Employer Performance Management Systems: How to be a Top Performer

In an ideal situation, the assessment process consists of regular meetings between employee and supervisor to discuss future goals and objectives, as well as past performance toward meeting objectives set forth in previous assessments. Setting objectives in the beginning is the most important part of this process, as well the most overlooked one. The reason this is important is because it tells you what your manager expects of you before you begin working.



If you don’t know what they expect, how can you possibly be a top performer? In most cases, this step is missed because employees wait for their boss to schedule a meeting or provide to them a list of expectations. Managers/ supervisors frequently skip this step because they don’t want to take the time. You must be proactive in making sure this step gets accomplished. Remember, it is your evaluation and subsequent raise that is at stake.



Ask your boss to have a 15-minute expectations meeting. Take notes on what he/ she says. Then, send your boss an e-mail simply restating what was discussed in the meeting. Give your boss the opportunity to verify, add or change anything in the e-mail. This step is critical because bosses sometimes forget. This document can be very important for future reference, both legally and career-wise. We’ve heard from many employees who were unhappy with their performance assessments. When asked if they started out with clear expectations from their boss, the answer is “no” in about 90% of these cases. The employee started working on what they thought was important without asking what their boss’ objectives were for hiring them in the first place. Therefore, make sure you’re clear on what your role is and know what’s expected of you right away!



In addition, you need to follow up with your boss at least once a month to check in with him or her about your performance. Performance management happens continuously though the year, not just on the anniversary of your hiring or at your annual review. It is YOUR CAREER, which makes it YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to make sure you are meeting your boss’ objectives. These meetings should be documented by either you or your supervisor and shared. The documentation need not be complex, it can even take the form of a simple e-mail. However, it must include specific examples about the employee’s work in which the employee did or didn’t meet the expectations of the supervisor.



By continuously staying on top of your performance, you do several things that actually help both you and your boss. For one thing, you will have a much better feel for what is expected of you. Also, you will reduce the amount of work for your supervisor when your formal assessment is due by having already documented your goals, and the ways in which you met them. Finally, you will have armed yourself with the documentation (by saving those e-mails) to support your case in the event your boss decides to give you a less-than-favorable end-of-year evaluation.