Employee evaluations can be an excellent tool for enhancing management-workforce communications if properly conducted by well-written handbook policy.

Performance Evaluation Tips:

• Maintain a uniform and objective process, with a standard set of questions and judging criteria;
• Engage in constructive criticism with suggestions for improvement;
• Document all evaluations in writing;
• Train evaluators to avoid potentially discriminatory questions or statements; and
• Carefully maintain pay equity  throughout the process.

Policy Drafting Tips:

• Explain when such evaluations will occur (e.g., annually, periodically, or in connection with pay raises);
• Define their purpose;
• Describe how an employee can review and respond to the evaluation;
• Confirm that a positive evaluation is not an automatic cause for a pay raise; and
• Reiterate that all employment is “at-will.”

Take-Away:

Implement and regularly review your handbook to include a performance evaluations policy if applicable.

We publish this series to educate employers on best practices for a well-written handbook that assists applicants, employees, and management alike. To purchase our 2023 template handbook – which contains the above policy and much more – and accompanying forms or for more information, please contact Office Manager Aimee Rosales at 626.583.6600 or email her at officemgr@tbowleslaw.com.

See also:

• Is Dotted, Ts Crossed – Workplace Policy Handbook & Forms for 2023 (March 19, 2023)
• Handbook Helper Episode 24 Personnel Records Policy – Preservation Salvation (April 27, 2023)
• Handbook Helper Episode 18 – Reporting Disputes and Open-Door Policy Helps on the Way (January 12, 2023)
• Pay Fair – California Fair Pay Act Mandates Equal Pay Based on Sex, Race or Ethnicity (August 20, 2021)

Cindy Bamforth
June 7, 2023