Most hardworking employees attach at least some small portion of their identities to their work performance. So no matter how professional and impersonal a review process may be, managers can still expect annual appraisals to have an emotional impact on an employee, alter his or her sense of confidence, and provide some personal motivation for the year ahead.

And because of this factor, the message left behind by an appraisal is best kept simple. To be remembered and to motivate action, any emotionally loaded message should stay short, clear, and centered around a limited number of key points.

Here are a few moves that can help managers avoid over-thinking the appraisal process. When managers stop over-thinking, employees stop over-thinking, and both parties can focus their attention on action and change.

1. Start with a simple form.

Both self-appraisals and official employee appraisals should be completed on a self-explanatory form. Reduce confusion at the start by limiting the number of questions and ranked items, and phrasing them in a way that leaves the smallest possible room for interpretations. Rating scales should be easy to interpret and next steps should be easy to deduce. If you are using or thinking about switching to automated appraisal forms and software, select one that offers appraisal templates – no need to reinvent the wheel when you can rely on simple and proven appraisal forms.

2. Include simple goals.

Keep the process meaningful by staying goal-oriented from the first draft of your employee appraisals to the last. Every move you make, every edit, and every word on the appraisal form should connect to a specific purpose that directly supports the company. Assigning goals should also be as simple and as consistent as possible. Managers should have an easy way to create and cascade certain goals to their team or department and employees should have a clear view of how their goals directly contributes to the goals of the organization.

3. End with a simple repository for comments.

Tie up any loose ends (and allow your managers and employees to tie them up as well) by allowing limited space for open-ended comments after each question or ranked item. Use the comment section to allow reviewers to clarify why they made certain choices or offered the responses they chose. Try not to let the comment section add to the confusion by allowing managers to make statements that can’t be proven or quantified. And discourage calls to action or improvement plans that can’t be easily understood or executed. To eliminate any inaccurate comments or ratings, we recommend encouraging employees and managers to keep a year-round account of feedback and performance notes and then using them in their appraisal to support their comments. See emPerform tag

No matter what your current appraisals look like, there is always room to simplify the process. Whether you are looking to clean up current forms, merge questions or sections, or simply reduce the confusion by providing helpful and clear ratings and/or areas for documented feedback, the golden rule should always be clarity and simplicity.

To learn more about emPerform appraisal templates and easy-to-use software for conducting reviews, contact us at 1.877.711.0367 or email info@employee-performance.com

Don’t worry – when it comes to mapping out technical requirements, there are 3 questions you should ask:

1. How much does my IT team need to be involved? To answer this, start by deciding which deployment option you prefer – hosted (SaaS) or on-premise. Many businesses prefer the low-maintenance and quick set-up of a hosted solution however there are some organizations whose technical infrastructure can support an on-premise solution or whose regulatory environment insists that all data be stored on-site. If you are free to decide, choose a software platform that requires minimal tech support (and I’m sure your IT team would agree). The best and more versatile platforms, like emPerform may require IT assistance for the initial set up. But after that, a great system allows modifications to forms and workflows with limited IT involvement.

2. Is the solution a fit for my technical needs? Don’t worry, few people outside your technical team are able to answer this with certainty. We recommend that you involve your IT staff in the selection process by asking them to outline the technical requirements for either a hosted or on-premise solution and by asking them to revise any technical terms of the contract. Some common technical elements include integration requirements, hardware requirements, single-sign on requirements and backup requirements.

3. How will I need my IT team on an ongoing basis? Look into the future and determine how you’ll handle upgrades. An on-premises upgrade usually requires a few hours of IT labor, while a hosted services requires none. Make sure any IT time required is outlines and agreed upon before implementing your software – that way your IT team is aware of what they are responsible for during and after implementation.

Choosing a performance management software platform can sometimes sound a lot more complicated that it has to be. The right vendor will work with you from the beginning to determine your exact requirements (business and technical) and guide you through the process. To learn more, visit: http://www.employee-performance.com/deployment_options.html

Using multiple perspectives to complete employee reviews is quickly becoming the standard for an effective performance management strategy. Managers often have a limited perspective when it comes to assessing employees and 360° feedback offers the ability to gain insight from people who work closely with one another to generate fair and accurate reviews that have value and can be used for decision making.

“We are pleased to offer this latest release to our customers,” said Anant Rege, our Chief Technical Officer. “We know that many of today’s businesses require more than just manager feedback in the performance appraisals process.   Managers and employees need a tool that enables ongoing feedback and a 360° account of performance and goals. This latest release adds that and more to a set of robust tools already present in emPerform.”

emPerform 360° review functionality is included with the software at no additional cost and enables:

• Employee and/or manager 360° peer nomination
• Status tracking of 360° reviews
• Visibility of 360° results from inside appraisal forms
• Automated email notifications for 360° reviewers and managers

Version 4.4 is currently available for upgrade to all emPerform customers.

