。相反，你应该把它作为一个优先事项来帮助你重新调整、留住和培养你所需要的团队。

7. My organization has never done evaluations before. What do I need to do to get started?

Make sure you have definedroles and goals每个工作人员。这包括他们应该在特定的时间框架内实现的结果，以及他们期望展示的任何价值观、技能或心态。(如果你没有这个基础，你仍然可以创建并发起一个倡议，让所有员工反思和讨论他们的表现，但这与传统的绩效评估略有不同。)

Set aside ample time for the process and assign someone to own it. This person can be your Chief of Staff, HR Director, or a similar role. When it’s time to kick off performance evaluations, start by sharing the “why.” Here are some reasons you can share for doing annual performance evaluations:

  • Impact:To make sure you have the team and results you need to drive your mission.
  • Growth:To be intentional and clear about supporting and empowering your team to grow through feedback, reflection, and direct communication.
  • Equity:To minimize bias and increase two-way accountability between managers and staff.
  • Transparency:明确员工在组织内的晋升机会(以及必要的发展需要)。

Then, share the mechanics of how it’ll work, such as the timeline and MOCHA.Here’s a sample email.

8. I’m the Executive Director/CEO/Principal of my organization. Who should conduct my evaluation? How is my evaluation similar to or different from a standard staff evaluation?

如果你在一家非营利机构工作，你的评估应该由董事会、指导委员会或其他志愿者领导实体进行。在学校系统内，评估可能涉及地区领导、学校董事会或其他监督国家教育标准的机构。Some elements of theExecutive Director evaluation processare similar to a standard staff evaluation, such as gathering input from others, like direct reports and external stakeholders. Here are some of the differences:

  • The evaluation should consider the overall organizational accomplishments, your approach to leadership in line with values, and progress toward longer-range goals (mission).
  • The evaluation is typically discussed by the entire board without any staff present (though only one or two people might be assigned the task of sharing the results and feedback with you).

Findadditional resourceson Performance Evaluations and related topics:

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