Evaluations: Because We All Can Improve
The holiday season has ramped up, and everyone is busy with work and personal obligations. It’s a time of busyness not just for our company, but also for education stakeholders in federal, state, and local agencies. But even in the midst of this joyful but harried time of year, QIP chooses to take a short hiatus from our day-to-day responsibilities to reflect on staff productivity and satisfaction over the past calendar year. Yes, the last two months of the year is the time when we conduct our annual staff evaluations.
In some organizations, evaluations are largely a formality, but we have a different perspective on the process. Evaluations offer our organization the opportunity to (1) evaluate individual productivity and work quality; (2) discuss the future direction of staff responsibilities; (3) assess staff satisfaction; and (4) gather feedback regarding how our people, projects, and organization are managed.
At QIP, the evaluation process begins when each employee receives a written evaluation from his or her supervisor. The written draft is followed up by telephone meetings, during which staff members can discuss the evaluation with the supervisor and set goals for the following year.
As managers, we understand that a review—particularly when it comes to areas for improvement—can sometimes make people feel defensive, unappreciated, or undervalued . . . but we hope to convey the opposite: our employees are very much appreciated and valued. When conducting evaluations, we stress our belief that we can all improve in some way—and that includes the Principals. As such, we encourage staff to get the most out of the evaluation process by welcoming constructive feedback on both demonstrated strengths and areas in which they can grow and improve.
We also tell our staff to think seriously about how to set achievable goals for next year that are meaningful to both QIP and the employee. We are confident that all of our staff want to do a good job and improve their skills and performance. Our annual evaluation process contributes to our individual and collective development, and we encourage employees to embrace the process. It’s an opportunity to exchange perspectives, think about evolving roles within the company, and grow as valued professionals.
