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.

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