# Presentation: 899490

## Report Tile

**Performance Management **
**in the Farm Service Agency **

## What is “Performance Management”?

- 	“Performance Management is the process of creating a work environment in which _people are able to perform to the best of their abilities_.  It is a whole work system that begins when a job is defined as needed and ends when an employee leaves the agency.”

## Why Is Performance Management Important?

- Reflects an ongoing Federal government priority
- Increases accountability
- Helps us better understand how our goals can be achieved
- Helps every Federal employee make a difference
- Helps management make business decisions about agency’s future

## PAAT

- OPM’s Performance Appraisal Assessment Tool
- Assesses agency performance management programs: alignment, results-focused, employee involvement, training, consequences, etc.
- 2005 (Pass/Fail), scored 22 out of 100

## Beta Site

- FSA is Department’s beta (test) site for FY07
- Had to develop a plan – done, approved by Department and OPM
- Task Force, Oct 23-25
- Implement plan during FY07
- At end of FY07, submit PAAT to OPM and score at least _80_ out of 100

## FY06 v FY07: Continuing

- 3 level Element ratings, 5 level Summary ratings
- 3-5 Elements, one Non Critical, one aligned
- “Supervision” and “Supervisory EEO/CR” mandatory
- EEO/CR for non-supervisors
- Safety and Health
- Credible measures

## FY06 v FY07: New

- Employee participation _required_
- One Critical element
- 3 Standards per Element _required_
- Performance Management language
- _Cascading_ alignment
- Results-focused
- Customer-Employee Perspectives
- Documenting ratings

## Timetable for Rest of FY07

- March/April already!
- Create new/update performance plans
- Mid Year Reviews
- Ratings
- Handbook (5-PM)

## Coverage

- 90 days in appraisal period
- Intermittent employees
- SOC and COC

## Roles: Rating Official

- Engage employee and develop performance plan
- Communicating FSA and USDA mission, goals, and objectives
- Creating a performance culture
- Monitoring performance and providing feedback
- Providing meaningful performance ratings and consequences (awards/dealing with poor performance)

## Roles: Reviewing Official

- Managing organizational performance
- Implementing the Program within their span of control
- Ensuring Rating Officials carry out their responsibilities
- Reviewing and approving performance plans and ratings
- Awards
- Resolving disagreements

## Roles: Employee

- Participating in discussions on performance plans, mid year reviews, and summary ratings
- Ensuring they have clear understanding
- Taking responsibility
- Work problems
- Seeking feedback

## CED

- Real Rater: COC Chairperson; Real Reviewer: DD
- EmpowHR Rater: DD; EmpowHR Reviewer: SED
- Performance plan, mid year review, rating initially in hard copy
- DD enters into EmpowHR; SED “reviews”
- Back to hard copy – signatures
- DD completes EmpowHR process

## PT

- GS FP and FLP – FLM/CED & DD
- GS FLP – FLM & DD
- CO FP – CED & DD/COC
- CO FP and FLP – CED/FLM & DD/COC
- CO FLP – FLM & DD
- EmpowHR: CED & DD

## Definitions

- Element
- Standard
- Measure

## Elements

- 3-5
- “Supervision” & “Supervisory EEO/CR” Elements
- FLOT Trainers – Element & Standards
- CDAT
- Non supervisory EEO/CR function

## Standards

- Performance Management
- Health & Safety
- FLP Training

## Cascading Alignment

- Clear and transparent
- Line from SES, through supervisory chain-of-command, to front-line employee
- FSA Strategic Plan framework:  _[http://](http://bpms.wdc.usda.gov/zoneSP_jump.htm)__[bpms.wdc.usda.gov/zoneSP_jump.htm](http://bpms.wdc.usda.gov/zoneSP_jump.htm)_
- USDA Strategic Plan:  _[http://](http://www.ocfo.usda.gov/usdasp/usdasp.htm)__[www.ocfo.usda.gov/usdasp/usdasp.htm](http://www.ocfo.usda.gov/usdasp/usdasp.htm)_

## Results-Focused

- At least one Element
- Example:  “Receives and deposits payments within 18-24 hours of receipt.  _The result is a faster processing of customer payments.  This is aligned to the organizational goal of supporting productive farms and ranches_.”
- Employee’s level of responsibility

## Balanced, Credible Measures

- Balanced – quality, quantity, timeliness, and/or cost-effectiveness
- Credible
- based on job analysis
- Clear, specific, and understandable
- Reasonable and attainable
- Measurable, observable or verifiable
- Foster continual improvement in productivity

## Customer-Employee Perspectives

- Supervisor’s performance plans only
- Customer perspective
- Employee perspective

## The Process: Performance Plans

- Slides on HR website at:  _[http://](http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area=home&subject=erpm&topic=prm)__[www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area](http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area=home&subject=erpm&topic=prm)__[=](http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area=home&subject=erpm&topic=prm)__[home&subject](http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area=home&subject=erpm&topic=prm)__[=](http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area=home&subject=erpm&topic=prm)__[erpm&topic](http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area=home&subject=erpm&topic=prm)__[=](http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area=home&subject=erpm&topic=prm)__[prm](http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area=home&subject=erpm&topic=prm)_
- Employee participation

## The Process: Mid Year Reviews

- Slides on HR website at:  _[http://](http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area=home&subject=erpm&topic=prm)__[www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area](http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area=home&subject=erpm&topic=prm)__[=](http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area=home&subject=erpm&topic=prm)__[home&subject](http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area=home&subject=erpm&topic=prm)__[=](http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area=home&subject=erpm&topic=prm)__[erpm&topic](http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area=home&subject=erpm&topic=prm)__[=](http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area=home&subject=erpm&topic=prm)__[prm](http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area=home&subject=erpm&topic=prm)_
- One Mandatory – 5th (Feb) – 8th (May) month
- Inform employee
- Document
- Periodic optional reviews

## The Process: Ratings

- Slides on HR website at:  _[http://](http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area=home&subject=erpm&topic=prm)__[www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area](http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area=home&subject=erpm&topic=prm)__[=](http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area=home&subject=erpm&topic=prm)__[home&subject](http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area=home&subject=erpm&topic=prm)__[=](http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area=home&subject=erpm&topic=prm)__[erpm&topic](http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area=home&subject=erpm&topic=prm)__[=](http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area=home&subject=erpm&topic=prm)__[prm](http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/hrdapp?area=home&subject=erpm&topic=prm)_
- “Rating of Record”
- Distinctions in levels of performance
- Raters/Reviewers held accountable
- Artificial targets

## Consequences: Recognition

- Linked to ratings
- Reward supervisors for supervisory behavior – including addressing poor performance
- Motivation

## Consequences: Poor Performance

- Marginal – Non Critical element
- Unacceptable – Critical element – OTI
- Denial of WGI

## So What ...?

- What if we don’t do this?
- Innovation
- Blog
- Pilot projects
- Milestones
- Stretch goals