Although the Human Resources (HR) techniques used to measure employee performance can vary widely from Fortune 500 to start-ups, there are some basic framework elements that can be found throughout. Typically, the employee is first asked to fill out a self-evaluation form, essentially critiquing their own job performance.

Questions can fall into categories such as "General Performance", "Communication", and "Leadership." After the employee fills out the form and provides it to their immediate supervisor, the latter will then go over the different category responses with that employee. Part of the reason a self-evaluation form is so critical is that it shows which strengths and weaknesses an individual is properly aware of, and which they are not.

Collective Bargaining Agreements

In union work environments, the frequency of performance appraisals and ways in which they are to be carried out are spelled out in great detail. There is often the incorporation of a draft phase, whereby an employee can reword-with the help of their supervisor-initial phraseology and language to make sure thoughts, concerns, and points of pride are all properly communicated.

A performance appraisal often creates the need for an individual employee development plan, a separate document aimed at improving areas of deficiency and also supporting the articulated goals of the aforementioned self-evaluation. Companies will often agree to pay for half or all of additional training and educational courses, based on the results of an performance appraisal.

Raises

In many corporate environments, performance appraisals are also also a major part of the framework utilized to determine whether someone merits a raise, or other bonuses. Particularly once the performance review process has been launched and an employee is submitting to their second or higher successive such evaluation. In those cases, bosses and HR professionals will look closely at whether or not the improvement goals agreed upon previously have been followed and met.