Day: March 31, 2020
DEAR REWORKER: I\’M BEING FORCED TO CHANGE AN EMPLOYEE\’S PERFORMANCE RATING
Dear ReWorker,
Performance ratings are due soon, so I filled out the forms and rated my employees based on their performance throughout the year. I gave one employee an outstanding rating as I really think she has met those criteria.
I gave her the performance review and the rating, and she was thrilled. Now, my boss is coming back saying I need to adjust the review downward. Why are they asking me to do this, and what can I say to my employee?
Sincerely,
Blindsided
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Dear Blindsided,
This is one of those situations that should have been avoided by you having your manager sign off on the appraisal before you gave it, so file that away for future reference. But, I\’m going to assume this is the first time you\’ve written performance appraisals at this company or that your boss is new.
The best thing to do, of course, is to ask your boss why. But I can give you some pretty good guesses.
1) Your Company Has a Forced Rating Distribution
Many companies require performance ratings to fit a distribution. It looks like this:
- 5 percent outstanding
- 40 percent above average
- 40 percent average
- 10 percent below average
- 5 percent unacceptable
It makes for a nice curve, and it makes it easy to figure out budgets when raises and bonuses are tied to performance ratings. The problem with this is that people don\’t always fall directly into that curve. If you rated your employee as outstanding, it could be that she is really awesome, but that your manager was exceeding her \”outstanding\” budget and needed to knock someone down. She could have taken a look at all the people labeled \”outstanding\” and ranked them, and if your employee was at the bottom of that group, then she would need a different rating.
What to say to your employee: \”Jane, I\’m sorry, but I have to move you from an \’outstanding\’ to \’above average\’ rating. Only 5 percent of employees can be rated outstanding, and while you are awesome, you\’re not in the top 5 percent yet. We truly value you at the company and want you to continue to improve. Here are a few things you can do to get to the next level.\”
2) You Misunderstood What Makes an Outstanding Employee
What makes an outstanding employee? The answer is different at every company. You may say, \”My direct report met or exceeded all her goals. She\’s kind and helpful and has high potential. That\’s outstanding.\” But your boss may consider that simply \”above average\” or maybe even \”average.\” To be truly outstanding, your boss may think an employee needs to exceed at all her goals, take on new projects, and be eligible for a promotion.
That doesn\’t mean your employee isn\’t outstanding in your eyes—it just means that for this company, the bar is much higher.
What to say to your employee: \”I\’m new here, and I didn\’t realize what the requirements were before speaking with you. You met or exceeded all your goals, but the company requirement for an \’outstanding rating\’ is higher. In order to receive an outstanding rating, you\’ll need to do A, B, and C. I\’m really sorry for this. It was 100 percent my fault.\”
3) Your Evaluation Was Just Wrong
Your employee may flat out not be outstanding. You gave her a 10 on customer satisfaction when she is an objective 8. Are you sure your grading matched up with the metrics given? Sometimes we like an employee and so we push up their appraisals when we shouldn\’t. Objectives should be measurable and it\’s possible that you measured things incorrectly.
What to say to your employee: \”Jane, I screwed up. I didn\’t look closely at the grid I was supposed to use to rate you, and as a result, I did the evaluation incorrectly. I truly value you as an employee and I think you\’re awesome, but I originally gave you a 10 on customer satisfaction, when according to the grid, you\’re currently at an 8. Here\’s why and you can do A, B, and C to improve this rating.\”
In the future, make sure you match things to the company guidelines. Ask your manager for help when you\’re writing the review, and make sure your manager has signed off on the rating before you tell your employee. You may strongly disagree with your manager\’s opinion on how to rate your employees, but she\’s your boss.
File this away in a been-there-done-that file, and you won\’t ever make this mistake again.
Your ReWorker,
Suzanne Lucas, Evil HR Lady
Photo: Creative Commons
DEAR REWORKER: I\’M BEING FORCED TO CHANGE AN EMPLOYEE\’S PERFORMANCE RATING
Dear ReWorker,
Performance ratings are due soon, so I filled out the forms and rated my employees based on their performance throughout the year. I gave one employee an outstanding rating as I really think she has met those criteria.
I gave her the performance review and the rating, and she was thrilled. Now, my boss is coming back saying I need to adjust the review downward. Why are they asking me to do this, and what can I say to my employee?
Sincerely,
Blindsided
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Dear Blindsided,
This is one of those situations that should have been avoided by you having your manager sign off on the appraisal before you gave it, so file that away for future reference. But, I\’m going to assume this is the first time you\’ve written performance appraisals at this company or that your boss is new.
The best thing to do, of course, is to ask your boss why. But I can give you some pretty good guesses.
