Activities Involved in Monitoring Employee Performance

• Supervisors should provide continuous monitoring activities for their employees. Alistair Berg/Digital Vision/Getty Images

  Performance management is essential in ensuring that a company's workforce is motivated, productive and committed to their jobs. Traditionally, managers monitor their employees' performance through quarterly or annual performance reviews. These sessions allow managers and employees to discuss the employee's strengths and weaknesses exemplified over the course of the review period. However, other activities are required to monitor employees' performance.

Goal Setting

• Have employees start each new review session by setting future, measurable goals. Goal development is important in the business world because, according to "Entrepreneur," effective goal-setting activities are directly associated with higher employee satisfaction and performance. Having clearly defined goals motivates employees to work toward their expected achievements. In turn, employees are evaluated by managers based on completion of goals throughout the year.

Regular Supervision

• Provide regular supervision for subordinates. According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, regular supervision acts as continuous monitoring. At this time, supervisors should compare employees' work performance against the standards and expectations. Supervision sessions also allow employees to express concerns and ask questions as things come up, rather than having to wait all year to touch base at their annual review. By being available to connect with employees, managers monitor performance on a more consistent basis. In turn, they detect concerns and resolve performance issues more promptly.

Feedback

• Offering employees feedback on their work is an effective way of monitoring their progress and letting employees know how well they performed a particular task or project. Furnishing employees with constructive notes makes them feel like their work is valued and appreciated, without having to meet in a formal setting.

Formal Reviews

• Formal performance reviews are individual meetings between supervisors and their employees. Prior to the meeting, the supervisor fills out an evaluation form that scores the employee's performance based on professionalism, quality of work, organizational skills, timeliness and productivity. When the supervisor meets with employees, the results of the evaluation are shared and the supervisor summarizes what the employee's strengths are, as well as which areas need to be improved.

Reward Systems

• Reward systems should be built into performance monitoring. When employees are recognized for their hard work, they feel more appreciated and therefore more motivated to continue doing a good job. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management explains that rewards can be as simple as a certificate of appreciation or they can be more grandiose, such as giving employees cash benefits or extra days off from work.