A Handbook

for Measuring

Employee

Performance

ALIGNING EMPLOYEE 

PERFORMANCE PLANS WITH 

ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS

Workforce Compensation 

and Performance Service

Performance Management and Incentive Awards Division ■ PMD–013 ■ September 2001
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 1

FOREWORD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

CHAPTER 1

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT: BACKGROUND 

AND CONTEXT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Employee Performance Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

CHAPTER 2 

DISTINGUISHING ACTIVITIES 

FROM ACCOMPLISHMENTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

The Beekeepers and Their Bees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Using Balanced Measures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Categories of Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

CHAPTER 3 

DEVELOPING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE PLANS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Step 1: Look at the Overall Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Step 2: Determine Work Unit Accomplishments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Method A: Goal Cascading Method. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Method B: Customer-Focused Method. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Method C: Work Flow Charting Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Step 3: Determine Individual Accomplishments 

That Support Work Unit Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Step 4: Convert Expected Accomplishments

Into Performance Elements, Indicating Type and Priority . . . . . 43

Step 5: Determine Work Unit and Individual Measures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Step 6: Develop Work Unit and Individual Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Step 7: Determine How To Monitor Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Step 8: Check the Performance Plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Guiding Principles for Performance Measurement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

CHAPTER 4

LEARNING AIDS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Performance Measurement Quiz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Quick Reference: The Eight-Step Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

APPENDIX A: Five-Level Appraisal—Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

APPENDIX B: Three-Level Appraisal—Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

APPENDIX C: Two-Level Appraisal—Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

table of contents

contents
2 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

foreword

his handbook is designed for Federal supervisors and employees

and presents an eight-step process for developing employee performance plans that are aligned with and support organizational

goals. It also provides guidelines for writing performance elements and standards

that not only meet regulatory requirements, but also maximize the capability that

performance plans have for focusing employee efforts on achieving organizational

and group goals.

The methods presented here are designed to develop elements and standards that measure employee and work unit accomplishments rather than to develop other measures

that are often used in appraising performance, such as measuring behaviors or

competencies. Although this handbook includes a discussion of the importance of

balancing measures, the main focus presented here is to measure accomplishments.

Consequently, much of the information presented in the first five steps of this eightstep process applies when supervisors and employees want to measure results. However,

the material presented in Steps 6 through 8 about developing standards, monitoring

performance, and checking the performance plan apply to all measurement approaches.

T
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 3

The handbook has four chapters and three appendices:

❙ CHAPTER 1 gives the background and context of performance management 

that you will need to understand before beginning the eight-step process.

❙ CHAPTER 2 defines accomplishments, which is key to using this 

handbook successfully.

❙ CHAPTER 3 includes a detailed description of the eight-step process for developing

employee performance plans that are aligned with and support organizational goals.

❙ CHAPTER 4 provides study tools, including a followup quiz and a quick 

reference for the eight-step process.

❙ THE APPENDICES contain example standards that were written specifically for

appraisal programs that appraise performance on elements at five, three, and two levels.

After reading the instructional material, studying the examples, and completing the

exercises in this book, you should be able to:

❙ DEVELOP a performance plan that aligns individual performance with 

organizational goals

❙ USE a variety of methods to determine work unit and individual accomplishments

❙ DETERMINE the difference between activities and accomplishments

❙ EXPLAIN regulatory requirements for employee performance plans

foreword
4 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

chapter 1

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT: BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

emember the story about the naive student in his first English 

literature course who was worried because he didn’t know what

prose was? When he found out that prose was ordinary speech,

he exclaimed, “Wow! I’ve been speaking prose all my life!”

Managing performance well is like speaking prose. Many managers have been

“speaking” and practicing effective performance management naturally all their

supervisory lives, but don’t know it!

Some people mistakenly assume that performance management is concerned only

with following regulatory requirements to appraise and rate performance. Actually,

assigning ratings of record is only one part of the overall process (and perhaps the

least important part). 

Performance management is the systematic process of:

❙ planning work and setting expectations

❙ continually monitoring performance

❙ developing the capacity to perform

❙ periodically rating performance in a summary fashion

❙ rewarding good performance

The revisions made in 1995 to the governmentwide performance appraisal and

awards regulations support “natural” performance management. Great care was

taken to ensure that the requirements those regulations establish would complement and not conflict with the kinds of activities and actions effective managers 

are practicing as a matter of course.

chapter 1

R
PLANNING In an effective organization, work is planned out in advance. Planning

means setting performance expectations and goals for groups and individuals to channel

their efforts toward achieving organizational objectives. Getting employees involved in

the planning process will help them understand the goals of the organization, what

needs to be done, why it needs to be done, and how well it should be done. 

The regulatory requirements for planning employees’ performance include establishing

the elements and standards of their performance appraisal plans. Performance elements

and standards should be measurable, understandable, verifiable, equitable, and

achievable. Through critical elements, employees are held accountable as individuals

for work assignments or responsibilities. Employee performance plans should be

flexible so that they can be adjusted for changing program objectives and work

requirements. When used effectively, these plans can be beneficial working documents

that are discussed often, and not merely paperwork that is filed in a drawer and

seen only when ratings of record are required. 

MONITORING In an effective organization, assignments and projects are monitored continually. Monitoring well means consistently measuring performance and

providing ongoing feedback to employees and work groups on their progress

toward reaching their goals.

The regulatory requirements for monitoring performance include conducting progress reviews with employees where their performance is compared against their elements and standards. Ongoing monitoring provides the supervisor the opportunity

to check how well employees are meeting predetermined standards and to make

changes to unrealistic or problematic standards. By monitoring continually, supervisors can identify unacceptable performance at any time during the appraisal period

and provide assistance to address such performance rather than wait until the end

of the period when summary rating levels are assigned.

PLANNING

Set goals and measures

Establish and communicate REWARDING elements and standards

Recognize and reward good performance

RATING

Summarize performance

Assign the rating of record DEVELOPING

Address poor performance

Improve good performance

MONITORING

Measure performance

Provide feedback

Conduct progress review

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT’S FIVE KEY COMPONENTS

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT: BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 5
6 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

DEVELOPING In an effective organization, employee developmental needs are

evaluated and addressed. Developing in this instance means increasing the capacity

to perform through training, giving assignments that introduce new skills or higher

levels of responsibility, improving work processes, or other methods. Providing

employees with training and developmental opportunities encourages good performance, strengthens job-related skills and competencies, and helps employees

keep up with changes in the workplace, such as the introduction of new technology. 

Carrying out the processes of performance management provides an excellent

opportunity for supervisors and employees to identify developmental needs. While

planning and monitoring work, deficiencies in performance become evident and

should be addressed. Areas for improving good performance also stand out, and

action can be taken to help successful employees improve even further. 

RATING From time to time, organizations find it useful to summarize employee

performance. This helps with comparing performance over time or across a set of

employees. Organizations need to know who their best performers are.

Within the context of formal performance appraisal requirements, rating means evaluating employee or group performance against the elements and standards in an

employee’s performance plan and assigning a summary rating of record. The rating of

record is assigned according to procedures included in the organization’s appraisal program.

It is based on work performed during an entire appraisal period. The rating of record has

a bearing on various other personnel actions, such as granting within-grade pay increases

and determining additional retention service credit in a reduction in force.

REWARDING In an effective organization, rewards are used often and well.

Rewarding means recognizing employees, individually and as members of groups,

for their performance and acknowledging their contributions to the agency’s mission.

A basic principle of effective management is that all behavior is controlled by its consequences. Those consequences can and should be both formal and informal and both

positive and negative. 

Good managers don’t wait for their organization to solicit nominations for formal

awards before recognizing good performance. Recognition is an ongoing, natural part

of day-to-day experience. A lot of the actions that reward good performance, like saying

“thank you,” don’t require a specific regulatory authority. Nonetheless, awards regulations provide a broad range of forms that more formal rewards can take, such as

cash, time off, and many recognition items. The regulations also cover a variety of

contributions that can be rewarded, from suggestions to group accomplishments.

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT: BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 7

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AS PROSE

Good managers have been speaking and practicing effective performance management all their lives, executing each key component

process well. They not only set goals and plan work routinely, but they

also measure progress toward those goals and give feedback to employees. They set high standards, but they also take care to develop the

skills needed to reach them. They also use formal and informal rewards

to recognize the behavior and results that accomplish their mission. All

five components working together and supporting each other achieve natural, effective performance management.

Employee 

Performance Plans

Employees must know what they need to do to perform their jobs successfully. Expectations for employee performance are established in employee

performance plans. Employee performance plans are all of the written, or

otherwise recorded, performance elements that set forth expected performance. A plan must include all critical and non-critical elements and their

performance standards.

Performance elements tell employees what they have to do and standards

tell them how well they have to do it. Developing elements and standards that are understandable, measurable, attainable, fair, and challenging

is vital to the effectiveness of the performance appraisal process and is

what this handbook is all about.

Federal regulations define three types of elements: critical elements, noncritical elements, and additional performance elements. Agency appraisal

programs are required to use critical elements (although the agency may

choose to call them something else), but the other two types can be used

at the agency’s option. Before continuing further with this handbook, you

should contact your human resources office to determine the types of elements your appraisal program allows.

A NOTE ABOUT 

PERFORMANCE

PLANS

This handbook is about

developing employee performance plans. However, there

is another type of performance plan that you need to

be aware of. The Government

Performance and Results Act

of 1993 requires each agency

to prepare an annual performance plan covering each

program activity set forth in

its budget. These organizational performance plans:

❙ establish program-level 

performance goals that 

are objective, quantifiable, and measurable

❙ describe the operational

resources needed to

meet those goals

❙ establish performance 

indicators to be used in 

measuring the outcomes

of each program

We will be using organizational performance plans during

Step 1 of the eight-step

process presented in this

handbook. Organizational

performance plans are key

in the process of aligning

employee performance with

organizational goals.
8 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

A NOTE ABOUT 

GROUP OR TEAM 

PERFORMANCE

The term “group or team

performance” can be 

confusing sometimes. When

we say that critical elements cannot describe

group performance, we are

saying that the group’s performance as a whole cannot

be used as a critical element.

This does not preclude

describing an individual’s

contribution to the group as

a critical element. The key

to distinguishing between

group performance and an

individual’s contribution to

the group is that group performance is measured at an

aggregate level, not for a

single employee. An individual’s contribution to the

group is measured at the

individual employee level.

CRITICAL ELEMENTS A critical element is an assignment or responsibility of such importance that unacceptable performance in that element

would result in a determination that the employee’s overall performance is

unacceptable. Regulations require that each employee have at least one critical element in his or her performance plan. Even though no maximum

number is placed on the number of critical elements possible, most experts

in the field of performance management agree that between three and

seven critical elements are appropriate for most work situations.

Critical elements are the cornerstone of individual accountability in employee

performance management. Unacceptable performance is defined in Section

4301(3) of title 5, United States Code, as failure on one or more critical elements, which can result in the employee’s reassignment, removal, or reduction

in grade. Consequently, critical elements must describe work assignments and

responsibilities that are within the employee’s control. For most employees this

means that critical elements cannot describe a group’s performance. However,

a supervisor or manager can and should be held accountable for seeing that

results measured at the group or team level are achieved. Critical elements

assessing group performance may be appropriate to include in the performance

plan of a supervisor, manager, or team leader who can reasonably be expected

to command the production and resources necessary to achieve the results

(i.e., be held individually accountable). 
NON-CRITICAL ELEMENTS A non-critical element is a dimension or aspect of

individual, team, or organizational performance, exclusive of a critical element, that is

used in assigning a summary level. Important aspects of non-critical elements include:

❙ NO PERFORMANCE-BASED ACTIONS Failure on a non-critical element cannot

be used as the basis for a performance-based adverse action, such as a demotion or removal. Only critical elements may be used that way. Moreover, if an

employee fails on a non-critical element, the employee’s performance cannot be

summarized as Unacceptable overall based on that failure.

❙ GROUP PERFORMANCE Non-critical elements are the only way an agency can

include the group’s or the team’s performance as an element in the performance

plan so that it counts in the summary level. For example, team structured

organizations might use a non-critical element to plan, track, and appraise the

team on achieving its goals. To do this, each team member’s performance plan

would include the “team” element (i.e., a non-critical element) and the rating

for the team on that element would be counted in the summary level of each

team member.

❙ WHEN THEY CAN’T BE USED Non-critical elements cannot be used in appraisal

programs that use only two levels to summarize performance in the rating of

record. This is because they would have no effect on the summary rating level

and, by definition, they must affect the summary level. (That is, in a two-level

program, failure on non-critical elements cannot bring the summary level down

to Unacceptable, and assessments of non-critical elements cannot raise the summary level to Fully Successful if a critical element is failed.) 

