Quiz #1 Flashcards
High Expectations
- We have high expectations from employees and public when it comes to compassion, sensitivity and fairness.
- Treating people right does not mean lowering standards, it’s making the standards known and giving people time to reach up to them.
- Fits in with TSA’s promise of doing the most good
Fundamental Fairness Formula (summary)
Nonprofit Risk Management Center’s fundamental fairness formula will help us to meet those high expectations, reduce the risk of lawsuits and avoid public relations problems resulting from claims of unfair treatment.
Fundamental Fairness Formula (5-step method)
- Notice of performance expectations and consequences
- Performance counseling
- Opportunity to correct
- Consistency with internal policies and procedures
- Objective review by someone other than the decision-maker
- Notice of performance expectations and consequences
- Provide the employee with notice of the expectations (example: attendance, dress guidelines, customer service). Refer to Employee Manual or other policy statement.
- Also provide the employee with notice of future consequences if the issue is not resolved.
- Performance counseling
- Meet with the employee to go over how their conduct or performance has fallen short of expectations
- Give notice of consequences should the employee continue to fail to meet the expectations
- Discuss with the employee the steps he/she should take to meet expectations and within what time frame
- Document the session in writing (considered a written warning)
- Opportunity to correct
- Give the employee the opportunity to correct their conduct or performance
- How much time is a reasonable amount of time will depend on the infraction
- If conduct or performance does not improve after the opportunity to correct is given, this shows that the employee has been treated fairly (i.e. was given a second chance)
- Consistency with internal policies and procedures
- Follow progressive discipline guidelines and consult with HR to see if all external laws have been followed
- Consistency is crucial – are other similarly situated employees being treated the same way?
- Follow precedent unless there is a business-related reason to depart from it. If so, document the rationale.
- If conduct or performance has not improved, we can and should move ahead with the consequences
- Objective review
- Before moving ahead with the consequences, seek an objective review from a third party not emotionally involved in the process up to this point
- Document all steps of this process
N.O.T.I.C.E. Checklist
NOTICE: Did the employee have notice of expectations and consequences?
OBJECTIVE review: Can the supervisor explain the business-related reasons for the actions taken to an objective, third-party reviewer?
TIME to correct the deficiencies. Was the employee given a reasonable time to correct deficiencies or improve conduct
INFORM the employee of the consequences that will follow if those goals aren’t met. Document the counseling session (written warning)
COUNSELING: Did the employee receive counseling? Was he/she told that performance is inadequate, his/her job is at risk, and were the goals for the employee to meet the expectations discussed?
EXAMINE the policies and procedures of the organization. Were all relevant procedures followed? If they weren’t’ followed, why not? Is this documented?
Do’s and Don’ts in Performance Evaluations
Performance Evaluations are an important element of the employee/supervisor relationship, but regular, ongoing feedback needs to be provided as well.
Keep the following rules in mind when conducting performance evaluations:
• Avoid subjective comments that aren’t job-related
• Never award undeserved high marks
• Never give an employee whose performance is problematic; a good raise or check a satisfactory or higher rating when the comments reflect performance concerns
• Avoid surprises! The evaluation discussion should not be the first time the employee is made aware of a performance issue.
Add’l Do’s and Don’ts in Performance Evaluations
• Make sure the person completing the evaluation has personal experience supervising the employee, so that the comments on the evaluation reflect personal observation rather than rumor, reputation or hearsay
• It isn’t advisable to make comments that give an excuse for an employee’s failure to meet expectations
• Focus on employee behavior and actions, not on the employee’s intent
• Remember that a change of supervisors may spell trouble
(The fundamental fairness formula is especially important for new supervisors who may come with new expectations)
Literature Review: Top Mistakes
- According to Hastings (2010), the top two notable mistakes to avoid are late evaluations and over-evaluation
- Cadrain (2010) warns us against “sanitized” reviews that fail to identify and document problems
- Segal (2010) cautions us against “delay in implementation
Know Where to Find Current Employment Policies
Be sure you have the most recent versions of the Employee Manual and Supervisor’s Handbook. These are available through Lotus Notes and in hard copy form (by request).
• The Salvation Army Eastern Territory Employee Manual (effective April 1, 2015)
• The Salvation Army Eastern Territory Supervisor’s Handbook (effective October 1, 2005, but most forms have been updated in the Lotus Notes version since that time. Revision is planned for release by October 1, 2015). Suggestions are welcome.
How to Document
Documentation doesn’t have to be elaborate. It can be as simple as the word D.O.C.U.M.E.N.T.
D-DATE AND SIGN the memo.
O-OUTLINE THE CRITICAL FACTS: Answer who, what, when, where, why and how the incident occurred
C-COMMUNICATE notice of expectations and consequences to the employee involved in a one-on-one counseling session, and have the employee sign and date the memo to document session
U-UNSATISFACTORY CONDUCT: Specify what was unsatisfactory and what is expected that they do instead
M-MEMORANDUM: The memo should go in the employee’s file to document that the employee was on notice, received counseling, and was offered a reasonable time to get his or her performance up to snuff.
E-EXPECTATIONS: Identify everyone’s expectations. The employee needs to understand that there is a problem, what the problem is, and what she or he needs to do to fix the problem.
N-NEXT STEPS: Be clear about the next steps on your part and the employee’s part. Tell the employee and write it in a memorandum.
T-TIME FRAME: Give the employee a reasonable time frame to correct his or her performance and reflect the deadline date in the memorandum. Be specific about the end-date of the time frame and what the consequences will be if the performance concerns continue beyond that deadline.
