Performance evaluations are an important factor for the employer and the employee. They do three basic things. They set the expectations for the employee so they know exactly what is required from them. They give the employee feedback on how they are doing with those expectations. They also give a clear plan of action. This plan of action is a benefit for both parties. It helps employee reach goals he or she may have and it keeps the employer from facing any legal complications.

One of the hardest things for an employer to do is to give a negative performance evaluation. It is very important to have your evaluation clearly mapped out. Know what needs to be said before it is being given. To accomplish this we have five guidelines that can help us prepare to offer an effective evaluation of poor performance.

The first step is to confront problems right away. For any time issues are not dealt with using a sense of urgency, problems develop quickly. If other employees see you not dealing with these issues, they can get confused and frustrated thinking that the policies are more flexible than they truly are. Not dealing with performance issues when they happen also keep you from having appropriate “evidence” when it is time for a performance review. We should always remember that an employee should never be shocked when receiving a performance review.

The step is to plan what you must say. Emotional reactions can often throw you off. Have a plan and stick to the plan. Having a plan of what to say also gives you a clear destination and a path to get there.

The third step is to deliver the message in private. It is very important for the morale of the recipient to make sure that any negative reviews or instruction is kept private. This is for both moral and legal reasons. Give positive feedback in public and negative in private.

The fourth guideline is to focus on the problem.  Never attack the person. Always focus on the action. Also focusing on the problem keeps the meeting on task. The employee can take a productive meeting and throw it off course by bringing up other issues.

The final step is to ask for a commitment from employee. This is very important. You want them to have a clear task with specific time frames that can be followed up on.  Ultimately this is the whole purpose of the review.

Negative reviews can be a huge challenge. Taking the time to go through these steps can greatly increase the success of your review. It will also give you more confidence because you will have a clear course of action.