❙ CAN GREATLY AFFECT THE SUMMARY LEVEL Sometimes the word 

“non-critical” is interpreted to mean “not as important.” Prior to 1995, this

interpretation was prescribed by regulation. Now, however, depending on how an appraisal program is designed, this need not be the

case. Even though consideration

of non-critical elements cannot

result in assigning an 

Unacceptable summary level,

appraisal programs can be

designed so that non-critical elements have as much

weight or more weight than

critical elements in determining

summary levels above Unacceptable.

BEFORE YOU CAN USE 

NON-CRITICAL ELEMENTS IN EMPLOYEE 

PERFORMANCE PLANS, YOU MUST DETERMINE 

IF YOUR APPRAISAL PROGRAM 

ALLOWS THEM.

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT: BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 9
10 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

Performance Management: Backg round and Context, continued

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT: BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE ELEMENTS

An additional performance element is a

dimension or aspect of individual,

team, or organizational performance that is not a critical 

element and is not used in

assigning a summary rating

level. The essential difference between a non-critical

element and an additional

performance element is that

non-critical elements do affect

the summary level. Otherwise, the

features and limitations of non-critical

elements discussed above also apply to

additional performance elements. Opportunities for

using additional performance elements include:

❙ NEW WORK ASSIGNMENT Managers and employees may want to establish

goals, track and measure performance, and develop skills for an aspect of work

that they do not believe should count in the summary level. For example, if an

employee volunteered to work on a new project that requires new skills, an additional performance element describing the new assignment provides a nonthreatening vehicle for planning, measuring, and giving feedback on the

employee’s performance without counting it in the summary level. 

❙ GROUP PERFORMANCE In a two-level appraisal program, additional performance elements are the only way to include a discussion of group performance

in the appraisal process. Even though the element assessment does not count

when determining the summary level, managers and employees could use it to

manage the group’s performance.

❙ AWARDS Additional performance elements can be used to establish criteria for

determining awards eligibility, especially in a two-level program that no longer

bases awards solely on a summary level. 

CHECK THE RULES 

OF YOUR PROGRAM BEFORE 

INCLUDING ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE 

ELEMENTS IN YOUR PLANS.

ELEMENT CHARACTERISTICS

REQUIRED IN EMPLOYEE CREDITED IN THE CAN DESCRIBE A

PERFORMANCE PLANS SUMMARY LEVEL GROUP’S PERFORMANCE

CRITICAL ELEMENTS YES YES NO*

NON-CRITICAL ELEMENTS NO YES YES

ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE

ELEMENTS NO NO YES

*Except when written for a supervisor or manager who has individual management control over a group’s production and resources.
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 11

Additional performance elements were introduced in the September 1995 performance

appraisal regulations and have not been used widely yet. We foresee their popularity

rising as agencies discover the possibilities they present for managing performance. 

KNOW YOUR PROGRAM FEATURES

Again, it is important to stress that before you continue with this handbook, you

need to find out the rules established by your appraisal program; specifically, you

will need to know:

❙ which kinds of elements your program allows you to use 

❙ at how many levels your program appraises employee performance on elements

❙ how many summary levels your program uses 

❙ if your program allows weighting of elements (see Step 4)

❙ whether the program requires specific elements and/or uses generic standards

This handbook uses an organization within OPM—Branch 3 of the Retirement

Claims Division, Office of Retirement Programs, Retirement and Insurance Service—

as an example for developing measures at the group and individual level. To be able

to understand and work through the examples, you need to know the features of

Branch 3’s appraisal program (i.e., the same features listed above). Branch 3’s

appraisal program:

❙ uses critical, non-critical, and additional performance elements

❙ appraises employee performance on elements at five levels: 

Unacceptable

Minimally Successful

Fully Successful

Exceeds Fully Successful

Outstanding

❙ uses five summary levels, which are the same as the elements’ five levels 

listed above

❙ allows elements to be weighted according to importance to the organization

❙ requires no specific or generic elements

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT: BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

example program features
12 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

chapter 2

DISTINGUISHING ACTIVITIES FROM ACCOMPLISHMENTS

CHAPTER 2 DISCUSSES WHAT MAY BE THE MOST IMPORTANT CONCEPT IN THIS HANDBOOK: THE DIFFERENCE

BETWEEN MEASURING ACTIVITIES AND MEASURING ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THE FOLLOWING STORY ILLUSTRATES

THIS CONCEPT.

The Beekeepers and 

Their Bees

Once upon a time, there were two beekeepers who each had a beehive. The beekeepers

worked for a company called Bees, Inc. The company’s customers loved its honey and wanted

the business to produce more honey than it had the previous year. As a result, each beekeeper

was told to produce more honey at the same quality. With different ideas about how to do

this, the beekeepers designed different approaches to improve the performance of their hives.

The first beekeeper established a bee performance management approach that measured

how many flowers each bee visited. At considerable cost to the beekeeper, an extensive

measurement system was created to count the flowers each bee visited. The beekeeper provided feedback to each bee at midseason on his individual performance, but the bees were

never told about the hive’s goal to produce more honey so that Bees, Inc., could increase

honey sales. The beekeeper created special awards for the bees who visited the most flowers.

The second beekeeper also established a bee performance management approach, but this

approach communicated to each bee the goal of the hive—to produce more honey. This

beekeeper and his bees measured two aspects of their performance: the amount of nectar

each bee brought back to the hive and the amount of honey the hive produced. The performance of each bee and the hive’s overall performance were charted and posted on the

hive’s bulletin board for all bees to see. The beekeeper created a few awards for the bees

that gathered the most nectar, but he also established a hive incentive program that

rewarded each bee in the hive based on the hive’s production of honey—the more honey

produced the more recognition each bee would receive.
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 13

chapter 2

At the end of the season, the beekeepers evaluated their approaches. The first beekeeper

found that his hive had indeed increased the number of flowers visited, but the amount

of honey produced by the hive had dropped. The Queen Bee reported that because the

bees were so busy trying to visit as many flowers as possible, they limited the amount of

nectar they would carry so they could fly faster. Also, because the bees felt they were

competing against each other for awards (because only the top performers were recognized), they would not share valuable information with each other (like the location of

the flower-filled fields they’d spotted on the way back to the hive) that could have

helped improve the performance of all the bees. (After all was said and done, one of the

high-performing bees told the beekeeper that if he’d been told that the real goal was to

make more honey rather than to visit more flowers, he would have done his work completely differently.) As the beekeeper handed out the awards to individual bees, unhappy

buzzing was heard in the background.

The second beekeeper, however, had very different results. Because each bee in his hive

was focused on the hive’s goal of producing more honey, the bees had concentrated their

efforts on gathering more nectar to produce more honey than ever before. The bees

worked together to determine the highest nectar-yielding flowers and to create quicker

processes for depositing the nectar they’d gathered. They also worked together to help

increase the amount of nectar gathered by the poor performers. The Queen Bee of this

hive reported that the poor performers either improved their performance or transferred

to another hive. Because the hive had reached its goal, the beekeeper awarded each bee

his portion of the hive incentive payment. The beekeeper was also surprised to hear a

loud, happy buzz and a jubilant flapping of wings as he rewarded the individual highperforming bees with special recognition.

THE MORAL OF THIS STORY IS: MEASURING AND RECOGNIZING ACCOMPLISHMENTS

RATHER THAN ACTIVITIES—AND GIVING FEEDBACK TO THE WORKER BEES—OFTEN

IMPROVES THE RESULTS OF THE HIVE.
14

Although it somewhat oversimplifies performance management, the beekeepers’ story

illustrates the importance of measuring and recognizing accomplishments (the amount of

honey production per hive) rather than activities (visiting flowers). This handbook is

designed to help you develop elements and standards that center around accomplishments, not activities.

The chart below depicts the type of measurement that should occur at each organizational

level of Bees, Inc., and includes measurements used by the beekeepers.

DISTINGUISHING ACTIVITIES FROM ACCOMPLISHMENTS

OUTCOMES

(increased sales 

of honey)

OUTPUTS

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

(I.E., PRODUCTS OR SERVICES)

(honey produced 

per hive)

(nectar collected 

per bee)

ACTIVITIES

(flowers visited)

PROGRAM

(Bees, Inc.)

WORK UNIT

(hive)

EMPLOYEE

(bee)

CAN BE APPRAISED 

USING NON-CRITICAL 

AND ADDITIONAL 

PERFORMANCE 

ELEMENTS

CAN BE

APPRAISED 

USING CRITICAL 

ELEMENTS

PERFORMANCE PYRAMID

Note that outputs occur at two levels—the work unit and the employee level.
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 15

DISTINGUISHING ACTIVITIES FROM ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Activities are the actions taken to produce results and are generally described using verbs. 

In the beekeeper story, the activity being measured was visiting flowers. Other examples of

activities include:

❙ filing documents

❙ developing software programs

❙ answering customer questions

❙ writing reports

Accomplishments (or outputs) are the products or services (the results) of employee and

work unit activities and are generally described using nouns. The examples of outputs used in

the story include the amount of nectar each bee collected and the honey production for the

hive. Other examples include:

❙ files that are orderly and complete

❙ a software program that works

❙ accurate guidance to customers

❙ a report that is complete and accurate

Outcomes are the final results of an agency’s products and services (and other outside factors that may affect performance). The example of an outcome used in the beekeeper story

was increased sales of honey for Bees, Inc. Other examples of outcomes could include:

❙ reduced number of transportation-related deaths

❙ improved fish hatcheries

❙ a decrease in the rate of teenage alcoholism

❙ clean air
16 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

On the performance pyramid illustrated on page 14, notice that accomplishments can be measured at two levels in the organization—the

employee level and the work unit level. Employee accomplishments can be

included in employee performance plans using all three types of performance elements. Work unit accomplishments also can be included in the

appraisal process—through non-critical elements if the agency desires to

have work unit performance affect ratings (and only if the appraisal program uses more than two summary levels) or through additional performance elements if work unit performance is not to affect ratings. However

they are used in performance appraisal, work unit as well as employee

accomplishments can always be recognized through an awards program.

If supervisors, team leaders, and employees want to develop performance

plans that support the achievement of organizational outcomes, they

might try the second beekeeper’s approach of sharing organizational goals

with the hive, measuring and rewarding accomplishments rather than

activities, and providing feedback on performance.

A NOTE ABOUT 

FEDERAL EFFORTS

TO MEASURE 

OUTCOMES

AND OUTPUTS

Because of the requirements

set by the Government Performance and Results Act of

1993 (i.e., the Results Act),

Federal agencies are measuring

their organizational outcomes

and outputs. The Results Act

requires agencies to have

strategic plans, which include

outcome-related goals and

objectives for the major functions and operations of the

agency. Those outcome goals

must be objective, quantifiable,

and measurable. The Results

Act also requires agencies to

develop annual performance

plans that cover each one of

their programs. Performance

plans must include performance goals, which define the

annual, often incremental,

progress in achieving the

outcome goals in the strategic plan. Performance goals

are often output-oriented

because they address singleyear performance. We will

talk more about strategic

plans with their outcome

goals, and performance

plans with their output

goals, in Chapter 3.
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 17

DISTINGUISHING ACTIVITIES FROM ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Using Balanced Measures

THIS HANDBOOK FOCUSES ON MEASURING ACCOMPLISHMENTS AT THE WORK UNIT AND EMPLOYEE LEVELS. THERE

MAY BE SITUATIONS, HOWEVER, WHEN ACTIVITIES, BEHAVIORS, OR PROCESSES MAY BE IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE IN AN

EMPLOYEE’S PERFORMANCE PLAN. THIS HANDBOOK DOES NOT FOCUS ON HOW TO DEVELOP THOSE KINDS OF MEASURES. HOWEVER, WE WOULD BE REMISS NOT TO INCLUDE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF BALANCING

MEASURES IN YOUR MEASUREMENT SYSTEM. THEREFORE, A SHORT DESCRIPTION OF BALANCED MEASURES FOLLOWS.

Traditionally, many agencies have measured their organizational performance by focusing on

internal or process performance, looking at factors such as the number of full-time equivalents

(FTEs) allotted, the number of programs controlled by the agency, or the size of the budget for

the fiscal year. In contrast, private sector businesses usually focus on the financial measures of

their bottom line: return-on-investment, market share, and earnings-per-share. Alone, neither

of these approaches provides the full perspective on an organization’s performance that a

manager needs to manage effectively. But by balancing customer and employee satisfaction

measures with results and financial measures, managers will have a more complete picture and

will know where to make improvements. 

