A Handbook for Measuring Employee Performance - Office of ...

step 4
step 4:
convert expected accomplishments
into performance elements,
indicating type and priority
DEVELOPING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE PLANS
In Steps 2 and 3 of the process presented in this
handbook, you developed the expected accomplishments
for the work unit and the unit’s employees.
Now, in Step 4, you will:
❙ identify which accomplishment(s) should be included
as elements in the performance plan
❙ select which type of element to use
❙ assign weights or priorities
All employees must have at least one critical element
in their performance plan. Critical elements must
address individual performance only, except in the
case of supervisors who may be held responsible for
a work unit’s products or services. Work unit performance
can be addressed through non-critical or
additional performance elements. In appraisal programs
with only two summary levels, work unit
performance can be addressed only through additional
performance elements.
Once you have classified elements as either critical,
non-critical, or additional, and if your appraisal program
allows, prioritize them so that work units and
employees know which elements are most important.
One way to do this is to distribute 100 percentage
points across the elements based on each one’ s
importance to the organization. (Programs usually
allocate weights in five-percent increments.)
HOW CAN YOU DETERMINE WHICH
ELEMENTS ARE CRITICAL?
Remember that critical elements are work assignments
or responsibilities of such importance that
unacceptable performance on the element would
result in a determination that an employee’s overall
performance is unacceptable. Defining critical elements
must be done thoughtfully because an
employee’s unacceptable performance on any critical
element could be the basis for an adverse action. To
help decide whether an element should be classified
as critical or not, answer the following questions:
❙ Is the element a major component of the work?
If you answered “yes,” the element might be critical.
❙ Does the element address individual performance
only? Elements measuring group performance cannot
be critical elements, except as explained for supervisors
and only under certain circumstances.
❙ If the employee performed unacceptably on the element,
would there be serious consequences to completing the
work of the organization? If employee error on the element
affects the work unit’s accomplishments, the element
may be critical.
❙ Does the element require a significant amount of the
employee’s time? If you answered “yes,” the element
might be critical.
Unless prescribed by your appraisal program, there is
no fixed or uniform number of critical elements to
be included in the performance plan; the number
varies with the work assignments and may vary from
year to year in response to changing program
emphases. However, every employee must have at
least one critical element.
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 43