1) Your Company Has a Forced Rating Distribution
Many companies require performance ratings to fit a distribution. It looks like this:
- 5 percent outstanding
- 40 percent above average
- 40 percent average
- 10 percent below average
- 5 percent unacceptable
It makes for a nice curve, and it makes it easy to figure out budgets when raises and bonuses are tied to performance ratings. The problem with this is that people don\’t always fall directly into that curve. If you rated your employee as outstanding, it could be that she is really awesome, but that your manager was exceeding her \”outstanding\” budget and needed to knock someone down. She could have taken a look at all the people labeled \”outstanding\” and ranked them, and if your employee was at the bottom of that group, then she would need a different rating.
What to say to your employee: \”Jane, I\’m sorry, but I have to move you from an \’outstanding\’ to \’above average\’ rating. Only 5 percent of employees can be rated outstanding, and while you are awesome, you\’re not in the top 5 percent yet. We truly value you at the company and want you to continue to improve. Here are a few things you can do to get to the next level.\”
2) You Misunderstood What Makes an Outstanding Employee
What makes an outstanding employee? The answer is different at every company. You may say, \”My direct report met or exceeded all her goals. She\’s kind and helpful and has high potential. That\’s outstanding.\” But your boss may consider that simply \”above average\” or maybe even \”average.\” To be truly outstanding, your boss may think an employee needs to exceed at all her goals, take on new projects, and be eligible for a promotion.
That doesn\’t mean your employee isn\’t outstanding in your eyes—it just means that for this company, the bar is much higher.
What to say to your employee: \”I\’m new here, and I didn\’t realize what the requirements were before speaking with you. You met or exceeded all your goals, but the company requirement for an \’outstanding rating\’ is higher. In order to receive an outstanding rating, you\’ll need to do A, B, and C. I\’m really sorry for this. It was 100 percent my fault.\”
3) Your Evaluation Was Just Wrong
Your employee may flat out not be outstanding. You gave her a 10 on customer satisfaction when she is an objective 8. Are you sure your grading matched up with the metrics given? Sometimes we like an employee and so we push up their appraisals when we shouldn\’t. Objectives should be measurable and it\’s possible that you measured things incorrectly.
What to say to your employee: \”Jane, I screwed up. I didn\’t look closely at the grid I was supposed to use to rate you, and as a result, I did the evaluation incorrectly. I truly value you as an employee and I think you\’re awesome, but I originally gave you a 10 on customer satisfaction, when according to the grid, you\’re currently at an 8. Here\’s why and you can do A, B, and C to improve this rating.\”
In the future, make sure you match things to the company guidelines. Ask your manager for help when you\’re writing the review, and make sure your manager has signed off on the rating before you tell your employee. You may strongly disagree with your manager\’s opinion on how to rate your employees, but she\’s your boss.
File this away in a been-there-done-that file, and you won\’t ever make this mistake again.
Your ReWorker,
Suzanne Lucas, Evil HR Lady
Photo: Creative Commons
What Employers Want: Five Skills to Gain in College
Do you ever wish that you could read the minds of employers to figure out what they want? Unfortunately, this is not possible, but a number of books, movies and television shows suggest that mindreading isn’t a very good idea anyway.
Luckily, you don’t have to read minds to become more employable. Through Bryant & Stratton College’s Career LifePrep program, students receive the support necessary to succeed in the classroom and beyond. Based on input from industry experts, coursework is designed to teach you not only the technical skills of your trade, but also the essential core capabilities that make you versatile, adaptable and valuable in any workplace.Here are five key skills employers look for that Bryant & Stratton College teaches to help every student on their path to a successful career:
Teamwork: No matter what field you go into, or what position you hold, it’s likely that you’ll have to work with a team. Tolerance, clear communication and a positive attitude are all requirements to effectively collaborate with others.
Service orientation: You don’t have to be a natural “people person” to act like one. Interpersonal skills – and a little perseverance – will help you remain professional in any and every workplace situation.
Managerial skills: This is an ability that builds off of several others. It requires being able to work with your colleagues, to solve problems, and most of all, to be a leader. Being in a managerial role requires enthusiasm, persuasiveness and critical thinking.
Work Discipline: In the real world, no one is going to hold your hand. Any career path will require you to be a self-starter who keeps track of your own duties and deadlines. Developing a strong work ethic allows you to optimize your productivity and dependability.
Literacy: In a constantly evolving work environment, you’ve got to be able to keep pace with the times. It’s important to master key informational, technological and financial proficiencies, while “learning how to learn” so that you can adapt to your ever-changing role in a company.
Now that you don’t have to worry about learning mind reading abilities to find out what employers are looking for, your time is freed up to work on these core competencies. You’re welcome.
Accreditation: The Importance of Knowing the Facts
It is really important to understand what accreditation is if you are considering higher education. There are different types of accredited schools and by having knowledge of this and doing a bit of research on your potential school, you can ensure that you will be earning a legitimate degree.