BALANCING MEASURES Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton have developed a set of measures

that they refer to as “a balanced scorecard.” These measures give top managers a fast but comprehensive view of the organization’s performance and include both process and results measures.

Kaplan and Norton compare the balanced scorecard to the dials and indicators in an airplane

cockpit. For the complex task of flying an airplane, pilots need detailed information about fuel, air

speed, altitude, bearing, and other indicators that summarize the current and predicted environment. Reliance on one instrument can be fatal. Similarly, the complexity of managing an organization requires that managers be able to view performance in several areas simultaneously. A balanced scorecard—or a balanced set of measures—provides that valuable information.

MANAGING PERFORMANCE FROM THREE PERSPECTIVES A variety of studies have

shown that both the public and private sectors have used balanced measures to help

create high-performing organizations. Because balancing the perspectives of business,

customers, and employees plays a key role in organizational success, OPM regulations

(effective November 13, 2000) now require agencies to evaluate senior executive performance using balanced measures, which should take into account the following factors:

❙ The business perspective, which has a different interpretation in the Government than in the

private sector. For many organizations, there are actually two separate sets of measures: the outcomes, or social/political impacts, which define the role of the agency/department within the Government and American society; and the business processes needed for organizational efficiency and

effectiveness. Many of the outcome-oriented goals agencies establish in their strategic plans under

the Government Performance and Results Act include the business perspective. To gain the business perspective, Federal managers must answer the question: How do we look to Congress, the President, and other stakeholders?
18 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

DISTINGUISHING ACTIVITIES FROM ACCOMPLISHMENTS

❙ The customer perspective, which considers the organization’s performance through the eyes of

its customers, i.e., American citizens, so that the organization retains a careful focus on customer

needs and satisfaction. To achieve the best in business performance, agencies must incorporate customer needs and wants and must respond to them as part of their performance planning. Federal

managers must answer the question: How do customers see us?

❙ The employee perspective, which focuses attention on the performance of the key internal processes

that drive the organization, including employee development and retention. This perspective directs

attention to the basis of all future success—the organization’s people and infrastructure. Adequate investment in these areas is critical to all long-term success. Federal managers must answer the question: Do

employees view the organization as a good place to work and develop their skills?

TIE-IN TO EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE The balanced measures philosophy need not apply

only at the organizational or senior executive level. A balanced approach to employee performance appraisal is an effective way of getting a complete look at an employee’s work performance. Too often, employee performance plans with their elements and standards measure

behaviors, actions, or processes without also measuring the results of employees’ work. By measuring only behaviors or actions in employee performance plans, an organization might find

that most of its employees are appraised as Outstanding when the organization as a whole has

failed to meet its objectives.

By using balanced measures at the organizational level, and by sharing the results with supervisors, teams, and employees, managers are providing the information needed to align

employee performance plans with organizational goals. By balancing the measures used in

employee performance plans, the performance picture becomes complete.

Categories of Work

Sometimes performance plans describe elements using categories of work. Categories are 

classifications of work types often used to organize performance elements and standards. If,

for example, the first beekeeper in our fable had used categories of work for his elements, he

might have used the broad category of “making honey” as the element and then included a

grouping that described all the activities the bees did to make the honey, such as gather nectar, report to the drones, etc. Other examples of categories of work and the types of activities

that are often described under these categories include: 

❙ customer service (greets customers with a smile, answers the phone promptly)

❙ teamwork (cooperates with others, shares information)

❙ communication (writes well, gives presentations)

❙ office duties (files papers, prepares reports)

THIS HANDBOOK DOES NOT EXPLAIN HOW TO DESCRIBE AND MEASURE CATEGORIES OF WORK. HERE YOU ARE

ASKED TO CONCENTRATE ON MEASURING ACCOMPLISHMENTS. 
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 19

EXERCISE ON DISTINGUISHING ACTIVITIES FROM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

It is time to check your understanding of the differences among activities, accomplishments, 

and categories. Please check the column that best describes each item.

ACCOMPLISHMENT ACTIVITY CATEGORY

Trains employees

Supervision

A completed case

Public relations

Recommendations

Customer service

HR policy interpretations

Writes agency policy 

Solutions to problems

Develops software programs

Ideas and innovations

Files paperwork

Writes memos

Computer systems that work

Teamwork

A completed project

Satisfied customers

Answers the phone

Assists team members

DISTINGUISHING ACTIVITIES FROM ACCOMPLISHMENTS

ANSWERS ON PAGE 88
20 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

chapter 3

DEVELOPING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE PLANS

ou are now going to begin an eight-step process for developing

employee performance plans that support organizational goals. Before

you begin, however, we want to briefly review a process for developing

performance plans that you may have followed in the past but will NOT

be learning here.

Traditionally in some organizations, performance plans have been developed by copying the activities described in an employee’s job description

onto the appraisal form. This handbook asks that you NOT begin with the

position description. Even though a performance plan must reflect the type

of work described in the employee’s position description, the performance

plan does not have to mirror it. 

The next two pages illustrate what happens when you develop a

performance plan solely from a position description. Page 22 is a

simplified position description for a Federal Retirement Benefits Specialist within our example organization—Branch 3 of the Retirement Claims Division, Office of Retirement Programs, Retirement

and Insurance Service, OPM. Notice how the duties and responsibilities in the position description all begin with a verb. They

describe activities, not accomplishments.

Y
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 21

chapter 3

A performance plan for a Federal Retirement Benefits Specialist follows on

page 23. It was written by copying the simplified position description

from page 22 onto the appraisal form. Note that by copying the activities

from the position description onto the appraisal form, Branch 3 has

developed a performance plan that only measures activities, not accomplishments. Also, by developing a performance plan without using a

process that links accomplishments to organizational goals, the organization has lost the opportunity to use the appraisal process to communicate its goals to its employees and to align employee efforts with its goals.

REMEMBER THAT BRANCH 3’S APPRAISAL PROGRAM APPRAISES 

EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE ON ELEMENTS AT FIVE LEVELS. THE FORM ON 

PAGE 23 SHOWS FIVE POSSIBLE LEVELS OF PERFORMANCE: UNSATISFACTORY (U), 

MINIMALLY SUCCESSFUL (MS), FULLY SUCCESSFUL (FS), EXCEEDS FULLY

SUCCESSFUL (EFS), AND OUTSTANDING (O).
22 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

DEVELOPING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE PLANS

POSITION DESCRIPTION: #JJJ666

LEGAL ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST (FEDERAL RETIREMENT CLAIMS EXAMINING) GS-0901-11

ORGANIZATIONAL TITLE: FEDERAL RETIREMENT BENEFITS SPECIALIST

INTRODUCTION

The incumbent of this position serves in a highly responsible capacity as a Federal Retirement Benefits Specialist in an office responsible for the adjudication of claims for retirement

and insurance benefits arising under the Federal civil service retirement systems administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. The work requires the services of an

experienced, fully-trained Federal Retirement Benefits Specialist. This position is responsible

for considering and acting on all aspects of claims and applications for retirement and insurance benefits in an assigned area.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

❙ Determine entitlement to and the amount of retirement annuities and survivor benefits, as well as payments to adult students and the entitlements and payments to certain other parties such as former spouses.

❙ Develop the record in individual cases, determining what is necessary and the sources

of needed information.

❙ Adjudicate cases.

❙ Review and approve recommendations and decisions made by other Specialists, and

provide training, advice, and assistance.

❙ Respond to inquiries from various customer sources and provide clear, responsive

explanations of actions taken and the bases for them.

APPROVING AUTHORITY SIGNATURE DATE

POSITION DESCRIPTION

THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE POSITION DESCRIPTION ALL BEGIN WITH A VERB. THEY DESCRIBE ACTIVITIES.

This simplified and edited position description describes only a few of

the major duties of the GS-11 Federal Retirement Benefits Specialist

position in OPM’s Retirement Claims Division Branch 3, Office of Retirement Programs, Retirement and Insurance Service.
EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE PLAN

Name Effective Date

A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 23

DEVELOPING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE PLANS

PERFORMANCE PLAN

THIS IS NOT THE TYPE OF PERFORMANCE PLAN THAT YOU WILL DEVELOP 

IF YOU FOLLOW THE METHOD PRESENTED IN THIS HANDBOOK SYMBOL.

JOB TITLE AND GRADE

Federal Retirement Benefits Specialist, GS-11 

NAME OF ORGANIZATION

Office of Retirement Programs

ELEMENTS TYPE STANDARDS RATING

TECHNICAL AND POLICY EXPERT

❙ Determine entitlement to

and the amount of retirement annuities and survivor

benefits, as well as payments to adult students and

the entitlements and payments to certain other parties such as former spouses.

❙ Develop the record in individual cases, determining what is

necessary and the sources of

needed information.

❙ Adjudicate cases of unusual

technical difficulty. 

LEADERSHIP

❙ Review and approve recommendations and decisions

made by other Specialists,

and provide advice and

assistance.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

❙ Respond to inquiries from

various customer sources and

provide clear, responsive

explanations of actions taken

and the bases for them. 

FULLY SUCCESSFUL:

Amounts of payments are

accurate and determined

timely.

Amounts of payments are

accurate and determined

timely.

FULLY SUCCESSFUL:

Reviews cases as requested.

Provides high-quality feedback and advice to others. 

FULLY SUCCESSFUL:

Customer inquiries are routinely addressed accurately

and in a timely fashion. 

Critical

Critical

Critical

U

MS

FS

EFS

O

U

MS

FS

EFS

O

U

MS

FS

EFS

O

COMMENTS:

APPRAISING OFFICIAL SIGNATURE EMPLOYEE SIGNATURE

✗

✗
24 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

HAVING REVIEWED HOW TO DEVELOP A

PERFORMANCE PLAN THAT FOCUSES

ONLY ON ACTIVITIES, WE WILL NOW

DEVELOP A PERFORMANCE PLAN THAT

ESTABLISHES ELEMENTS AND STANDARDS, ADDRESSING ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT LEAD TO ORGANIZATIONAL

GOAL ACHIEVEMENT. AN EIGHT-STEP

PROCESS HAS BEEN DEVELOPED TO

PRODUCE SUCH PLANS. EACH STEP IN

THE EIGHT-STEP PROCESS WE PRESENT IN

THIS HANDBOOK BUILDS ON THE PREVIOUS

STEP; YOU CANNOT SKIP A STEP AND

END UP WITH GOOD RESULTS.

DEVELOPING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE PLANS
Instead of beginning at the bottom of the organization with the position description to

develop employee performance plans, begin the process by looking at your agency’s goals

and objectives. Gather the following information:

❙ WHAT ARE YOUR AGENCY’S GENERAL OUTCOME GOALS AS OUTLINED IN ITS STRATEGIC PLAN?

The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (i.e., the Results Act) requires all 

agencies to develop a strategic plan that includes objective, quantifiable, and measurable performance goals. Agencies submitted their first strategic plans to Congress in September 1997. You

will be referring to your agency’s strategic plan while creating employee performance plans.

❙ WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE GOALS ESTABLISHED FOR YOUR PROGRAM AREA AS

OUTLINED IN YOUR AGENCY’S ANNUAL PERFORMANCE PLAN?

The Results Act also requires each agency to have an annual performance plan that sets

out measurable goals that define what will be accomplished during a fiscal year. The goals

in the annual performance plan describe the incremental progress toward achieving the

general goals and objectives in the strategic plan. Performance plan goals are usually more

specific and may be more output-oriented than the general outcome goals found in the

strategic plan. Since performance plan goals should be used by managers as they direct

and oversee how a program is carried out, these are the goals to which employee performance plans should be linked.

❙ WHAT PERFORMANCE MEASURES ARE ALREADY IN PLACE?

You should be aware of the measurement systems that you can access for information on

performance, including measures used for determining progress toward achieving Results

Act goals and customer satisfaction surveys.

step 1

DEVELOPING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE PLANS

step 1: look at the overall picture

A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 25
26 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

EXAMPLE OF ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS 

Again, the main example used in this handbook refers to the Federal Retirement Benefits

Specialist position in the Office of Retirement Programs (ORP), Retirement and Insurance

Service, of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). This position is found in Branch 3 of

the Retirement Claims Division and primarily processes retirement claims. OPM strategic,

outcome-oriented goals and two of ORP’s performance goals established in OPM’s annual

performance plan serve as examples of organizational goals. You will use this information in

the next step of our eight-step process. 

OPM STRATEGIC GOALS

Lead. The Federal Government effectively recruits, develops, manages, and retains a high

quality and diverse workforce even as the labor market and the workplace undergo significant and continuous change.

Protect. The Federal Government, as an employer, consistently honors merit principles in

managing its workforce.

