May 13, 2010
Espinoza on performance reviews: Staff need, want to know
by Diana Pounds
"Look at what Iowa State employees have done these past two years. They are people who, for the most part, are extremely dedicated to Iowa State. They deserve the courtesy of hearing how their supervisors think they are doing."
-- Carla Espinoza
Carla Espinoza admits it. She doesn't enjoy giving performance reviews.
"Sometimes, you're trying to deliver a tough message and it's uncomfortable," she said.
But like them or not, the associate vice president for human resource services (HRS) is passionate about performance reviews. She said reviews are just as important to employees as they are to the organization.
"Most employees are desperate for some communication from their supervisors," she said. "They want to know how they're doing, whether they're contributing. They want to know because they want to improve their performance.
"Look at what Iowa State employees have done these past two years," she added. "They are people who, for the most part, are extremely dedicated to Iowa State. They deserve the courtesy of hearing how their supervisors think they are doing."
In the Q&A below, Espinoza answers some common questions about performance reviews.
When should performance reviews occur?
Merit staff have scheduled merit review dates. While managers often do
performance reviews for professional and scientific staff around this
time of year, reviews can be done any time. The most important thing is
that P&S staff receive reviews at least annually.
Do you have any advice for supervisors giving reviews?
Remember that giving employees candid evaluations helps them grow. They
end up being better producers. This is a big part of the job. You're not
just managing money and programs. You have to manage the people who go
with them.
Do you have any advice for employees facing reviews?
It's worthwhile for employees to have a bulleted list of
accomplishments. While tangibles are important, don't forget that
intangibles are equally important. For example, writing and securing a
grant or funds for a project are important, but so is the effort to
collaborate or build relationships or lead teams. Try to highlight those
performance successes that resulted in good outcomes for the unit.
Is there a standard review format?
HRS has templates available for supervisors, but supervisors also can
create their own review formats. Those templates should address all
facets of an employee's job responsibility. Online templates
include:
Whether you use a provided template or your own, face-to-face conversation to discuss the written evaluation is an important part of the evaluative process. The primary purpose of the evaluation is to engage in dialogue about the work, the quality of work and overall productivity.
What happens to performance reviews?
A performance review should be filed in the employee's unit. It's also
encouraged that a copy of an employee's performance evaluation be sent
to the HRS service center (3810 Beardshear), where it becomes part of
the employee's official personnel file.
The review also can be attached to the review confirmation form that should be sent to HRS whenever a performance review has been completed. Confirmation forms for both P&S and merit staff are available on the university form templates site.
Where can I get help dealing with performance reviews?
HRS' employee/labor relations office helps staff deal with reviews as
well as conflicts and issues that arise in the workplace. A good place
to start is the employee labor
relations website. Or call the office at 4-3753.
Training sessions on the new P&S performance management program are useful for those who supervise P&S staff. Upcoming sessions are: May 18, June 10 and June 23. Sign up through AccessPlus ("employee tab", then "HRS training" and "courses").
In addition, HRS is willing to provide on-site P&S Performance Management Training. For more information please contact the employee relations office at 4-3753.
