How to carry out a performance evaluation of a worker

What is a performance evaluation?

Performance appraisal is a measurement tool that has changed over time. It was used to assess the degree of compliance with the expectations and objectives that the company had; however, currently, other parameters such as individual skills, relationships with colleagues or job-related competencies are added.

What should a good performance evaluation look like?

A good performance evaluation must be done from all possible points of view. Therefore, the evaluation of an employee must be made from the point of view of their direct manager, their colleagues, the people they are in charge of, from themselves in the form of a self-evaluation and, if possible, from the customer´s point of view. By doing this, we can obtain a complete picture of the worker and get to know their strengths, abilities and aptitudes in depth.

It is convenient for an external company to carry out this performance evaluation because in this way the result will not be conditioned by any internal aspects; an outside figure can be more objective than someone inside the company.

There are several types of performance evaluation, let´s take a look at some:

Evaluation by objectives

This is the easiest to explain and implement. Some objectives are established and we check if they are met within the stipulated period, so it is only of value if the goals set are achieved.

Competency assessment

This type of evaluation is designed based on the position or positions that we want to evaluate. We analyse the tasks and functions they have to develop and see the skills that this position requires. Once this is done, the person is evaluated according to these competencies and so it can be determined if they really fit the position.

Evaluation through worker satisfaction

This area must be given the same weight as the others, we cannot focus exclusively on performance or objectives, each worker is a key component of our company and we must try to make them feel as satisfied and happy as possible in their job. In addition, a happy and accomplished worker is a more productive and motivated worker, which creates a good work environment.

Evaluation through one-to-one meetings

It consists of scheduling informal meetings between a worker and superior to talk about the current situation, possible problems that have been detected and the ideas or proposals that each one has to solve them. This type of evaluation seeks to advance, that is, it seeks progress through collaboration.

360º evaluation, the most complete and human

A 360º evaluation is the one that incorporates the opinion of all those who work with the individual being assessed: superiors, colleagues, people in charge, a self-evaluation and, if possible, the client. And why do we think that its the most complete? Because not only objectives or results are being evaluated, but also other aspects such as motivation or problem-solving capacity, it is an evaluation of the person and not the statistics.

With this type of evaluation, we will learn more about the employee´s way of working and relating to colleagues, as well as their opinion of their position. We will know if they are satisfied and motivated, if they favour a good working environment and if ultimately if they fit in with our company and our team.

When we do a performance evaluation, it is important not only to value the data and statistics, but also the person in front of us. Knowing their opinion, if they are happy, if their work is motivating and if they fit in with the rest of the team is just as important as the objective data we can get about results. The motivation of your team and their commitment to your company is what will bring you good results.