Serve. OPM’s high quality, cost-effective human resources services meet the evolving needs

of Federal agencies, employees, retirees, their families, and the public.

Safeguard. The employee benefit trust funds are models of financial excellence and integrity.

exampleorganizational goals

STEP 1: LOOK AT THE OVERALL PICTURE
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 27

DIRECTLY LINKED 

TO OPM’S THIRD

GOAL: SERVE

exampleorganizational goals

OPM’S ANNUAL PERFORMANCE PLAN GOALS FOR THE 

RETIREMENT AND INSURANCE SERVICE (RIS)

RIS GOAL #2

Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) retirement claims processing times are

reduced and more customer services are delivered through self-servicing technology,

while customer satisfaction is maintained at fiscal year 2000 levels.

MEANS: (ONLY TWO MEANS ARE PRESENTED HERE.)

❙ We will use the FERS Calculator implemented through the automation improvement

project to reduce the time needed to process FERS claims.

❙ We will continue the availability of both Interactive Voice Response and Internet

technology to make annuity payment account changes.

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION INDICATORS

❙ Customers who received their first payment either before or when they expected.

(The goal is to reach 80 percent.)

❙ Annuitants who indicate overall satisfaction with the handling of their retirement

claims. (The goal is to reach 95 percent.)

BUSINESS PROCESS INDICATORS

❙ Interim payment processing time. (The goal is 4.5 days.)

❙ FERS annuity processing time. (The goal is 90 days.)

❙ FERS annuity claims accuracy. (The goal is 92 percent.)

FINANCIAL INDICATOR

Claims processing unit cost. (The goal is $100 per claim.)
28 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

The next step in this eight-step method is to determine the accomplishments 

(i.e., the products or services) of the work unit. Identifying work unit accomplishments lets you identify appropriate measures in the following steps of this process. 

A work unit is a small group of employees that, in a traditional work structure, is

supervised by the same first-line supervisor. Work units are generally the smallest

organizational group on the organizational chart and usually include between 5

and 20 people. A work unit can also be a team—permanent or temporary—where

the team members work interdependently toward a common goal.

Because not all types of work situations and structures are the same, this handbook

offers three different ways to determine what to measure at the work unit level:

A. A GOAL CASCADING METHOD

B. A CUSTOMER-FOCUSED METHOD

C. A WORK FLOW CHARTING METHOD

You can use one or all three methods, depending on what fits your situation.

Whichever you use, remember to describe accomplishments (using nouns) rather

than activities (using verbs).

step 2

DEVELOPING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE PLANS

step 2: 

determine work unit accomplishments 
29

STEP 2: DETERMINE WORK UNIT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

method A: 

cascade the agency’s goals down to the work unit level

The goal cascading method works best for agencies with clear organizational goals and 

objectives, such as those established in the strategic plans and annual performance plans that

agencies have prepared under the Government Performance and Results Act. This method

requires answers to each of the following questions:

❙ WHAT ARE THE AGENCY’S SPECIFIC GOALS AND OBJECTIVES? 

These can be found in the agency’s annual performance plan and customer service 

standards. (Note that this question repeats Step 1 of the eight-step process.)

❙ WHICH AGENCY GOAL(S) CAN THE WORK UNIT AFFECT?

Often, work units may affect only one agency goal, but in some situations, agency goals

are written so broadly that work units may affect more than one. 

❙ WHAT PRODUCT OR SERVICE DOES THE WORK UNIT PRODUCE OR PROVIDE 

TO HELP THE AGENCY REACH ITS GOALS? 

Clearly tying work unit products and services to organizational goals is key to this process. If 

a work unit finds it generates a product or service that does not affect organizational goals, the

work unit needs to analyze the situation. It may decide to eliminate the product or service.

CASCADING AGENCY GOALS TO WORK UNITS

1 2 3

A B C

Agency’s 

Strategic Goals

Program’s 

Annual 

Performance 

Plan Goals

Work Unit’s 

Products 

and Services

1 2 3

A

Agency’s 

Strategic Goals

Program’s 

Annual 

Performance 

Plan Goals

B C

Work Unit’s 

Products 

and Services
30 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

EXAMPLE OF CASCADING AGENCY GOALS TO A WORK UNIT 

OPM’S THIRD GOAL: SERVE

OPM’s high quality, cost-effective human resources services

meet the evolving needs of Federal agencies, employees,

retirees, their families, and the public. 

RIS GOAL #2

Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) retirement claims

processing times are reduced and more customer services are

delivered through self-servicing technology, while customer

satisfaction is maintained at fiscal year 2000 levels. 

A. Reduce overall processing times for FERS annuity claims by

processing fully developed FERS annuity claims in an average of 90 days (re RIS Goal #2).

B. Reduce claims processing error rates by providing increased

training in workplace competencies (re RIS Goal #2). 

• Claims processed in less time and with lower error rates

• Increased number of individuals who can process FERS

claims

(Note: The Retirement Claims Division historically has processed

claims for benefits under the Civil Service Retirement System. Beginning in fiscal year 2000, the Division’s Branch 3 began processing

claims under FERS in response to the growth of this workload.) 

AN OPM STRATEGIC GOAL

A RETIREMENT AND

INSURANCE SERVICE (RIS)

ANNUAL PERFORMANCE

PLAN GOAL THAT 

CASCADES FROM OPM’S

THIRD GOAL: SERVE 

SOME OFFICE OF 

RETIREMENT 

PROGRAMS (ORP) 

GOALS 

RETIREMENT CLAIMS

DIVISION BRANCH 3

GOALS 

examplemethod A
STEP 2: DETERMINE WORK UNIT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

EXERCISE ON CASCADING GOALS

In the spaces below, begin mapping your agency’s strategic and performance goals and how

those goals cascade or “trickle down” through your organization. Try to show how your work

unit’s products or services link to your agency’s goals. Remember to describe work unit accomplishments in terms of products or services (i.e., the end result of all the unit’s activities).

YOUR AGENCY’S GOALS

YOUR ORGANIZATION’S GOALS

YOUR WORK UNIT’S PRODUCTS OR SERVICES

A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 31
32 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

STEP 2: DETERMINE WORK UNIT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

method B: determine the products and services the work unit 

provides for its customers

The customer-focused method works well when there are no clear agency goals

and when the work unit knows who its customers are and what they expect. Often

this method is easier to apply to administrative work units that provide support

functions, such as a human resources unit, an acquisitions unit, or a facilities maintenance unit. This method focuses on achieving customer satisfaction and requires

answers to each of the following questions:

❙ Who are the customers of the work unit? If the work unit provides a support

function, most of its customers may be internal to the agency.

❙ What products and/or services do the customers expect? Remember to describe 

accomplishments, not activities.

One way to approach this method is to build a map, as shown below. Place an oval

representing the work unit in the center of a blank piece of paper. List the customer

groups around the oval and describe the products or services the customers expect

in the box under the customer groups.

RESULT

RESULT

RESULT

RESULT

work unit customer

group D

customer

group C

customer

group B

customer

group A
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 33

STEP 2: DETERMINE WORK UNIT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

examplemethod B

EXAMPLE OF IDENTIFYING CUSTOMERS AND THEIR EXPECTATIONS

The example below diagrams the accomplishments of the Office of Retirement Programs’ Retirement Claims Division Branch 3 from a customer-focused approach. Note that the accomplishments listed are the results of the team’s work.

TRAINING,

GUIDANCE

RESPONSE TO

INQUIRIES

Branch 3

other ORP employees correspondents

retiring employees

COMPLETE

CLAIM
34 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

STEP 2: DETERMINE WORK UNIT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

EXERCISE FOR IDENTIFYING CUSTOMERS AND 

THEIR EXPECTATIONS

Use method B—the customer-focused method—to develop the product(s) or service(s) that your 

work unit provides. 

1) Identify your work unit’s customers

2) Determine what product(s) or service(s) your work unit supplies or provides to its customers

YOUR WORK UNIT
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 35

STEP 2: DETERMINE WORK UNIT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

method C: develop a work flow chart for the work unit, establishing key steps in the work process

The work flow charting method works well for

work units that are responsible for a complete work

process, such as the processing of a case, the writing of

a report, or the production of a customer information

package. This method asks work units to develop work

flow charts. A work flow chart is a picture of the major

steps in a work process or project. It begins with the

first step of the work process, maps out each successive

step, and ends with the final product or service. To

illustrate, the work flow chart to the right depicts a

work process for building a house.

1. Foundation

2. Walls

3. Chimney

4. Roof

5. A complete house

1

2

3

4

5
36 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

examplemethod C

STEP 2: DETERMINE WORK UNIT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

TO HELP YOU BUILD YOUR WORK FLOW CHART, ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS:

❙ How does the work unit produce its products or services? List the most basic steps in the process. For this

purpose, you do not need to list all the activities required. (If you were analyzing the work to find ways of

improving the process, you would need to list every activity.) 

❙ Which are the most important steps in the process? By determining these steps, you highlight areas for

performance measurement.

As you map out the process, you may find yourself describing activities. Try to group the activities

into key steps by describing the results of those activities as one step in the process. As an example,

the activities described in the following columns are all the activities that a publication team

described when it was trying to create a work flow chart for the process of developing a newsletter.

By grouping the related activities into the same columns, it was easier for the team to determine the

results of those activities. Those results are written at the top of the column and became the key

steps in the work flow chart. 

THE PLAN FOR THE 

NEXT ISSUE

brainstorm ideas

meet to discuss ideas

research various

resources for ideas

get management 

approval of 

proposed plan

THE DRAFT VERSION 

OF THE ARTICLES

interview contacts

get contact review 

and edits of article

get pictures or 

graphics, if used

write article

THE EDITED VERSION 

OF THE ARTICLES

review articles for errors

make suggestions 

for improvements

make necessary changes

consider the overall

effect of the 

entire issue

THE CAMERA-READY 

ART MECHANICAL

crop pictures

develop the 

original graphics

create layout boards

format issue

PLAN FOR

NEXT ISSUE

DRAFT 

ARTICLES

EDIT 

ARTICLES

ART 

MECHANICAL

RESULTS

ACTIVITIES

WORK FLOW

CHART
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 37

examplemethod C

STEP 2: DETERMINE WORK UNIT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WORK FLOW CHARTING

This example of the results of method C—which focuses on the work flow and the key steps in the work

process—uses a work flow chart developed by the Office of Retirement Programs. The work flow chart

below maps the key steps in processing retirement claims. Notice that the steps are described as products.

In other words, all the activities to complete the steps are not listed individually but have been grouped

and described as products. These key steps are good candidates for measurement.

Nondisability

Claim Received

Annuity 

Computation

An authorized first

annuity payment

for Treasury to 

disperse

An updated annuity

roll master record

A completed 

and filed claim
38 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

STEP 2: DETERMINE WORK UNIT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

EXERCISE ON WORK FLOW CHARTING

1) Select a product or service that your work unit provides.

2) As best you can, map out the work process your unit uses. Focus on the major categories or steps of the work. You

may need to first list the smaller steps of the work and then group them into subproducts. (Remember to describe

products and services when you can, not activities.) 
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 39

step 3

DEVELOPING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE PLANS

step 3: 

determine individual accomplishments that support work unit goals

The performance elements that will be measured in the overall employee performance plan can

include both individual and group assignments and responsibilities. The most important,

results-oriented aspects of a unit’s performance (which are its products or services) were

identified in Step 2. (Other types of processes that work units may want to measure and

include as elements in their plans—but which are not products or services and would not be

identified through Step 2—include internal group dynamics processes, such as decisionmaking or problem-solving processes, or group/team development.) 

Elements that address individual accomplishments can be identified using a role-results matrix.

A role-results matrix is simply a table that identifies the results each work unit member must

produce to support the unit’s accomplishments. To build the matrix, list the work unit’s products or services across the top row of a table. List each member of the work unit or each job

position down the left column of the matrix. For each cell of the table, ask this question: What

must this unit member produce or perform (i.e., accomplish) to support this particular work

unit product or service? List those employee products or services (i.e., accomplishments) in the

appropriate cell. The products or services you list for each unit member are possible 

performance elements that might be included in the employee’s performance plan. All performance

elements should be either quantifiable or verifiable and should be described as accomplishments (nouns), not activities (verbs).

UNIT EMPLOYEES UNIT PRODUCT OR SERVICE UNIT PRODUCT OR SERVICE UNIT PRODUCT OR SERVICE UNIT PRODUCT OR SERVICE 

EMPLOYEE 1 ACCOMPLISHMENT ACCOMPLISHMENT ACCOMPLISHMENT ACCOMPLISHMENT

EMPLOYEE 2 ACCOMPLISHMENT ACCOMPLISHMENT ACCOMPLISHMENT *N/A

EMPLOYEE 3 ACCOMPLISHMENT *N/A ACCOMPLISHMENT ACCOMPLISHMENT

EMPLOYEE 4 *N/A ACCOMPLISHMENT ACCOMPLISHMENT ACCOMPLISHMENT

*The employee had no part in this work unit product or service.

