Evaluating

Performance evaluations are an opportunity for you and your personal assistants (PAs) to evaluate and discuss your working relationship. These evaluations are in addition to the on-going feedback that you and your PA engage in during training and on a daily basis. Evaluation should be viewed as a positive exercise. It should not be seen as something you do when there are problems. In this section you will find information on the following:

General information about performance evaluations
Preparing for the evaluation
Conducting the evaluation meeting

Here are two tools that you will find helpful:

General information about performance evaluations

Performance evaluations should be regularly scheduled. At the end of one, set the date for the next one and put it on your calendar.

There are many ways to do a performance evaluation. There are books and websites that provide extensive information about how to do evaluations. Following are a few ideas that may be helpful.

The work relationship between you and your PAs is dynamic. It requires constructive, open discussion in order to keep you both happy. It is important to regularly schedule evaluation meetings. Do this even when there are no obvious problems. Evaluation can help you both to understand your own shifting needs and concerns. It also will provide an opportunity for a sincere response to each other's needs.

The first performance evaluation meeting should be scheduled one month after a new PA is hired. If this first meeting shows areas that need improvement, do another performance evaluation one month later. If the PA seems to be learning the tasks well, and is happy with you as the employer, then the next evaluation can wait for three to six months.

In addition, regular appointments to review task checklists should be made. Small problems can be fixed before they become large. You might set a schedule for reviewing the task checklists. Daily checklists might be reviewed every two or three weeks. Weekly checklists might be reviewed every four or six weeks. Monthly checklists could be reviewed every three or four months. This will help you to solve problems before they become big issues.

As part of the evaluation process you might want to evaluate yourself as a boss. You might want your PA to do a self-evaluation. If you follow this procedure you would exchange evaluations and discuss them.

A prepared evaluation form can be the starting point for your evaluation meeting. Before the meeting both you and the PA fill out an evaluation questionnaire. You both focus on improving the quality of assistance and comfort of work environment. This type of questionnaire is centered on the following concerns:

How well is each person honoring the work agreement?
Is the job description adequate, or does it need to be modified?
What tasks has the employee mastered, and which leave room for improvement?
What training needs are apparent?
Are there any changes in work hours?
What problems remain unresolved?

The job description and task checklists also can serve as starting points for the evaluation discussion. These descriptions should be as detailed as possible so that the PA will understand how you prefer tasks to be done. For example, if you prefer that after dinner clean-up is done in a particular way, your PAs should follow the task checklist to be sure the task is done the way you want it. If tasks often are not done the way you want and normal discussion doesn't remedy the problem, then the task checklist can provide a way to bring up this issue during the evaluation meeting.

Preparing for a Performance Evaluation Meeting

You need to be prepared to be sure that the performance evaluation meeting is successful. A plan for the meeting will help you to organize yourself so you can conduct a productive meeting with your personal assistant (PA).

At least a week prior to the performance evaluation meeting:

Fill out your own employer self-appraisal. An honest self-evaluation will help you to review your part in the work relationship. The self-evaluation also can be useful in discussing the PA's view of the work environment. An honest self-evaluation will help you to see the role you play in the work relationship even if you do not exchange self-appraisals with your PAs.
Take notes on the PA's performance. Organize into categories your dated notes on feedback you have given your PA. If you have not kept a file feedback notes you will have to rely on your memory. Ask yourself concrete questions. Make notes of your thoughts on topics such as how well the PA completes tasks, responds to your supervision, and respects your wishes. Look at your (bold) task checklists (unbold) and work agreement and see how well the job duties currently are being fulfilled. To assist you, there is a Personal Assistant Evaluation Form.
Give your PA a PA self-appraisal form, if you are using this process. Ask that the form be returned at least one day before the performance evaluation meeting.

At least one day prior to a performance evaluation meeting:

Exchange self-evaluations with the PA, if you are using this process.
Compare the PA's self-evaluation with your notes. Then jot down some issues you would like to discuss during the performance evaluation meeting. Also make a note of any changes you might want to make in the job description, work agreement, task checklist, etc.
Likewise, request that the PA take notes on your self-appraisal if you are doing this process. Ask the PA to note any changes he might need to make in the work agreement, such as changes in his schedule or wages.

It's a good idea to...

Note ways that your worker is doing excellent work on their tasks or abiding by the terms of the work agreement.
Note ways that your worker is not doing satisfactory work.
It's important for the worker to understand what he needs to do to improve their work.
Decide and note how much time the worker should have to improve their work.

It's a good idea NOT to...

Do the evaluation right after your worker does something that makes you angry! Instead, wait a few days to cool off. Then fill out an employee evaluation and discuss it with your worker when you feel calm.