There are two types of accreditation standards, national and regional. While both types of accreditation will earn you a valid degree and allow you to use financial aid, regional accreditation is the highest form of accreditation. All of Bryant & Stratton College’s campuses and Online Education division are regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
If you still have additional questions and are thinking of going back to school, my previous post, “Buyer Beware: Choosing a Reputable Online College,“ may be helpful to you as well. It is important to check the facts on any school you are considering for enrollment so that you do not waste any of your time or money on a degree that is not going to be acknowledged by employers.
If you would like to enroll in a degree program at Bryant & Stratton College (click here for details) or have further questions, just contact the Admissions office.
About Bryant & Stratton College
Founded in 1854, Bryant & Stratton College has built its reputation and success on a commitment to excellence and high standards. We\’re proud to be regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, (267) 284-5000). The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Bryant & Stratton College has campus locations in New York, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin, as well as an Online Education division, and a Professional Skills Center. For over 160 years, Bryant & Stratton College has offered students access to career-relevant education leading to bachelor\’s degrees, associate degrees and professional certificates in the fields of business, criminal justice, design, financial services, healthcare, hospitality, human resources, paralegal studies and information technology. General information can be found on the college′s website at https://www.bryantstratton.edu.
How Electronic Health Records Enhance Patient Care
By Julie Jones
I was born during the Generation X years when personal computers first came out. We had Atari growing up and learned on Apple computers before they became mainstream. In college, we had “instant messaging” but it was only between two college campuses. When I graduated nursing school in 1997, some of the hospitals where I did my clinical work were just starting to use electronic health records as well as new technology to manage patient medications.
When I began my health care career, I never once thought I would end up working in the technology field. During my clinical for the Adult Nurse Practitioner program, I trained at the VA Outpatient Center at Fort Ethan Allen. They had an electronic health care record system that listed the patient’s allergies and current medication list. It also gave the provider a reminder about health topics to review with patients. At the time, I thought how great it would be if my doctor could review my record and send a prescription to my pharmacy by simply pushing a button on his computer.
In 2007, I had the opportunity to work on a project that brought a new electronic health record system to the UVM Medical Center. The project went live on June 6, 2009. Now, not only can my provider send my prescription to the pharmacy, but I can access my chart to review my health record and request a prescription refill.
You may have heard a lot of talk about Electronic Health Records (EHR) and how hospitals and physicians are using them more and more. In 2009, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act was signed by President Obama to give a financial incentive to hospitals and physicians who demonstrate “meaningful use” of EHRs.
Meaningful use was part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. What this has meant for me was a new job, which was perfect for a girl who loved technology. The HITECH Act created many jobs in the field of informatics, which helped promote the growing field of nursing informatics and bridged the world of nursing, health care, technology, computers, and information science.
Some of my friends think that I am no longer helping with patient care because I’m working at a computer. Nothing could be further from the truth.
My friends don’t realize how much I use my nursing skills every day to take care of patients. While I don’t see patients face-to-face, I am evaluating the nursing workflow, helping a doctor on the phone place critical orders for a patient in the emergency room, or making sure that doctors’ instructions are clear and concise for patients.
The EHR is improves the quality of care for patients and their delivery of care. It also helps patients be more engaged with their health care since they now have access to their medical records to review their health information. I am thrilled to have a job that I love in the dynamic and rewarding field of nursing
DEAR REWORKER: WHEN SALARIED EMPLOYEES TAKE TIME OFF FOR MEDICAL REASONS, WHAT HAPPENS TO THEIR PAY?
Dear ReWorker,
I have a new (two-months-employed) salaried exempt employee that has been taking between three and six hours a week to go to doctor’s appointments. He says that this will not continue forever and should soon stabilize to a monthly appointment. He has expressed to me multiple times in writing that he does not expect to be paid for the hours that he is taking off. Can you shed some light on any laws that I should know about for salaried employees and taking time off?
Sincerely,
Stumped About Sick Time
________________________________________________________________________
Dear Stumped About Sick Time,
First of all, your new employee sounds incredibly thoughtful. He recognized that his medical appointments impact the business and volunteered to forgo pay.
Second, you have to turn down his generous offer.
Being paid on a salary basis means he receives a predetermined amount of compensation that must stay the same every pay period, according to the Fair Labor Standards Act. This is true regardless of how many days or hours he puts in, as long as he has completed some work, with very few exceptions. You can dock his paid time off (PTO) for the missed time, but you can’t dock his pay.
You can only dock an exempt employee’s pay for absences in strict circumstances—for instance, if these absences were covered by the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which guarantees certain employees of companies with 50 or more workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave each year (with no threat of job loss) to care for a new child or seriously ill family member, or to recover from an illness themselves. In this case, however, because he’s a new employee, he does not qualify for FMLA, which requires individuals to have been employed for at least 12 months and have worked at least 1,250 hours over that time.