A ROLE-RESULTS MATRIX
40 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

STEP 3: DETERMINE INDIVIDUAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

examplerole-results matrix

EXAMPLE OF A ROLE-RESULTS MATRIX

An example of a role-results matrix is shown below. It was built for a work team that produces a bimonthly policy newsletter. The team has five members: the editor, three writers,

and a graphic artist. The final product or output is the newsletter. (The expected outcome is

better educated Federal employees.) The team created a work flow chart (see page 36), which

identified four key steps in the work process. The team then used these key steps to build the

matrix and will use it to develop performance elements.

Note that the main steps of the work process are laid out along the top of the matrix. The

team members are listed down the left-hand column. Accomplishments are listed for each

team member. Also, note that not all members have assignments or responsibilities for every

team accomplishment. (This often will occur in cross-functional work units that include a

variety of different job series.) 

When building a role-results matrix, you may identify certain aspects of performance at

either the work unit level or the individual level that you may not be able to measure (e.g.,

the effect a human resources program has on organizational performance) or over which the

unit or the employee has no control (i.e., a portion of the product must be completed by

someone outside the work unit). Also, certain aspects of performance may cost too much to

measure or the agency may not have the resources to measure them. You should not include

these aspects of performance as elements in the performance plan, but they are still legitimate

parts of the role-results matrix. 

A role-results matrix is a valuable management tool. When supervisors involve employees in the

process of completing the matrix, everyone’s role in the work unit is very clear, which is important

to the successful performance of the group. The whole process of determining work unit products

and services, and then completing a role-results matrix, is a beneficial team-building exercise.

EDITOR TOPICS TO BE COVERED ARTICLES THAT HAVE 

BEEN EDITED

WRITER A RECOMMENDATIONS DRAFT ARTICLE(S)

FOR ARTICLES

WRITER B RECOMMENDATIONS DRAFT ARTICLE(S)

FOR ARTICLES

WRITER C RECOMMENDATIONS DRAFT ARTICLE(S)

FOR ARTICLES

GRAPHIC ARTIST RECOMMENDATIONS A COMPLETED 

FOR LAYOUT MECHANICAL

TEAM MEMBERS THE PLAN FOR THE

NEXT ISSUE

THE DRAFT VERSION

OF THE ARTICLES

THE EDITED VERSION

OF THE ARTICLES

THE CAMERA-READY

ART MECHANICAL

A ROLE-RESULTS MATRIX FOR A NEWSLETTER TEAM: 

TEAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 41

STEP 3: DETERMINE INDIVIDUAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

examplerole-results matrix

ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A ROLE-RESULTS MATRIX

The example below uses the data gathered for the Office of Retirement Programs’ Retirement Claims Division

Branch 3 using the cascading method as described on pages 29-30 and the customer-focused method on pages

33-34. Note that the products or services (i.e., the work unit accomplishments) identified through the process of

Step 2 are shown along the top of the matrix. Employees are listed down the left side of the matrix. Employee

work accomplishments are included in each cell. Notice that the employee work responsibilities are described as

accomplishments (i.e., products or services) rather than activities or behaviors. 

BRANCH CHIEF*

FEDERAL RETIREMENT BENEFITS 

SPECIALIST

CUSTOMER 

SERVICE 

SPECIALISTS

EMPLOYEES WORK UNIT PRODUCTS OR SERVICES

CLAIMS PROCESSED IN LESS TIME AND RESPONSES TO INQUIRIES INCREASED NUMBER OF 

WITH LOWER ERROR RATES EMPLOYEES WHO CAN

PROCESS FERS CLAIMS

A COMPLETED CLAIM N/A GUIDANCE, TRAINING, AND 

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO 

SUGGESTION(S) FOR IMPROVING OTHER SPECIALISTS

THE PROCESS 

CLAIM CONTROL LOG CORRESPONDENCE THAT IS N/A 

FORMATTED, MAILED, AND FILED

ANSWERS TO CUSTOMER TELEPHONE 

QUESTIONS 

*Note that the Branch Chief is on the same row as work unit accomplishments. This shows that the Branch

Chief is responsible for work unit results.
42 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

STEP 3: DETERMINE INDIVIDUAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

EXERCISE FOR BUILDING A ROLE-RESULTS MATRIX

Fill in the role-results matrix for your work unit. Place the work unit products or services that you developed in Step 2

(using method A, page 31, method B, page 34, and/or method C, page 38) along the top of the matrix. Fill in the names

or the job titles of the work unit’s employees in the left-hand column. Then fill in the employees’ accomplishments

that contribute to each work unit accomplishment. 

EMPLOYEES WORK UNIT PRODUCTS OR SERVICES

ORGANIZATIONAL 

CHIEF
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 43

convert expected accomplishments step 4: step 4

into performance elements, indicating type and priority

In Steps 2 and 3 of the process presented in this

handbook, you developed the expected accomplishments for the work unit and the unit’s employees.

Now, in Step 4, you will:

❙ identify which accomplishment(s) should be included 

as elements in the performance plan

❙ select which type of element to use 

❙ assign weights or priorities

All employees must have at least one critical element

in their performance plan. Critical elements must

address individual performance only, except in the

case of supervisors who may be held responsible for

a work unit’s products or services. Work unit performance can be addressed through non-critical or

additional performance elements. In appraisal programs with only two summary levels, work unit

performance can be addressed only through additional performance elements.

Once you have classified elements as either critical,

non-critical, or additional, and if your appraisal program allows, prioritize them so that work units and

employees know which elements are most important. One way to do this is to distribute 100 percentage points across the elements based on each one’s

importance to the organization. (Programs usually

allocate weights in five-percent increments.)

HOW CAN YOU DETERMINE WHICH 

ELEMENTS ARE CRITICAL?

Remember that critical elements are work assignments or responsibilities of such importance that

unacceptable performance on the element would

result in a determination that an employee’s overall

performance is unacceptable. Defining critical elements must be done thoughtfully because an

employee’s unacceptable performance on any critical

element could be the basis for an adverse action. To

help decide whether an element should be classified

as critical or not, answer the following questions:

❙ Is the element a major component of the work? 

If you answered “yes,” the element might be critical.

❙ Does the element address individual performance

only? Elements measuring group performance cannot

be critical elements, except as explained for supervisors and only under certain circumstances.

❙ If the employee performed unacceptably on the element,

would there be serious consequences to completing the

work of the organization? If employee error on the element affects the work unit’s accomplishments, the element may be critical.

❙ Does the element require a significant amount of the

employee’s time? If you answered “yes,” the element

might be critical. 

Unless prescribed by your appraisal program, there is

no fixed or uniform number of critical elements to

be included in the performance plan; the number

varies with the work assignments and may vary from

year to year in response to changing program

emphases. However, every employee must have at

least one critical element.

DEVELOPING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE PLANS
44 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

STEP 4: CONVERT ACCOMPLISHMENTS INTO PERFORMANCE ELEMENTS

EXAMPLE OF IDENTIFYING ELEMENTS

Branch 3 of the Office of Retirement Programs’ (ORP) Retirement Claims Division has been used on the following page as an example for identifying elements. (This example does not represent actual elements currently in use; it was developed for this handbook only.) The expected accomplishments

of the Federal Retirement Benefits Specialist (as outlined in the role-results matrix on page 41) are listed

down the left side of the matrix on the next page. The work unit accomplishments for Branch 3 are also

listed. The next column shows how the branch chief and employees designated elements as critical, noncritical, or additional. Finally, priority points are assigned to each element to give them relative weights.

(Remember that ORP’s appraisal program uses five levels to appraise employee performance on elements

and summarizes performance overall at five levels and that non-critical and additional performance elements are allowed.)

exampleidentifying elements

Note the following in the matrix on page 45:

1. The Branch decided that “Suggestions for Improving

the Process” should not affect the summary level, but

the Branch wanted to track and measure the value of

the suggestions in order to recognize individuals who

help improve the process. Therefore, it was included as

an additional element and given a weight of 0. The

Branch plans to use the results of performance on this

element as a criterion for awards recognizing innovation by individuals within ORP.

2. The Branch decided that claims completed by individuals should be a critical element for Benefits Specialists, but the Branch also felt it was important to count

in employee performance plans the group’s performance

as a whole on claims completed. The Branch felt that

counting group performance on claims processed would

encourage specialists to work together as a group and

promote collaboration. Since this Branch is under a

five-level appraisal program and it wants to count this

group element in the appraisal process, it will be a 

non-critical element. (If it were in a two-level appraisal

program, the group element would have to be an additional performance element.)

3. For the group goal of increased number of employees

who can process FERS claims, the Branch decided not to

count group performance in the appraisal process.

Because of the importance of this group goal, however,

management decided to make it an additional element

and use it as a basis for recognizing the group if it meets

specific goals. (Note that the Branch is measuring individual performance to support this group goal and is

counting individual performance as a critical element.)

4. The Branch determined the priority of each element

by distributing 100 points across the critical and noncritical elements. The priority points let employees

know which elements are more important to the organization. Priority points also are used in this example

to affect how the summary level will be determined.

Using this method allows non-critical elements to count

significantly in the summary level determination. (Failure on the non-critical element would not cause performance to be Unacceptable; it would merely count as 0

priority points and could lower the summary level—but

not to Unacceptable.)
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 45

exampleidentifying elements

EMPLOYEE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

❙ Completed claims

❙ Suggestion(s) for improving the process 

❙ Guidance and technical assistance to other

specialists 

BRANCH 3 WORK PRODUCTS OR SERVICES

Claims processed in less time and with lower

error rates 

Increased number of employees who can

process FERS claims

TYPE OF ELEMENT

Critical (CE)

Additional (AE)

Critical (CE)

Non-critical (NC) 

Additional (AE)

PRIORITY POINTS

50

0

35

15

0

ORP RETIREMENT CLAIMS DIVISION BRANCH 3

FEDERAL RETIREMENT BENEFITS SPECIALIST
46 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

STEP 4: CONVERT ACCOMPLISHMENTS INTO PERFORMANCE ELEMENTS

EXERCISE ON IDENTIFYING ELEMENTS

Based on the accomplishments that you identified for your job in the role-results matrix that you made on page 42 and

working within the rules established by your appraisal program, identify appropriate elements and categorize them as

critical, non-critical, and, if appropriate, additional performance elements. Write those elements and their type under

the columns marked “Element” and “Type” on the foldout form on the back cover. (If you have a two-level appraisal

program—that is, a pass/fail program—you cannot use non-critical elements.) If applicable, prioritize the elements by

distributing 100 points among the elements, giving more points to elements that are more important. Write the priority

points you assign under the column labeled “priority” on the foldout form on the back cover.

FOLD OVER INSIDE BACK COVER FLAP AS SHOWN TO FILL OUT CHART
47

step 5

DEVELOPING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE PLANS

step 5: determine work unit and 

individual measures

PERFORMANCE PYRAMID FOR IDENTIFYING PERFORMANCE MEASURES

In Step 4 of this process, you designated the critical, non-critical, and additional performance elements you will include in your performance plan. In Step 5, you will determine how to measure

performance on those elements.

Measures are the yardsticks used to determine how well work units and employees produced or

provided products or services. To develop specific measures of performance for each element in

your performance plan, you first must determine the general measures that apply to each. Once

you determine the general and specific measures, you will be able to develop the standards for

your elements, which you will do in Step 6 of this process. Your standards will be worded in terms

of the specific measures developed in this step.

The performance pyramid below shows the types of general measures that are used at different levels

in the organization. Note that the balanced measures incorporating the business, customer, and

employee perspectives are appropriate for measuring managerial performance and are sometimes

appropriate for supervisory or even work unit performance. At the bottom of the pyramid, the four

general measures normally used for measuring work unit and employee performance are quality,

quantity, timeliness, and cost-effectiveness. 

