 There are many different types of appraisal forms in use today. Although it takes time to develop a form specific for your operation, the results are worth the effort.
As you develop your form, focus on two questions:
• What do your employees actually do on their job (observable behaviours).
• How can you measure their performance?
For example, if one of their duties is to “maintain equipment,” how can you measure how well the employee is doing? One way is to develop a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being poor performance and 5 being outstanding. You must then write down what you mean as “poor” and “outstanding.”
You can divide the elements of an effective performance appraisal into five steps:
1. Establish work methods and productivity levels expected for each position. Use your job description as a blueprint for achievement and ask employees to define their goals.
2. Monitor employees at random to determine performance levels.
3. Regularly provide employees with both positive feedback and constructive criticism. There should be no surprises for the employee during the interview.
4. Plan the evaluation interview. Analyze records and performance goals and ask employees to complete a pre-interview evaluation.
5. Conduct the evaluation interviews. Discuss the self-evaluation completed by each employee and work with them on ideas for improvement. Set new goals, if necessary.
For more information on farm management, consult the website of the Canadian Farm Business Management Council at www.farmcentre.com .
An Employers’ Handbook for Agriculture and Horticulture, designed specifically for agriculture, is posted to the website of Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development at:
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/grc796
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