Writing Effective Performance Objectives
When writing effective performance objectives for employees it is imperative to take several performance related factors into consideration. Every job has certain responsibiliteis in which an employee must find a way to perform as best as possible.
Job Responsibilities
Whether it is through the core qualities of the job or the subtleties that surround it, each employee has a certain responsibility to fulfill. Often times supervisors and management staff may find difficulty in writing effective performance objectives for their employees. Sometimes this has more to do with the performance objectives rather than the employee’s actual performance. The basic components rarely change between job assignments and industries and are always the basis to the key performance objectives.
Writing Performance Objectives
Usually employees are evaluated under four core criteria specifically related to their job:
- Knowledge of work – This has much to do with the employee’s technical knowledge of their job functions and the requirements that are needed to perform their jobs. This may include knowledge and recognition of the general policies and procedures governing the company, as well as the vision and mission of the company.
- Quality of work – This basically takes into consideration the proficiency level of the employee. Does he or she meet required deadlines? Does he or she finish up their normal work duties? These two questions should be considered when rating the employee’s performance.
- Dependability – This is pretty much self explanatory, but it addresses if the employee is dependable and reliable in his or her work. Does he or she follow directions? Does he or she have bad attendance?
- Initiative – Management should analyze the employee’s ability to be effective, efficient and bring value to the team. Is he or shee a go-getter, do they take charge and seek out new or better solutions to eradicate any problems? Is the employee the walking embodiment of the company’s mission statement?
There is no wrong way to write a performance objective. You might consider using the above areas as section headings and either have space for commentary or a series of boxes that you can readily check off as elements of each performance objective that the employee exemplifies or needs to work on. For example, you can set up each performance objective like so:
Knowledge of Work
- Completed required training
- Used resources to solve problems
- Received certification
Quality of Work
- Completed projects on time
- Ensured that daily duties were completed
- Completed weekly reports on time
Dependability
- Always met deadlines
- Has good attendance
- Never abuses sick or annual leave
Initiative
- Helps team members
- Results driven
- Develops solutions to problems
Final Tips
The above is a sample of performance objectives. The more specific you are, the better able you are to measure the employee’s success in meeting the objective.
When you write a performance objective the employee should better understand management’s expectations of them and their position in the company.
When done correctly, a performance objective will provide the employee with a means of self assessment within the workplace. Furthermore, it provides a detailed illustration of completed jobs and expectations of work to be done in the future.
All of the objectives should lead the employee to understand that such objectives are what successful employees do in order to succeed at the company in which they work. With these objective in mind, you will be well on your way to writing an effective performance objective.
