Effective Performance involves a shared responsibility between Employees, Management and TSU.

  • Employee Responsibility: Employees are responsible for their own performance and career management.
  • Manager Responsibility: Managers are responsible for supporting employee growth by providing feedback and coaching.
  • TSU’s Responsibility: TSU is responsible for providing the tools and resources for performance development.

Online Learning Opportunities:

(Contact HRhelp@tsu.edu to request online training information)

  • Performance Appraisals – How to Conduct Effectively
  • Coaching for Superior Employee Performance
  • Measuring Job Performance – What Supervisors and Managers Need to Know
  • Business Writing for Employees
  • Email Best Practices for Employees
  • Phone Skills Training

Why We Evaluate Performance

  • Have a record of performance
  • Give feedback on performance in a formal way
  • Receive feedback from your employee
  • Measure performance and track progress
  • Acknowledge contributions/ recognize achievements
  • Identify areas for growth and improvements and create action plans/ goals for success

The Evaluation Process

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How to Use Bullseye Performance Management - Guides

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Tools for Managers

Preparing to Write an Evaluation – Before you get started in writing an evaluation for your employee, make sure that you have these items with you:

  • Employee’s self-evaluation
  • Past notes/documentation on the employee
  • Record of what trainings your employee has completed
  • Copy of Performance Improvement Plans/Write Ups/Disciplinary Action
  • Copy of last year’s performance review
  • Employee job description/ last year’s goals

Successful Evaluation Meetings – A Performance Review should be a Dialogue, not a Lecture.

  • Review and Discuss past performance – Be fair, have proper documentation (don’t rely on just memory)
  • Discuss where things are right now and what needs to be done to improve – Don’t compare your employees. View them as individuals; Don’t make excuses for your employees, Focus on results.
  • Discuss the future plans, goals and objectives

The difference between a dream and a goal: Dreams are visions of what you want to achieve or who you want to be. Goals are clear, specific and
measurable and they have a deadline.

Handling the appraisal meeting – Tips for Supervisors

The Evaluation Meeting

  • Schedule the meeting in advance. Make sure that you have a quiet, private room with no disruptions (a conference room is a good choice). Be sure to schedule enough time for a discussion (1 – 1.5hrs)
  • Welcome the employee; put the employee at ease.
  • Let the employee start
  • Listen and take notes.
  • Maintain good eye contact and attentive posture.
  • Reflect back to the employee your understanding of what the employee said.
  • Don’t interrupt, but ask questions only for clarification.
  • Apply the 90/10 Rule: the employee talks 90% of the time and you talk 10% of the time.
  • Be non-judgmental
  • Compare the actual specific performance results and behaviors to the standards. Stay away from an attitude or personality focus.
  • Keep the appraisal open to employee input.
  • Ask the employee for ideas about how to resolve problems.
  • Focus on the future, not on the past.
  • Emphasize strengths, as well as areas that need improvement.
  • Be honest and be prepared to discuss questionable items. Support the employee’s effort to improve.
  • Set goals, expectations, and standards together for the next appraisal. Goals should be SMART: Specific; Measurable; Attainable; Relevant; Timely.
  • Discuss development/training plans with the employee.
  • Summarize the session and end on a positive note.

Handling employee behaviors

If the employee becomes defensive or makes excuses:

  • Listen to what the employee has to say and paraphrase back. Remain neutral. Maintain eye-contact.
  • Ask for specifics with open-ended questions.
  • Try to determine the cause: “Tell me more.” “How did you reach that conclusion?”
  • Ask how the employee will resolve the problem.

If the employee becomes angry:

  • Stay calm and centered. Maintain eye-contact.
  • Listen to what the employee has to say and paraphrase back.
  • Let the employee “run down” for as long as s/he needs until the employee can listen to you.
  • Avoid arguments.
  • Bring discussion and focus back to performance and standards.
  • Say the employee’s name, and ask open-ended questions.

If the employee is unresponsive or withdraws:

  • Be patient and friendly.
  • Show concern.
  • Stay silent, and wait for the employee to say something.
  • Ask open-ended questions.
  • Note that the employee is unresponsive.
  • Encourage the employee that you want to hear his or her input, and this input is important to you

Tools for Employees

Tips for a successful evaluation meeting:

  • Remember that the appraisal meeting is a discussion and a dialog between you and your supervisor.
  • Maintain good eye-contact, attentive posture, and a professional manner.
  • Listen and take notes.
  • Reflect back to your supervisor your understanding of what your supervisor said.
  • Compare the actual specific performance results and behaviors to the standards. Stay away from blaming others and making excuses.
  • Emphasize strengths, as well as areas that need improvement.
  • Be honest and take responsibility.
  • Provide your ideas on how to resolve problems.
  • If you don’t agree with your supervisor, ask for specific examples.
  • Set goals, expectations, and standards together for the next appraisal. Goals should be SMART: Specific; Measurable; Attainable; Relevant; Timely.
  • Discuss development and training needs.
  • Tell your supervisor what you need to do your job more efficiently

Be willing to discuss:

    • What are your major accomplishments?
    • What could you have done better?
    • Do you understand what is expected of you? Are performance standards and work rules clear?
    • What training or professional development do you need?
    • Would you like to see your responsibilities change? How? Why?
    • What career goals do you have? What do you need to attain those goals?
    • How are relationships going with your co-workers? What could they do to help you perform your job better?
    • What could your supervisor do to help you perform your job better