Other exceptions would include if he takes a full day off work for something other than illness or if he’s exhausted all his PTO and needs a full day off for medical reasons. But neither of those applies here.
If you have 15 or more employees, you’re subject to the Americans With Disabilities Act. Unlike FMLA, which requires an employee to have worked for a set period of time to access coverage, there’s no eligibility period for this protection. The ADA requires that you make a reasonable accommodation for any qualified employee. I’d assume that his condition qualifies (though that’s just a guess, since I don’t know the specifics), but you should ask him to fill out paperwork regardless. In most jobs, taking three to six hours off per week for a relatively short period would be seen as a reasonable accommodation.
You could, of course, require him to make up the time, which he may be anxious to do anyway. But here’s what I would do if I were you. I’d have him fill out the ADA paperwork and agree to this accommodation based on the doctor’s timeline (since he’s indicated this a temporary situation). Then I’d help him in any way that you can.
Why? Because not only is this good for the employee, it’s also good for your whole office. Workers now know that if they get sick, you’re going to back them up and give them the support they need. Turnover is insanely expensive—in fact, it costs employers 33% of a worker’s annual salary to hire a replacement if they leave—so giving someone flexibility when they need it saves you a fortune in the long run.
A company that supports people through medical problems is the type of place people like to stay. When you allow exempt employees to truly take care of themselves, that will come back to you through improved performance at work. As long as this guy isn’t an entitled jerk (and since he volunteered to take the time unpaid, I’m guessing he’s not), he’ll appreciate the kindness you showed to him. And that’s worth whatever sacrifices you have to make in the short run.
Sincerely,
Your ReWorker
Is a Management Degree Worth it? Choose Your Adventure!
Are you considering a degree in general management? Turns out a career in this field is not all that “general.”
Bryant & Stratton College offers areas of specialization in the general business management degree program. Each of the four disciplines can lead students down a very different career path. Take a look at these descriptions of each career field and what students who graduate from these programs can expect in their future.
Project Management: The opportunities available to students who study project management are phenomenal, said Leslie Bishop, program coordinator.
Project managers do exactly what the title says, they lead projects. That may mean working in an office, on a construction site, or on virtually any project, anywhere on the planet. The crux of this job is to be the point person who can walk into any department, in any organization, look at how the work is processed and figure out how to fix it and make the process flow better.
Students who earn a degree will graduate and be able to immediately take the exam to earn their project management certification. Once employed, project managers gain valuable on the job experience to work toward earning more certifications. Bishop said the accolades earned by project managers are recognized globally.
Marketing: In case you hadn’t noticed, social media is huge. And the marketing industry is firmly focused on moving advertising dollars from billboards and newspapers to Facebook, Twitter and other online formats. Bishop said companies are hiring graduates who are fluent in the language of technology.
“Organizations are looking for people who can come out and set up Facebook and Twitter and post responds to clients and customers,” Bishop said. “And that can pay very well.”
There still are traditional marketing careers where graduates work as well, to include sales manager, account manager, sales representative and director of marketing. Whatever career path marketing graduates choose, Bishop said they should strive to sit for a voluntary exam with the American Marketing Association. This accolade is a symbol of marketing excellence and boosts an individual’s marketability during a job search.
Ecommerce: Again, as technology has changed the marketplace, Bryant & Stratton’s degree programs have kept pace, allowing students to learn the ins and outs of the online marketplace. Bishop said students will study topics such as supply chain management, internet marketing, online transaction processing, inventory management systems, data collection systems virtual storefronts and online catalogs.
She added that Ecommerce graduates will not set up websites or work as accounts but rather will focus on careers that allow them to be part of the mechanism of a business as it works with other companies.
“If you are looking to break into an internet-based company, this is a good place to start,” she said.
Human Resources: Professionals in the human resources field take care of employees. And within that niche, there are several avenues of concentration.
Bishop said Bryant & Stratton graduates who earn an HR specialty will probably begin their career as an HR assistant in an entry level job. There they will be exposed to payroll, collection and verification of timesheets, human resources, compensation and benefits and recruiting. And it is here where they can find their passion and begin to move their career forward.
“There are so many aspects to HR,” Bishop said. “HR at the strategic level impacts the entire system of an organization. HR is limitless.”
Bishop said HR employees can sit for certifications as they earn more experience in the field. Those certifications are recognized globally as well and can give candidates an advantage in their job search.
No matter what path students choose with the general management bachelor’s degree, there are boundless opportunities to grow, learn and advance.
So, now that you know why you want to study management, contact our Admissions office. They can help you choose the right program for you.
Eduindex News 