For more information about emPerform, visit: www.employee-performance.com

Download the Whitepaper: The Changing Face of 360° Reviews and Performance Feedback

Company success is riding on how well your managers are able to assess, coach, and reward employee performance and development. Completing accurate reviews and ensuring year-round goal management, coaching, and feedback are carried out and documented can be kryptonite for even the best of the best.

What can HR do to help managers transform how they approach appraisals and coaching? It’s time to let emPerform step in and help!

• Power Writing Assistance: All managers struggle at times to deliver the right comments and feedback in appraisals. With automated writing assistance tools built right into your performance management software, HR can swoop in with suggested content for managers to use to support their ratings.
• Amazing 360° Vision: Without access to super-human vision and hearing, having an easy way to collect and use 360° peer feedback inside reviews is the best way to make sure supervisors have a true view of performance and are properly rating and rewarding employees.
• Notes & Feedback in a Flash: Trying to remember a year’s worth of employee performance and documenting coaching & feedback is an enormous task for your company’s supervisors. Give managers a simple way to send and receive instant feedback and attach files and notes throughout the year – you’ll be surprised how accurate and fair assessments can be when managers are given this power.
• Faster than a Speeding Bullet: Tired of reminding managers to get appraisals and compensation plans completed? The days of HR being the villain are over! With easy online access, automated email reminders and status dashboards, your software can work for you to keep managers and employees on-track and ensure appraisals are submitted on-time.

Give your managers the tools they need to take your performance appraisals soaring to new heights. emPerform comes standard with manager assistance tools as well as the features and functionality that your company needs to execute a winning talent strategy – all in one easy-to-use package.

Get Started! See how easy it can be to get powerful online appraisals and super manager assistance tools. Contact us to request pricing or to schedule a demo. 1.877.711.0367

SaaS providers allow companies to access data and applications on a secure network that can be reached remotely. This removes servers from the physical location of the company, and it eliminates the need for maintenance, since the provider offers this service in exchange for a monthly or annual fee according to the terms of a given contract. So as you search for a SaaS provider to handle your talent management data and applications, what should you prioritize? And what should you watch out for?

Questions to ask before signing a SaaS contract:

1. How much experience do you have? You want to make sure your talent management software provider has the experience needed to guarantee a flawless hosted experience. As with any other vendor or outside service provider, you tend to get what you pay for. So if an offer seems too good to be true, take a closer look at the company’s experience and reputation.
2. Can you describe your network security? You don’t just want a provider that will hold onto your data; you also want to protect it from security breaches, loss and damage. Be sure to ask about security protocols, data backup policies, and compliance with your industry’s data security regulations. Also inquire about the recovery of your data should you choose to terminate the contract.
3. What is included in the contract? This is the most important question to ask and to ensure is outlined clearly in your contract. Request a line-itemed contract so that you know exactly what you are getting and what you are paying for each piece. Ask for all charges related to:
   • Implementation
   • Configurations, customizations, and integrations
   • Consulting and training
   • License fees
   • Storage and maintenance
   • Misc./other
4. Why would the pricing change and what are the payment terms? What happens if I need another user, more storage, etc? When is payment due? Find out how often you will be making payments and for how long. Specifically, ask about:
   • Payment terms
   • Contract length (and if there is a discount for signing to a longer term)
   • Method of payment
   • Penalties for breach of contract
5. Is the SLA clear and up-do-date? A company’s Service Level Agreement should be well defined in the contract and your vendor should be prepared to answer any questions that you, your I.T. department, or your purchasing department have regarding the agreement. It is important that your vendor’s service level agreement reflect what your organization will require to ensure success with your talent management software.
6. How often do upgrades occur? Your SaaS contract should outline very specific details surrounding the frequency of upgrades, if they are mandatory, how it will affect your instance, and what is required of you (if anything) when upgrades occur.

Choosing to deploy your talent management software in a hosted (SaaS) environment has many benefits and will continue to be the deployment of choice for companies looking to lessen the burden on their I.T. infrastructure. Ensure your SaaS contract is clear and well understood by both parties. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and seek clarification – after all, we are not all versed in contract law. A great vendor will work with you and your team to understand every aspect of the contract.

For more information about hosted employee performance management software, visit: http://www.employee-performance.com/deployment_options.html

To request a detailed quote of emPerform’s all-inclusive performance management suite, contact us.