OUTCOMES

OUTPUTS

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

AGENCY 

STRATEGIC AND

PERFORMANCE

PLAN GOALS

BALANCED MEASURES

FOR EXECUTIVES AND

MANAGERS

BALANCED 

MEASURES FOR

WORK UNITS AND 

EMPLOYEES

CUSTOMER 

SATISFACTION

EMPLOYEE 

INVOLVEMENT AND 

INNOVATION

BUSINESS

RESULTS

QUALITY

QUANTITY

TIMELINESS

COSTEFFECTIVENESS

INTERNAL EFFICIENCY

EXTERNAL EFFECTIVENESS

EXECUTIVES

MANAGERS

SUPERVISORS

WORK UNITS

EMPLOYEES
48 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

STEP 5: DETERMINE WORK UNIT AND INDIVIDUAL MEASURES

GENERAL MEASURES

QUALITY addresses how well the employee or work unit performed the work and/or the 

accuracy or effectiveness of the final product. Quality refers to accuracy, appearance, usefulness, or effectiveness. Quality measures can include error rates (such as the number or 

percentage of errors allowable per unit of work) and customer satisfaction rates (determined

through a customer survey). 

QUANTITY addresses how much work the employee or work unit produced. Quantity 

measures are expressed as a number of products produced or services provided, or as a general result to achieve. 

TIMELINESS addresses how quickly, when, or by what date the employee or work unit 

produced the work. 

COST-EFFECTIVENESS addresses dollar savings or cost control for the Government. You

should develop measures that address cost-effectiveness on specific resource levels (money,

personnel, or time) that you can generally document and measure in agency annual fiscal

year budgets. Cost-effectiveness measures may include such aspects of performance as maintaining or reducing unit costs, reducing the time it takes to produce or provide a product or

service, or reducing waste.
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 49

STEP 5: DETERMINE WORK UNIT AND INDIVIDUAL MEASURES

DEVELOPING SPECIFIC MEASURES

To develop specific measures, you first must determine the general measure(s) that are important

for each element (i.e., quantity, quality, timeliness, or cost-effectiveness). Then, determine how to

measure the quantity, quality, timeliness, and/or cost-effectiveness for the element. If you can

measure an accomplishment with numbers, record the form of measurement. If you can only

describe performance (i.e., observe and verify), clarify who will appraise the performance and the

factors they will appraise.

The kinds of questions you should ask in this process include the following.

FIRST: For each element, decide which general measures apply:

❙ Is quality important? Does the stakeholder or customer care how well the work is done?

❙ Is quantity important? Does the stakeholder or customer care how many are produced?

❙ Is it important to accomplish the element by a certain time or date?

❙ Is it important to accomplish the element within certain cost limits?

❙ What measures are already available?

SECOND: For each general measure, ask:

❙ How could [quality, quantity, timeliness, and/or cost-effectiveness] be measured?

❙ Is there some number or percent that could be tracked?

If the element does not lend itself to being measured with numbers and can only be

described, ask:

❙ Who could judge that the element was done well? 

❙ What factors would they look for?

FINALLY: Write down or otherwise record the specific measures. If the measure is numeric, 

list the units that you will track. If the measure is descriptive, identify the judge and list the

factors that the judge will look for to observe and verify performance.
50 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

OPM RETIREMENT CLAIMS DIVISION BRANCH 3

Note that general and specific measures have been added to the elements for a Federal Retirement Benefits Specialist in Branch

3 (see page 45). Also note that only the measures have been identified, not the standard that describes how well the element

should be done. (Standards are addressed in the next step in the process.)

PRIORITY

POINTS

50

35

15

0

0

ELEMENT

Completed claim

Guidance and technical assistance to

other specialists

Branch 3 Element:

Branch claims

processed in less time

and with lower error

rates 

Suggestion(s) for

improving the

process (for special

individual recognition) 

Branch 3 Element:

Increased number of

employees who can

process FERS claims 

TYPE

CE

CE

NC

AE

AE

GENERAL 

MEASURES

Quality

Quantity 

Timeliness 

Quality

Timeliness 

Quality

Quantity 

Timeliness 

Quality

Quantity

Cost-Effectiveness

Quantity 

Quality 

SPECIFIC 

MEASURES

The accuracy of annuity amounts.

The completeness of the paperwork 

The number of claims processed per week

The average number of days it takes to

process a claim* 

The accuracy of the information, as determined by supervisor

The perceptions of other specialists that

the incumbent is willing to assist and

that feedback is helpful

The number of hours it takes for the

incumbent to respond to other specialists’ requests for assistance

The accuracy rate for annuity amounts

from the whole Branch

The number of claims the Branch

processes per week

The average number of days it takes to

process a claim* 

The supervisor’s and reviewers’ judgment that the suggestion(s)

improve(s) efficiency, productivity,

and flexibility

The number of suggestions made

The amount of money saved by adopting

the suggestion 

The number of employees who can do

FERS claims

The accuracy rate of FERS annuities

processed 

FEDERAL RETIREMENT BENEFITS SPECIALIST

*Note: Using the average adjusts for the varying levels of difficulty in claims and ensures that specialists will

not focus only on easy claims and ignore the difficult ones. Also, all specialists are assigned equal numbers of

easy and difficult claims to ensure fairness of the standard. Finally, the average can be prorated when necessary.

examplegeneral & specific measures
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 51

STEP 5: DETERMINE WORK UNIT AND INDIVIDUAL MEASURES

EXERCISE FOR DETERMINING GENERAL AND SPECIFIC MEASURES

Determine the general measures for your job based on the elements that you created in the previous exercise on

page 46. Next, identify some specific measures. Write down those general and specific measures under the columns

labeled “General Measure” and “Specific Measure” on the foldout form on the back cover.

FOLD OVER INSIDE BACK COVER FLAP AS SHOWN TO FILL OUT CHART
52 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

DEVELOPING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE PLANS

step 6: 

develop work unit and individual standards

The next step in the process of developing a performance plan is to establish standards

for the elements. To work through this section successfully, you will need to know the

number of levels your appraisal program uses to appraise elements. You also will need to

know which performance level your program uses as the retention standard. (A definition

of retention standard is included in this section.) The discussions below address performance standards and what to avoid when writing standards.

WHAT IS A PERFORMANCE STANDARD?

Performance standards are management-approved expressions of the performance threshold(s),

requirement(s), or expectation(s) that employees must meet to be appraised at particular levels

of performance.

Each critical element must have a Fully Successful or equivalent standard established.

Technically, neither non-critical elements nor additional performance elements require a

Fully Successful or equivalent standard. However, to help employees and work units

understand the expectations for performance on these elements, we recommend that

they have a clear idea of what is considered fully successful performance.

(NOTE: NON-CRITICAL ELEMENTS MUST BE APPRAISABLE AT LEAST ON TWO LEVELS, BUT THOSE

LEVELS CAN BE ESTABLISHED HIGHER THAN THE FULLY SUCCESSFUL LEVEL.)
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 53

step 6

WHAT SHOULD PERFORMANCE STANDARDS INCLUDE?

Once you have established the specific measures that apply to the elements, you can

begin to write the standards. Before writing the Fully Successful standard, you must know

the number of levels that your appraisal program uses to appraise elements. For example,

if you are under an appraisal program that uses two levels to appraise elements, the Fully

Successful standard would describe a single point of performance. Any performance at or

above that point is Fully Successful, and anything below it is Unacceptable. If, however,

your appraisal program uses five levels to appraise performance, you would describe the

Fully Successful standard as a range. Performance that exceeds the top of that range would

be appraised at the level(s) above Fully Successful, and performance below the bottom of

that range would be Minimally Successful (or equivalent) or Unacceptable. How you write

the Fully Successful standard depends on the number of levels your program uses to

appraise performance on elements.

If a specific measure for an element is numeric, for example, you would list the units to

be tracked and determine the range of numbers (or the single number in a program that

appraises elements at two levels) that represents Fully Successful performance. If the specific measure is descriptive, you would identify the appraiser(s) who would judge performance, list the factors that the appraiser(s) would look for, and determine what he or she

would see or report that verifies that Fully Successful performance for that element had

been met. (Remember to express performance standards in terms of the specific

measure[s] determined in Step 5 of this process.)
54 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

example develop standards

Several examples of elements and standards are included below. The specific measures are in 

italics; the performance (or range of performance) that actually establishes the level of the standard

is in boldface type.

ELEMENT: CASES COMPLETED

Fully Successful Standard in an appraisal program that appraises elements at five levels 

(to meet this standard, all of the bullets listed must be present or occur):

❙ no more than 3-4 valid customer complaints per year, as determined by the supervisor

❙ no more than 2-3 errors per quarter, as spotted by the supervisor

❙ no more than 4-5 late cases per year (processed later than 10 working days from receipt)

(If this standard had been written for an appraisal program that appraised elements at only 

two levels, the standard would have been “no more than 4 valid customer complaints per year,” 

“no more than 3 errors per quarter,” and “no more than 5 late cases per year.”)

ELEMENT: MEETINGS SCHEDULED 

Fully Successful Standard in an appraisal program that appraises elements at five levels (to meet

this standard, all of the bullets listed must be present or occur):

The meeting leader and attendees generally are satisfied that

❙ the room size matched the group size

❙ attendees were notified of the meeting

❙ attendees knew whom to call for information 

❙ the meeting was set up by the deadline

ELEMENT: LEGAL ADVICE

Fully Successful Standard in an appraisal program that appraises elements at five levels 

(to meet this standard, all of the bullets listed must be present or occur):

❙ Consistent with attorney’s grade, attorney usually carries an adequate workload of projects,

frequently takes on new projects to meet the needs of the office, and generally shows personal 

initiative in handling projects (generally, projects are of average difficulty)

❙ Consistent with attorney’s grade, legal advice rendered is infrequently modified by practice 

group leaders and supervisors in a significant way

❙ Advice given to clients is usually timely and thorough and of average quality, and usually shows

sensitivity to program and agency needs

ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES OF ELEMENTS AND STANDARDS SPECIFICALLY WRITTEN FOR APPRAISAL PROGRAMS THAT 

APPRAISE ELEMENTS AT FIVE, THREE, AND TWO LEVELS ARE INCLUDED IN THE APPENDICES.
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 55

WHAT SHOULD YOU AVOID WHEN WRITING RETENTION STANDARDS?

By “retention” standard, we mean the standard that describes the level of performance 

necessary to be retained in a job (i.e., the standard written for performance one level above

the Unacceptable level). In appraisal programs that do not have a Minimally Successful or

equivalent level available for appraising elements, the retention-level standard is the Fully

Successful standard. Otherwise, the retention standard is the Minimally Successful or equivalent standard. 

The Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) and the courts have issued many decisions on

the topic of valid performance standards. This section highlights what the Board deems to

be two major errors to avoid when writing standards. In order to avoid reversal by the MSPB,

agencies must ensure that “retention” standards:

❙ are not impermissibly absolute (i.e., allow for some error)

❙ inform the employee of the level of performance needed to retain his or her job

AVOID ABSOLUTE RETENTION STANDARDS

An “absolute” retention standard—one that allows for no errors—is acceptable only in very

limited circumstances. When a single failure to perform under a critical element would result

in loss of life, injury, breach of national security, or great monetary loss, an agency can legitimately defend its decision to require perfection from its employees. In other circumstances,

the MSPB and the courts usually will find that the agency abused its discretion by establishing retention standards that allow for no margin of error. 

When writing standards, you should avoid the appearance of requiring perfection at the

retention level. In appraisal programs that do not appraise elements at the Minimally Successful or equivalent level, you must carefully word the Fully Successful or equivalent standards so

that they are not absolute. For example here are Fully Successful standards used by agencies

that the MSPB would consider absolute retention standards if they were used in a two-level

appraisal program:

❙ Work is timely, efficient, and of acceptable quality

❙ Communicates effectively within and outside of the organization

MSPB considers these standards absolute because they appear to require that work is always

timely, efficient, and of acceptable quality and that the employee always communicates 

effectively. When writing standards—especially retention standards—avoid simply listing

tasks without describing the regularity of the occurrence of the task—but also avoid the

requirement to do it always. 

STEP 6: DEVELOP WORK UNIT AND INDIVIDUAL STANDARDS
56 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

Also, in appraisal programs that appraise elements at levels above Fully Successful, the Fully

Successful standard itself—as well as the Exceeds Fully Successful standard when an Outstanding

or equivalent level is possible—should not be absolute. If it is supposed to be possible to

exceed, make sure it is written that way.

To help determine whether you are writing an absolute standard, ask yourself: 

❙ How many times may the employee fail this requirement and still be acceptable?

❙ Does the retention standard use words such as “all,” “never,” and “each”? (These words do not

automatically create an absolute standard, but they often alert you to problems.)

❙ If the retention standard allows for no errors, would it be valid according to the criteria listed

above (risk of death, injury, etc.)? 

The examples of elements and standards included in the appendices were carefully written

to avoid absolute requirements.

