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Take a Quiz
30 under 30
Young Professionals
REALTOR® Emeritus | Retaining Top Personnel PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT | | |||
|  The Cost of Turnover Orientation Motivation Coaching and Mentoring Training Goal Setting Performance Assessment Resignation and Termination More Resources: Retaining Top Personnel Code of Ethics: Retaining Top Personnel | PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT As independent contractors, salespeople will not have formal performance reviews tied to compensation. But taking the time to do semi-annual assessments can help improve communications, enhance sales, and aid retention. Why Do Performance Assessments? Everyone hates to write performance reviews, right? So why bother?
From Effective Performance Appraisals, 3rd edition, Robert Maddux, Crisp Publications, 1993 9 Things to Do Before an Assessment Although independent contractors do not receive formal assessments tied to salary, regular meetings to discuss goals and performance remain an essential part of management. Not all salespeople will be successful, and providing regular feedback on performance helps them improve and, if necessary, alerts them to the possibility that their contracts will be terminated. 1. Ask salespeople to do written self-assessments of production, customer service, and skills needed to perform the job. 2. Spend time reviewing both the salesperson’s annual goals and your company’s goals for the sales force before conducting a performance assessment. 3. Inform salespeople of the assessment date at least a week and ask them to bring their current-year and next-year business plans to the session. 4. Develop a standardized ranking system, using number or words such as “outstanding,” “good,” and “fair.” 5. Create a positive setting, without interruptions. 6. Make notes to yourself on the points you want to address about the salesperson’s performance and the suggestions you want to make for improvement. 7. Concentrate on facts, not opinions. Use first-hand examples to support your statements. TIP: Keep notes throughout the evaluation period; otherwise your judgment may be clouded by recent events or by the memory of one big event. —Dr. Robert Ramsey,“How to Write Better Employee Evaluations,” Supervision, June 1998 8. Don’t try to cover every minor point; concentrate on major issues with the greatest impact on performance. 9. After the appraisals, evaluate yourself. Look for trends that indicate the need for systemic training. —David Cohen, Towers Perrin, in “Making Sure Employees Measure Up,” HR Magazine, March 2001 TIP: Don’t wait until a performance assessment to give either good or bad news, comment on performance as it occurs. Tips for Conducting an Assessment > | |