Clues that a PA May Be Dissatisfied with the Job

Here are some clues that something is not working

A PA denies there is a problem when there obviously is.
She may agree that a problem exists but refuses to talk about it.
She often arrives late, calls in sick, or just doesn't show-up; she seems not to care about any negative consequence for you.
She is often unpleasant, unfriendly, arrogant, negative, or abusive.
She has little interest in you as an individual; she seldom participates in a friendly discussion.
She shows very little interest in performing high quality work; she cares little whether you are pleased with the quality of work or whether your preferences are being met.
She has a sloppy appearance in clothing, and is unkempt, dirty, or possibly smelly.
She works slowly or sporadically and is easily distracted by TV, magazines, or phone calls.
She rushes through her duties as quickly as possible with details left unfinished.
She carefully mumbles partial communications with you, avoiding eye contact.
She often cuts duties short, and attempts to leave before the scheduled departure time.
She is not punctual, nor does she give you advance notice when she will be late or absent.

Clues that a PA May Be Dissatisfied with the Job adopted from Caregivers and Personal Assistants (pp. 234-238), by Alfred H. DeGraff, Saratoga Access Publications, Fort Collins, Colorado. [Copyright Alfred H. DeGraff, 2002]. http://www.saratoga-publications.com. reprinted with permission.

Conducting the Performance Evaluation Meeting

This section will give some pointers on how to conduct the performance evaluation meeting with your personal assistant (PA). We will cover

Basic Information
Open Communication
Constructive Criticism/Suggestions/Action Steps
Ending the Performance Evaluation

Basic Information

You have prepared for the evaluation meeting. Be sure to allow time enough to cover any unexpected issues that might come up. The work agreement and the job description can be starting points.

Being flexible is an important part of a good work relationship. When the personal assistant (PA) was hired, both of you signed a work agreement that suited the needs of each of you. This agreement said how many hours a day the PA would work, when the PA would come to work and leave, the tasks that the PA would be responsible for, and other such things. It also included your responsibilities to the PA.

The needs of either of you may change for many reasons. Your needs may change, for example, because you have become able to do tasks for yourself that you were unable to do before, because you used to be able to perform tasks you can no longer do, or because your hours at your job changed. Likewise, the PA's needs may change because other responsibilities require her to work different hours; or the rising cost of living may change her income needs.

If either party's needs have changed, you may want to think about changing the terms of the work agreement. Any possible changes in the work agreement should be discussed in the evaluation meeting. This will allow you to make changes that are convenient for both parties.

Open Communication

You both may be a bit of nervous before the meeting. This is understandable. You can begin by explaining the reason for the performance evaluation meeting.

Performance evaluation meetings are scheduled regularly. State how often you will do them. For example, every three months, every six months, etc.
It is an opportunity to create a better working environment.
The performance evaluations are about collaboration, not confrontation.

During the meeting, it is important to stay positive. Constructive criticism is welcome and even invited. But remember criticism is easier to accept when it is offered in a positive way. Try to avoid a long list of negative criticisms.

Prepare yourself for negative responses or reactions. It is easy to respond in a negative way to unexpected or unaccepted criticism. When you are given a negative comment, don't respond in kind. The performance evaluation is not supposed to be a personal character attack, and should not feel like one. If either of you becomes too emotionally affected by criticism to participate effectively in the discussion, postpone the rest of the evaluation to a later date. It is not useful to continue the meeting when either of you is upset.

Both parties must feel that their thought is the object of respectful consideration. Much can be done to convey this. Body language is one effective way to communicate your interest. Direct eye contact should signal your interest in the other person's statements. Other techniques that will let the other person know that their thoughts are important are

Restating your understanding of the other person's point to be sure you understand his point.
Clearly stating what you don't understand.

Constructive Criticism/Suggestion/Action Steps

It is important to provide clear examples of unsatisfactory performance for criticism to be constructive. If you have kept a file of dated notes on things that have been well done and things that needed to be corrected you will have concrete examples to present to your PA.

Constructive criticism is about solutions, not problems. You may highlight problem areas, but also suggest concrete solutions to the problems. Rather than simply criticizing, you should mention ways that your concern may be resolved. Once suggestions have been given, you both can discuss their strengths and weaknesses.

Decide how you will know if the problem areas are improving. This can be done by writing out the action steps to achieve the change. Also decide on a timeline for the improvements to be in place. The written action steps can provide a basis for the next performance evaluation.

Ending the Performance Evaluation

Both of you should end the performance evaluation meeting with a clear and full understanding of the other person's concerns. You both should be clear on how these concerns will be addressed. An exchange of evaluation forms -- both self-appraisals and of the other person -- could take place. Arrangements for both people to receive copies of the written action steps to sign should be made.

The evaluation meeting may turn into wasted time talking with no results if you don't follow-up. Follow-up on performance evaluations may take two general forms.

On-going feedback is necessary to ensure that action steps are taken in the direction agreed to.
Follow-up meetings could be scheduled to assess the progress that both of you have made on the action steps agreed to.

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