See also, To Host or Not to Host – Choosing the Right Deployment for Your Talent Management Software

Talent Management: Monitor Training Versus Hiring Costs

1. Sometimes it’s better to avoid hiring a “superstar.” If you pay a salary premium for a candidate who’s already been trained, and then bring him on board with sky-high expectations, you may soon find that his specific training (and possibly his entitled attitude) aren’t the perfect match you had in mind. Instead, try hiring untrained candidates with the work ethic, humility, and enthusiasm that predict quick learning and future loyalty. Then train them in-house. The one-time cost of this training process will pay for itself over and over.
2. Follow up. Effective training is an art and a science, and success depends on manager coaching skill, not just employee aptitude. Teach your managers to communicate training goals clearly and follow-up consistently to make sure employees are successfully retaining what they’re taught at every step.
3. Get things right from the start. The best way to sidestep underperformance is by hiring and training the right person in the first place. Once your top candidates are on board, you can rely on emPerform’s talent management tools to keep employee goals and guidelines in line with the demands of a specific position. Use emPerform to keep performance and development on track, and you’ll spend less time and energy on exhausting coaching efforts after each review cycle.

For more information, visit www.employee-performance.com

This informative newsletter outlines the latest news and offers from emPerform, including some great Talent Management resources.

Click here to read.

In this issue:

• Goal Setting for Results
• The Top 10 Appraisal Mistakes Managers Often Make
• Whitepaper: The Changing Face of 360° Reviews
• Case Study: Gamma-Dynacare Medical Laboratories
• Painless Performance Reviews
• Get Started with emPerform

Sign up to receive the latest issue by adding your email to the list. Click here to subscribe.

As we hear over and over again in the world of HR and talent management, a company’s most valuable form of capital is its human capital. This tends to hold true regardless of the company’s size, its years in the marketplace, or its industry sector. People are often the most expensive asset a company may hold, but they’re also the most central to organizational success. So what can you do to make sure to reach your goals by helping your employees reach theirs? Keep these tips in mind.

The math is simple: Employee Performance Equals Company Success

1. Keep all channels of communication open all the time. Effective managers and HR staff maintain open door policies and never shut down or close out workers who ask for resources that can help them do their jobs. These employee performance resources may include anything from better tools, to more reliable software, to flexible schedules, to compensation for independent training and education programs. But managers can’t help if they aren’t listening to their employees.
2. Keep track of employee performance as well as growth. Software tools like emPerform can support this effort. If you keep accurate records of the past and clear goals in mind for the future, you’ll be able to easily identify low performers who are making great progress, and you’ll also be able to spot high performers who are starting to stagnate.
3. Each employee in your workplace carries two sets of goals: one set relates to the company and its mission, and the other relates to the long term path of his or her own career. Respect both of these goal sets equally, and do everything you can to help employees advance steadily and reach their personal milestones. The more seriously you take an employee’s individual career path, the more seriously this person will take the future of the company.

For more information, visit www.employee-performance.com

Employee Performance Problems: Final Considerations before Termination

Before you take the final steps and make the termination official, be sure to address each of these last important considerations:

1. Have you examined every documented conversation and every assigned success metric for signs of bias? To avoid a wrongful termination lawsuit, you’ll need to make sure your employment contract allows termination on your stated grounds. And no legal agreement allows a dismissal that reflects racial, gender, religious, or ethnic discrimination.
2. Are your success metrics an accurate reflection of the requirements of this job? If the employee completes the necessary aspects of the job adequately, but lacks social skills or other unrelated credentials, stop and think before you put the company through a drawn-out re-staffing process.
3. How clear was your final warning? Did you present the warning in writing and ask the employee to sign it?
4. Have you been using proper processes and systems to draft and monitor performance improvement plans, goals, and development milestones? Turnover is expensive. Don’t invest in months of training and hiring only to lose a qualified employee for the wrong reasons.
5. Have you considered relocating the employee to another position? Performance issues in a certain role do not necessarily reflect overall inadequacy. If an employee has certain skill sets or strengths in other areas, consider a lateral movement in the company. If an employee’s skills could be better used elsewhere, the employee might engage better and finally meet expectations.
6. Have you been keeping track of outside events that may be influencing the employee’s performance? If these obstacles are surmountable, try to salvage the situation through other means. For example, consider placing the employee on temporary leave or requiring him to attend a drug abuse, grief counseling, or job retraining program. A move like this might protect the employee and bolster the company’s reputation.
7. Finally, are you 100% certain that adequate coaching and feedback was provided at every stage? Hiring and training and employee too expensive and important to give up in the last leg of the race. Employee performance issues, especially in roles that are highly task-oriented, can often times be diagnosed faster and helped if there are mechanisms in place that enable constant communication and feedback between the employee and manager.

If you are looking for a better way to document employee performance, automate development plans and goal setting, and enable real-time coaching and feedback, take a look at emPerform. emPerform’s online performance management software gives managers to tools needed to identify and monitor performance issues and provides the documentation and metrics needed to support termination decisions. Try for free at www.employee-performance.com