AVOID “BACKWARD” STANDARDS

Case law requires that an employee understand the level of performance needed for

retention in the position. When using a Minimally Successful level of performance,

a common tendency is to describe it in terms of work that does not get done

instead of what must be done to meet that retention standard. Describing negative

performance actually describes Unacceptable performance. Standards such as “fails

to meet deadlines” or “performs work inaccurately” allow an employee to do virtually no work or to do it poorly and still meet that retention standard. MSPB considers these “backward” retention standards invalid. To help you determine whether

you are writing a backward retention standard, ask:

❙ Does the standard express the level of work the supervisor wants to see or does it describe

negative performance? (Example of describing negative performance: Requires assistance more

than 50 percent of the time.)

❙ If the employee did nothing, would he or she meet the standard, as written? (Example: Completes fewer than four products per year.)

STEP 6: DEVELOP WORK UNIT AND INDIVIDUAL STANDARDS
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 57

STEP 6: DEVELOP WORK UNIT AND INDIVIDUAL STANDARDS

MORE EXAMPLE STANDARDS

Example standards for a Federal Retirement Benefits Specialist are shown on the next two

pages. These standards were written for elements that are appraised at five levels. The

appraisal regulations only require that a Fully Successful standard be established for each

element. However, to clarify at the outset what employees need to do to exceed the Fully

Successful level (as well as what they must do to be retained in the position) Branch 3

includes standards for the Minimally Successful, the Fully Successful, and the Exceeds Fully

Successful levels of performance. (Performance below the minimum of the Minimally Successful range of performance is considered Unacceptable, and performance above the maximum of the Exceeds Fully Successful range of performance is Outstanding.)

Most of the example standards on the next two pages are quantifiable. The numbers

used are based on work flow data. Examples of descriptive standards written at a variety

of levels are found in the appendices. In all these examples, distinguishing between

Fully Successful and levels above or below Fully Successful requires careful planning and

forethought. 

NOTE THAT THE STANDARDS TYPICALLY DESCRIBE A RANGE OF PERFORMANCE. ALSO NOTE THAT

THE ELEMENTS HAVE BEEN REARRANGED TO ORDER THE ELEMENTS BY WEIGHT.
58 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

example develop standards

Completed

claims

❙ Critical Element

❙ 50 priority

points 

Guidance and

technical assistance to other

specialists

❙ Critical 

Element

❙ 35 priority

points

Branch 3 

Element:

Branch claims

processed in

less time and

with lower

error rates

❙ Non-critical

Element

❙ 15 priority

points 

Quality

Quantity

Timeliness

Quality

Timeliness 

Quality

Quantity

Timeliness

The accuracy of annuity amounts

The completeness of

the paperwork 

The number of claims

processed per week

The average number of

days it takes to process

a claim 

The accuracy of the

information, as determined by supervisor

The perceptions of

other specialists that

the incumbent is willing to assist and that

feedback is helpful

The number of hours it

takes for the incumbent

to respond to other

specialists’ requests for

assistance

The accuracy rate for

annuity amounts from

the whole Branch

The number of claims

the Branch processes

per week

The average number of

days it takes to process

a claim 

82-87% of annuity

amounts are accurate and of claims

are complete 

10-12 claims

processed per week

An average of 101-

110 days to complete claim 

Usually accurate

50-59% of specialists agree that

incumbent is routinely willing to

assist and that

feedback is helpful

Usually responds

within 9-12 working hours from

receipt of request 

N/A** 

88-93% of annuity

amounts are accurate and of claims

are complete

13-16 claims

processed per week

An average of 90-

100 days to complete claim 

Usually accurate

60-80% of specialists agree that

incumbent is routinely willing to

assist and that feeback is helpful

Usually responds

within 4-8 working hours from

receipt of request 

88-93% annuity

amounts are accurate

220-230 claims

processed by the

Branch per week

An average of 90-

100 days to complete claim 

94-97% of annuity

amounts are accurate and of claims

are complete 

17-20 claims

processed per week

An average of 75-

90 days to complete claim

Almost always

accurate

81-89% of specialists agree that

incumbent is routinely willing to

assist and that

feedback is helpful 

Usually responds

within 2-3 working hours from

receipt of request 

94-97 % annuity

amounts are accurate

231-244 claims

processed by the

Branch per week

An average of 75-

90 days to complete claim 

GENERAL

MEASURES SPECIFIC MEASURES

STANDARDS*

MINIMALLY FULLY EXCEEDS FULLY

SUCCESSFUL SUCCESSFUL SUCCESSFUL ELEMENT

FEDERAL RETIREMENT BENEFITS SPECIALIST
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 59

Suggestion(s)

for improving

the process (for

special individual recognition)

❙ Additional

Performance

Element

❙ 0 priority

points 

Branch 3 

Element:

Increased number of employees who can

process FERS

claims

❙ Additional

Performance

Element

❙ 0 priority

points 

Quality

Quantity

Cost Effectiveness

Quantity 

Quality

The supervisor’s and

reviewers’ judgment

that the suggestion(s)

improve(s) efficiency,

productivity, and flexibility

The number of suggestions made

The amount of money

saved by adopting the 

suggestion

The number of employees who can do FERS

claims

The accuracy rate of

FERS annuities

processed 

N/A** Management and

Branch members

determine that the

suggestion(s) is/are

worth adopting

Incumbent provides 1-2 adopted

suggestions per

year

The incumbent’s

suggestion saved

up to 10% of costs

35- 50% of

Branch employees

can process FERS

claims

88-93% of FERS

annuity amounts

are accurate

Management and

Branch members

determine that the

suggestion(s) is/are

worth adopting

Incumbent provides 3-5 adopted

suggestions per

year

The incumbent’s

suggestion saved

10-25% of costs

51-75% of Branch

employees can

process FERS

claims

94-97% of FERS

annuity amounts

are accurate

GENERAL

MEASURES SPECIFIC MEASURES

STANDARDS*

MINIMALLY FULLY EXCEEDS FULLY

ELEMENT SUCCESSFUL SUCCESSFUL SUCCESSFUL

FEDERAL RETIREMENT BENEFITS SPECIALIST, CONTINUED

If these standards had been written for an

appraisal program that appraises elements at

only two levels, only the Fully Successful standard

would have been included and it would describe

a single point, not a range. So, for example, on

the first element (i.e., completed case files)

instead of establishing an 88-93 percent accuracy

rate, etc., as the Fully Successful standard, the

standard would be:

❙ 88% accuracy or better

❙ at least 13 cases processed per week; 

❙ takes an average of 100 days to complete case

Another point of interest in the example is that

the elements and standards written for Branch 3

were included in each Branch employee’s performance plan as group elements and standards.

*To meet the performance level of the standards described for each element, each listed part of the standard must be present or

occur.

**The Branch decided that there was no benefit to establishing a Minimally Successful standard for a non-critical or an additional performance element.

exampledevelop standards
60 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

STEP 6: DEVELOP WORK UNIT AND INDIVIDUAL STANDARDS

EXERCISE FOR WRITING STANDARDS

Based on the elements and measures you established in the previous exercise on page 51, develop Fully Successful standards for your elements. Write those standards under the column labeled “Standards” on the foldout

form on the back cover. Remember to write standards that specifically match the measurement levels of

your appraisal program (i.e., two-level or more than two-level). This exercise is asking you to develop only

the Fully Successful standard. However, if your appraisal program appraises elements at more than two levels,

you may also want to define the other levels of performance that are possible.

FOLD OVER INSIDE BACK COVER FLAP AS SHOWN TO FILL OUT CHART
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 61

step 7

DEVELOPING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE PLANS

step 7: determine how to monitor performance

Monitoring performance means measuring performance and providing feedback to

employees. Agency appraisal programs are required to provide ongoing appraisal, which

includes, but is not limited to, conducting one or more progress reviews during each

appraisal period. In addition to a once– or twice–a–year progress review, which is sometimes a formal part of the appraisal process, supervisors and employees are encouraged to

discuss performance informally and often.

Determining how to monitor performance is an important step in developing performance plans. You may have worked through the previous six steps of the process presented

in this handbook, developed what you thought were great elements and standards, and

then found that monitoring performance on an element is impossible, or too costly, or

too time-consuming. If this happens, think through other specific measures that indicate

performance—measures that are as specific as possible.

To complete this step in the process:

❙ Determine what data to collect for each performance element, the source of the data, 

and whether to collect all the data or just a sample

❙ Determine when to collect the data, who will collect it, and who will receive it

❙ Review existing reports for possible use as feedback reports

❙ Create feedback tables or graphs where necessary or applicable

❙ Try to design feedback processes that give feedback automatically
62 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

FEEDBACK

Effective and timely feedback addressing employee performance on elements and standards

is an essential component of a successful performance management program. People need to

know in a timely manner how they are doing, what is working, and what is not working.

Feedback can come from many different sources: managers and supervisors, measurement 

systems, peers, and customers, just to name a few. Using multiple sources of feedback, which is

sometimes called 360-degree assessment or multirater appraisal, is done in a variety of ways,

but most methods are computerized and the raters are anonymous. Whether you need or want

to use multirater appraisal depends on what you want to measure. For example, if you want to

measure customer satisfaction, the best way to get the information is to ask the customer

directly. (If customer survey tools are not available, or they are too expensive to develop, you

may have to rely on other feedback sources, such as the number of complaints received.)

However feedback occurs, certain factors ensure its effectiveness:

SPECIFICITY Feedback works best when it relates to a specific goal, such as those established

in elements and standards. Basing feedback on the employee’s performance against his or

her elements and standards is key to providing tangible, objective, and powerful feedback.

Telling employees that they are doing well because they exceeded their goal by 10 percent is

more effective than simply saying “you're doing a good job.”

TIMELINESS Employees should receive information about how they are doing in as timely

a fashion as possible. If they need to improve their performance, the sooner they find out

about it, the sooner they can correct the problem. If employees have reached or exceeded a

goal, the sooner they receive positive feedback, the more rewarding it is to them.

MANNER Give feedback in a manner that will best help improve performance. Since people

respond better to information presented in a positive way, express feedback in a positive

manner. This is not to say that information should be sugar-coated. Present accurate, factual,

and complete feedback; it is more effective when it reinforces what the employee did right

and then identifies what the employee needs to do in the future. Constant criticism eventually falls on deaf ears.

STEP 7: DETERMINE HOW TO MONITOR PERFORMANCE
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 63

NATURALLY OCCURRING FEEDBACK Some kinds of feedback occur naturally while other

kinds require careful planning and management. Naturally occurring feedback can be classified into two categories. The first type is self-evident feedback—information that employees

can see for themselves as they do their work. For instance, a team of materials handlers who

are given the assignment of moving ten stacks of supplies from one side of the warehouse to

the other by the end of the day will know that if only one of ten stacks is moved by noon, it

is not likely to complete the assignment on time. This information is self-evident and is

obtained by the employees making their own comparisons against a specific goal.

Another kind of self-evident feedback can be gained by having a broader scope of work. The

broader the employee’s scope of work, the better the employee can determine the quality of

the finished product. For example, a writer/editor assigned to write a portion of an article

may feel satisfied with the section he wrote. But the same writer/editor, if assigned responsibility for the entire article, would see that his independently written section had no relation

to the rest of the article and needed revision.

The second category of naturally occurring feedback is carefully planned feedback characterized by automatic, frequent delivery through a measurement system. It is possible to design

feedback into a work process or a measurement system so that employees receive it automatically. For example, feedback loops designed into many work processes provide performance

measures daily, such as a production or printing process (i.e., number of copies printed per

day as determined by machine count). Also, total quality and reengineering programs use

extensive work process measurement methods. Employees measure for themselves how they

and their team are doing.

Designing effective feedback into a performance management program will improve individual

and team performance and will make your organization more effective. With effective feedback processes, employees can see their progress and that motivates them to reach their 

performance goals successfully.

