The Foreign Service Journal, November 2018

78 NOVEMBER 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS NOTES FROM LABOR MANAGEMENT Performance Management: A How-To Guide Many of the cases that come to me as a grievance counselor could have been avoided. My advice is simple: Follow the golden rule and be the boss you would like to have. Performance manage- ment isn’t complicated. It means being clear about expectations, paying atten- tion to whether those expectations are being met, and letting employees know in a timely, unambiguous and respectful manner if they need to improve their performance. This is your job as a supervisor, as much as any- thing in your work require- ments statement. You were promoted because of your potential to take on greater responsibility, including supervision. As a grievance counselor, I spend a lot of time listening, and what I often hear is that there’s been a breakdown in communication. Two people have ceased to communi- cate in a meaningful way, with consequences for them and for those around them, sometimes including dam- aged careers and a loss of productivity. So how do you know you’re doing it right? The Foreign Affairs Manual and the Foreign Affairs Hand- book provide guidance. 3 FAH-1 H-2815.2 advises that supervisors should “[dis- cuss] throughout the rating period the rated member’s strengths and weaknesses, and ways to improve their performance, enhance their professional development, and increase their opportuni- ties for career advancement.” At a minimum, do this twice a year, but more often is better. And yes: you need to spend more time with the “difficult” people on your team. Don’t avoid the prob- lem and then slam them in the EER. That’s not fair, and it can lead to a successful grievance. Here are the basics: • Meet regularly—at least twice a year—at intervals that give your employees time to make improvements. • When you meet, be organized and prepared with examples. Be clear about what the employee is doing well, and where he/she needs to improve. Treat the employee as you would like to be treated. • Follow through. If things improve, or if they don’t, let the employee know in a timely way. • A conversation in the hall or a quick email count as performance management. But don’t substitute those for substantive face-to-face conversations. • Document, document, document. It is essential to create a record of what you’ve discussed, whether the employee is a strong performer or not. Use the DS-1974 to record at least two substantive performance management sessions. (3 FAH-1 H-2815.1(a)(3) says one “must” be documented, but that’s a minimal expecta- tion.) Add emails or memos to the file to memorialize what was discussed, because you likely will not be able to recall them with preci- sion. Consider sharing your notes with the other person and asking for their comments, when appropriate. • Be specific about areas for improvement, and pro- vide guidance on steps the employee should take. • Establish work require- ments within the required 45 days. Sometimes this doesn’t happen, and everything works out fine because the employee’s performance is good and the supervisor and employee get along. But when an employee’s performance is weak or there’s a strained supervisor/ supervisee relationship, the absence of a work require- ments statement (WRS) is grist for the grievance mill. AWRS can be revised at any time, so this doesn’t need to be a heavy lift—just get the basic priorities down on paper. • Employees: Take charge of your career and advocate for yourself. If you’re not get- ting work requirements, put something together, send it to your supervisor and ask: “Does this capture what you want me to do?” Ask for regular feedback and performance review sessions. If your supervisor won’t meet, hang on to those emails as proof that you tried. Come pre- pared to talk about what you’ve done, and listen with an open mind to what you could do better. If your supervisor isn’t being clear or specific, ask for clarifica- tion or examples. Take notes! • If things aren’t working out, get help. At post, the human resources officer is a good first stop, and don’t for- get your AFSA post rep, who can provide guidance and connect you with the main AFSA offices. Domestically, ask your Executive Office to broker a conversation. It can help to have a third party who listens objectively. Following this basic performance management guidance can help avoid larger workplace problems. And whatever the situation, whether you’re the employee or the manager, the AFSA Labor Management team can help. n —Heather Townsend, Grievance Counselor