in
Forums
We're working on reviews (the HoF podcasts have been quite timely) and my boss wants to put total hours worked for each person on their respective review. He also wants to add where that ranks them in the group. His thought is they should know how much effor they are putting in relative to the group.
These are salaried people and I, personally, couldn't care less how many hours they work as long as they are getting the required results. He's pretty much overriding me on this topic.
It seems to go in the face of one of the main tenons Mark and Mike espouse (No comparison to other employees) and against my own judgement. Thoughts on how I should present this issue (he's typically not in the reviews)?
The Boss is the Boss - AND there should be no surprises
1 - Well my first comment is that for you and your Directs... the Boss is the Boss.
If he really wants hours worked to be tracked and reported on then you may give him a reasonable explanation of why you don't recommend it and then let him make the decision.
Then go with that -- murder the un-chosen alternative.
2 - My second comment is that there should be no surprises on an annual Performance Appraisal review. You should try to impress upon your boss that if hours were going to be tracked and included on in the annual reviews that should have been stated as an expectation during the year - or at the very least 6 months ago.
Best management is done with clear upfront expectations and clearly reported performance results.
Unstated and Hind-sight expectations - are a sure way to demoralize your employees.
How are these hours tracked ? How are the employees informed about this ?
If it is important to the Boss - then that is fine.
I would only suggest that you would want to appeal to his/her sense of fairness that any hours of measurement for this upcoming Performance Appraisal be -- informational only -- a dry run (so to speak) that is not counted as measurement for this review - because it is a surprise to your directs.
Then make it clear to the employees that for the next Annual Appraisal - next year - that "hours worked" will be expected to be reported upon and included as one unit of performance measure in the next Appraisal.
Good Luck
TJPuccio
TJ Puccio - thanks for the
TJ Puccio - thanks for the reply.
I think I knew everything you said, I just need to 'hear' it. I'm usually onboard with a behind-the-door discussion and then murdering the unchosen alternative, but this one puts the hairs up on my neck.
We are a defense contractor, so our salary folks submit a timesheet every week charging hours to jobs. It's more for billing an compliance issues, but it also does track how they work. I agree that expectations should be set before they are judged. Hopefully I can swing my boss in that direction if I can't get him to totally drop this issue.
Thanks for the feedback and help.
Dan