Having an effective performance management program is a key component to having efficient and productive employees. An important aspect of effective performance management programs are the Performance Goals and Expectations, a set of standards which are measurable and which promote a clearer understanding of responsibilities to customers, employees and the organization. Here are some definitions and other relevant information for developing Performance Goals and Expectations:

• What is a goal? A goal is a specific, measurable, outcome-oriented activity to which you commit your efforts
• What is an expectation? An expectation is a specific, measurable, minimum standard of performance to which you commit your efforts.

Based solely on definitions, a goal and an expectation may seem very similar, however there are some key differences. Goals are either achieved or they’re not achieved, expectations however may be met or exceeded at varying levels of performance. A second difference is that goals are time bound, while expectations are continuous. The final difference is that goals link activity to outcome, while expectations link activity to a minimum standard. Now that we have defined goals vs. expectations, the next step is to choose goals and expectations.

Performance expectations cover three general performance areas including: Individual Goals and Primary Objectives; Behavioral Expectations; and Job Expectations. Individual Goals and Primary Objectives are ones that support organizational and/or departmental objectives. Goals in this category are based on financial goals, customer service goals, or other performance measures directly applied to a specific department or division. These are the most important goals toward which an employee will contribute, and therefore they must be observable, measurable and critical to individual, departmental and organizational perforamcen.

In order for an employee to be successful in meeting all goals and expectations, it is important to avoid certain pitfalls. Goals and Expectations that should be avoided include: things that are outside the employee’s span of control; unrealistic goals because of time, resources, and shifting priorities; goals set too low; non-specific goals or expectations; non-prioritized goals; and goals and expectations that are not written down.

The final key to developing performance goals and expectations for excellent employee performance lies in writing the goals and expectations. All goals and expectations should have three components: a task, an outcome or standard, and a measurement dimension. This will ensure that employee understand the goals and expectations clearly, and are able to self asses whether or not they are meeting these goals.

HR Made Simple Users can log in and search Developing Performance Goals for more helpful tools, tips and information

HRSentry President and CEO, Dean Haller, was featured yesterday on Human Resources IQ. The discussion centered around the current state of mobile applications for Human Resources, and what the future may hold.

HRSentry is currently the only business providing an iPhone and iPad app, “HR At Your Fingertips,“  for Human Resources or Human Resources Compliance. Human Resources IQ  gave HRSentry some accolades and said that it was “…quite an achievement to be one of the launch apps in the brand new game changing platform [of the iPad and iPhone app technology].”

“HR At Your Fingertips for the iPad and iPhone features:

• a glossary of over 250 Human Resources related terms
• Primary Federal Laws and Regulations
• The basics of writing an employee handbook based on best practices and law

Listen to the full podcast here and visit Human Resources IQ for more interesting podcasts, discussions, and news-worthy articles. Visit HR At Your Fingertips to check out HRSentry’s Human Resources iPad and iPhone app.

Free Webinar: Please join us on Wednesday July 14^th, 2010 at 2pm for the “Paid Time Off Programs: Should You Combine the Categories?” webinar, presented by Brenda JM Sabin, CHP HRSentry’s Director of Operations and Site Administration. Do you have paid time off programs such as Vacation, holiday, personal, sick time, etc? Many organizations have combined those buckets of time off into one comprehensive Paid Time Off (PTO) or Combined Time Off (CTO) program. This webinar will examine the pros and cons of a combined paid time off program.

Please join us to learn those pros and cons, and the steps necessary to take to make any changes to your current Paid Time Off Program. More information and sign ups are available for the “Paid Time Off Programs:  Should You Combine the Categories?” webinar.

For more information and to register for the webinar please visit our website at www.hrsentry.com.

The Wage and Hour Division (WHD) of the US Department of Labor has provided an Administrator’s Interpretation of the terms “son” and “daughter” as they apply to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). It is important to have clarification of these terms, because they are defined beyond the traditional scope of parent and child relationships.  The clarification of these terms ensures that an employee who assumes the role of caring for a child receives parental rights to family leave regardless of the legal or biological relationship.

The WHD concluded that either day-to-day care or financial support may establish an in loco parentis (in place of parent) relationship where the individual intends to assume the responsibilities of a parent with regard to a child.  However, all cases are different and whether an employee stands in loco parentis to a child will depend on the particular facts of that case.

In addition to in loco parentis, an aunt or uncle who is caring for their young niece or nephew when their single parent has been called to active military duty may exercise their right to family leave. Likewise, a grandparent who assumes responsibility for their sick grandchild when their own child is debilitated will be able to seek family and medical leave from their employer.  The final clarification is in regards to an individual who intends to share in the supporting of a child with his or her same sex partner will be able to exercise the right to FMLA leave to bond with that child.

Understanding the Family and Medical Leave Act can be a challenge, but it is important for both employers and employees to grasp the scope of the law and how it can and cannot be used. For a further clarification of terms, HR Made Simple Users should log in and search “Son and Daughter in the Family and Medical Leave Act.” For relevant documents, visit HR Resources Now.

When an employee has been terminated, or has decided to leave your company, conducting an exit interview is an important part of the process. Exit interviews are an opportunity to gain objective insights into what your employees think is right and wrong about your organization. When done properly, exit interviews can help to identify and resolve workplace problems, minimize resentment and misunderstanding when employees leave, and boost employee retention in the future.

Exit interviews are valuable whether the termination is involuntary or voluntary, and they can generate a huge amount of useful information about your organization’s working environment. Another benefit of exit interviews is that they can help tip up loose ends with the departing employee, and may also head off the unpleasant repercussions that can arise from an unpleasant dismissal situation. An exit interview is typically conducted one to two days before an employee’s separation date. The purposes of an exit interview include things such as:

• Identifying the reason the employee is leaving the organization, if the termination is voluntary
• Reiterate the reason for dismissal, if the termination is involuntary, in order to identify any areas of misunderstanding
• Explain any conversion or continuation of benefits
• Verify the employee’s address for mailing important documents and information such as the IRS W-2 Form
• Explain the organization’s policy on providing references
• Discuss the return of any employer property

To ensure that the exit interview goes smoothly, it is important for the interview to be conducted by a neutral party such as a member of the HR department, or another member of upper management. Many experts feel that having the employee’s supervisor present at the exit interview can inhibit the conversation. It is important to create an atmosphere that the department employee is comfortable in, and encourage them to share their honest views about the company, its management practices, and any specific details relating to their job.

For more information regarding exit interviews including what types of questions to ask, and how best to use the information from an exit interview, HR Made Simple Users should log in and search Exit-Interviews.  View exit interview checklists and other relevant sources by visiting the newest section of our website HR Resources Now.