STEP 7: DETERMINE HOW TO MONITOR PERFORMANCE
64 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

examplefeedback sources

Completed

claims

❙ Critical 

Element

❙ 50 priority

points

Guidance and

technical assistance to other

specialists

❙ Critical 

Element

❙ 35 priority

points

Branch 3 

Element:

Branch claims

processed in

less time and

with lower

error rates

❙ Non-Critical 

Element

❙ 15 priority

points

Quality

Quantity 

Timeliness

Quality

Timeliness 

Quality

Quantity 

Timeliness

The accuracy of annuity amounts. The completeness of the paperwork 

The number of claims

processed per week

The average number of

days it takes to process

a claim

The accuracy of the

information, as determined by supervisor 

The perceptions of

other specialists that

the incumbent is willing to assist and that

feedback is helpful

The number of hours it

takes for the incumbent

to respond to other

specialists’ requests for

assistance

The accuracy rate of

annuity amounts for

the whole Branch

The number of claims

the Branch processes

per week

The average number of

days it takes to process

a claim 

82-87% of annuity

amounts are accurate and of claims

are complete

10-12 claims processed per week

An average of 101-

110 days to complete claim 

Usually accurate

50-59% of specialists agree that

incumbent is routinely willing to

assist and that

feedback is helpful

Usually responds

within 9-12 working hours from

receipt of request 

N/A** 

88-93% of annuity

amounts are accurate and of claims

are complete

13-16 claims processed per week

An average of 90-

100 days to complete claim 

Usually accurate

60-80% of specialists agree that

incumbent is routinely willing to

assist and that feeback is helpful

Usually responds

within 4-8 working hours from

receipt of request 

88-93% annuity

amounts are accurate

220-230 claims

processed by

Branch per week

An average of 90-

100 days to complete claim 

94-97 % of annuity

amounts are accurate and of claims

are complete 

17-20 claims processed per week

An average of 75-

90 days to complete claim

Almost always

accurate

81-89% of specialists agree that

incumbent is routinely willing to

assist and that

feedback is helpful

Usually responds

within 2-3 working hours from

receipt of request 

94-97 % annuity

amounts are accurate

231-244 claims

processed by

Branch per week

An average of 75-

90 days to complete claim 

GENERAL

MEASURES SPECIFIC MEASURES

STANDARDS*

MINIMALLY FULLY EXCEEDS FULLY

ELEMENT SUCCESSFUL SUCCESSFUL SUCCESSFUL

FEEDBACK

SOURCE

FOR MONITORING

Data from

automated

system

Data from

automated

system 

Data from

automated 

system 

Random

supervisor

observation

and 360-

degree tool

360-degree

tool 

Data from

automated

system

Data from

automated

system

Data from

automated

system 

FEDERAL RETIREMENT BENEFITS SPECIALIST
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 65

examplefeedback sources

Suggestion(s)

for improving

the process (for

special individual recognition)

❙ Additional 

Performance

Element

❙ 0 priority

points

Branch 3 

Element:

Increased number of employees who can

process FERS

claims

❙ Additional

Performance

Element

❙ 0 priority

points 

Quality

Quantity

Cost Effectiveness 

Quantity 

Quality

The supervisor’s and

reviewers’ judgment

that the suggestion(s)

improve(s) efficiency,

productivity, flexibility,

and/or usability

The number of suggestions made

The amount of money

saved by adopting the

suggestion.

The number of employees who can do FERS

claims

The accuracy rate of

FERS annuities

processed 

N/A**

N/A**

Management and

Branch members

determine that the

suggestion(s) is/are

worth adopting

Incumbent provides

1-2 adopted suggestions per year

The incumbent’s

suggestions saved

up to 10% of costs

35-50% of Branch

employees can

process FERS claims

88-93% of FERS

annuity amounts

are accurate

Management and

Branch members

determine that the

suggestion(s) is/are

worth adopting

Incumbent provides

3-5 adopted suggestions per year. 

The incumbent’s

suggestions saved up

to 10-25% of costs

51-75% of Branch

employees can

process FERS claims

94-97% of FERS

annuity amounts

are accurate

GENERAL

MEASURES SPECIFIC MEASURES

STANDARDS*

MINIMALLY FULLY EXCEEDS FULLY

ELEMENT SUCCESSFUL SUCCESSFUL SUCCESSFUL

FEEDBACK

SOURCE

FOR MONITORING

Supervisor

and Branch

members’

judgment

Supervisor

tracks 

Data from

automated

system

Supervisor

observation

Data from

automated

system 

*To meet the performance level of the standards described for each element, each listed part of the standard must be present or occur.

**The Branch decided that there was no benefit to establishing a Minimally Successful standard for a non-critical or an additional performance

element.
66 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

STEP 7: DETERMINE HOW TO MONITOR PERFORMANCE

EXERCISE ON DEFINING FEEDBACK SOURCES

Now that you have developed elements, measures, and standards in previous exercises, what are the best sources of feedback for those elements? How often is it feasible to receive feedback? Who needs to see the feedback? Write down those

sources of feedback under the column labeled “Feedback Source” on the foldout form on the back cover.

FOLD OVER INSIDE BACK COVER FLAP AS SHOWN TO FILL OUT CHART
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 67

step 8

DEVELOPING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE PLANS

step 8: check the performance plan

Once you have developed a performance plan using the previous seven steps,

checking your work is always a good idea. Use the checklist below to ensure that

the elements and standards you developed to include in the performance plan

are effective and meet regulatory requirements: 

❙ Are the critical elements truly critical? Does failure on the critical element

mean that the employee’s overall performance is unacceptable?

❙ Is the range of acceptable performance clear? Are the performance 

expectations quantifiable, observable, and/or verifiable?

❙ Are the standards attainable? Are expectations reasonable?

❙ Are the standards challenging? Does the work unit or employee need 

to exert a reasonable amount of effort to reach the fully successful 

performance level?

❙ Are the standards fair? Are they comparable to expectations for other

employees in similar positions? Do they allow for some margin of error?

❙ Are the standards applicable? Can the appraiser(s) use the standards to

appraise performance? Can the appraiser(s) manage the data collected

through the measurement process?

❙ Will work units and employees understand what is required? 

❙ Are the elements and standards flexible? Can they be adapted readily to

changes in resources or objectives?

❙ If your program permits appraising elements at levels above the 

Fully Successful or equivalent level, is the Fully Successful or equivalent 

standard surpassable? Is it possible for a work unit’s or an employee’s 

performance to exceed it?
68 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

The principles listed below contain some valuable lessons learned about measuring performance. 

VIEW PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT AS A VALUABLE TOOL, NOT AS AN EVIL

People view measurement systems from at least two different perspectives. When used constructively, they see a measurement system as a helpful feedback tool that provides information to managers and employees about how well they are doing in reaching their goals and

where they might have room for improvement. It also provides information on which to

base awards and recognition. When used poorly, however, people see a measurement system

as a punishing club with which to hit people over the head if the numbers or results are bad.

Managers and employees must trust that the measurement system is beneficial to them and

the organization; otherwise, the temptation to game the numbers to avoid discipline will

overwhelm them. 

ACCEPTANCE OF THE PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT PROCESS IS ESSENTIAL TO 

ITS SUCCESS Involving employees in the development of the elements and standards

included in the performance plan is an excellent way to clarify expectations and measurement terminology. Active employee participation in creating valid measures that accurately

reflect performance decreases the possibility that employees may feel manipulated through

the measurement system.

MEASURE WHAT IS IMPORTANT—NOT WHAT IS EASY TO MEASURE It is easy to count

the number of days since a project began, but if that is all that you measure, is that enough

information to assess performance? No, probably not. Or if, for example, a customer service

team only measures the number of calls that come into the team (the easy measure) and

does not attempt to measure customer satisfaction with its service (the more difficult measure), the team does not have complete information about its performance and has no idea

how well it is serving its customers. In addition, because what gets measured gets done, the

team will probably focus on how it can increase the number of calls it receives and ignore

the quality of service it provides. 

As a result, organizations need to anticipate the behavioral and unintended consequences of

measuring performance. As an example, recently a medical laboratory came under fire

because of the errors it made in certain of its cancer tests. A high number of cancer tests that

the laboratory had approved as negative turned out to be wrong—cancer had actually been

Guiding Principles for 

Performance Measurement

GUIDING PRINCIPLES
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 69

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

evident. An investigation found that the laboratory had been measuring and rewarding its

employees on the number of slides they reviewed daily, not on the accuracy of the reviews.

Knowing that the more slides they reviewed, the more recognition they received, employees

were quickly moving from slide to slide to slide without accurately reading them. As a result,

the lab’s errors in measuring what was important allowed cancer to go untreated and people

who could have been saved through early detection and treatment lost their lives.

DEVELOP EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE PLANS THAT ARE FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO ALLOW

FOR CHANGES IN PROGRAM GOALS TO KEEP THE PROCESS CREDIBLE Do not design

performance plans that are set in concrete; build in flexibility so you can adjust them as program goals and work assignments change. Even though employees must work at least a minimum period of time on elements and standards before they receive performance ratings, the

agency minimum appraisal period usually provides enough time during the appraisal period

for changes in elements and standards. (Minimum appraisal periods usually range from 30-

120 days, depending on the agency. Check with your agency to find out the minimum

appraisal period that applies to you.)

RELY ON MULTIPLE MEASURES Don’t rely on a single measure. Remember the story of the

three blind men who went for a walk and came across an elephant? One felt the animal’s

trunk and claimed that the elephant was like a large snake. Another explored the elephant’s

leg and claimed that the elephant was like a big tree trunk. The third blind man touched the

elephant’s side and said that the elephant was like a tall, wide wall. All three of them were

right, but all of them were wrong. Each one was relying on only one measure from one perspective. If the measures had been used together, the three men would have had a more

accurate picture of the elephant.

EMPLOYEES SHOULD PERCEIVE THAT PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT IS IMPORTANT

In many organizations, employees have been exposed to a variety of management fads that

seem to appear and then fade away as the next fad takes its place. Employees need to know

that management is serious and committed to measuring and improving performance.

MANAGEMENT SHOULD DEMONSTRATE THAT PERFORMANCE IS CRITICAL TO 

ORGANIZATIONAL AND INDIVIDUAL SUCCESS Closely related to the previous principle,

this principle observes that not only should employees perceive that performance measurement is important, but also management must demonstrate that performance matters.

When management tolerated poor performance in the past and employees see that the new

measurement system has not changed the situation (in other words, Joe or Mary still comes

to work and reads the paper for most of the day), employees know that performance is not

important, despite the new system.
70 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

chapter 4

LEARNING AIDS

Performance Measurement Quiz

Circle the correct answer(s).

1. Circle the accomplishments listed below:

a. A completed, accurate report

b. Types reports and correspondence

c. Teamwork

d. Guidance and technical assistance

e. Satisfied customers

f. Answers phones

2. Non-critical elements have to be weighted less than critical elements.

a. True

b. False

3. Standards should be written in terms of specific measures.

a. True

b. False

4. Which of the following is/are NOT regulatory requirements for critical elements?

a. Each employee must have a minimum of one critical element

b. Critical elements must measure individual performance 

c. Critical elements generally can be used to measure team-level performance

d. Critical elements must have an established standard at least at a Fully Successful level

e. Critical elements must be given greater weight than non-critical elements in deriving a summary level rating

5. Which of the following statement(s) is/are true about feedback?

a. Peers can be included as sources of input for appraisals

b. Feedback should be specific

c. Whether to use 360-degree feedback depends on what you’re measuring

d. Feedback should be timely

e. Feedback should be given in a manner that will best help improve performance

f. All of the above are true
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 71

chapter 4

6. Performance plans must be built from the employee’s position description.

a. True

b. False

7. You can’t measure results at the individual level.

a. True

b. False

8. The four general measures for measuring employee and work unit performance 

are cost-effectiveness, quantity, timeliness, and:

a. Flexibility

b. Quality

c. Agency strategy

d. Teamwork

9. Absolute standards can never be used.

a. True

b. False

10. A Fully Successful standard is a retention standard when (circle one or more):

a. The standard is used in a Pass/Fail program with critical elements appraised at only two levels

b. When there is no Minimally Successful level available in the appraisal program

c. None of the above.

11. Measurement should be used for performance improvement.

a. True

b. False

ANSWERS ON PAGE 88
72 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

STEP 1 LOOK AT THE OVERALL PICTURE

Review organizational goals and objectives and performance measures already available.

Determine which goals and measures the employee’s work unit can affect.

STEP 2 DETERMINE WORK UNIT ACCOMPLISHMENTS USING ANY OR ALL 

OF THE FOLLOWING METHODS:

METHOD A A GOAL CASCADING METHOD

Cascade the agency’s goals to the work unit level. Determine the work unit’s accomplishment(s) that directly affect the organization’s goals.

METHOD B A CUSTOMER-FOCUSED METHOD

Determine the product(s) or service(s) that the work unit provides to its customers.

METHOD C A WORK FLOW CHARTING METHOD

Develop a work flow chart for the work unit, establishing key steps(s) in the work process.

STEP 3 DETERMINE INDIVIDUAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT SUPPORT WORK UNIT GOALS

Elements that address individual performance can be identified using a role-results

matrix. List the work unit accomplishments across the top of the matrix. List each member of the work unit or each job position down the left side of the matrix. In each cell,

list the accomplishment (i.e., performance element) that the member must produce or

perform to support the work unit accomplishment. All performance elements should be

either quantifiable or verifiable.

STEP 4 CONVERT EXPECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS INTO PERFORMANCE ELEMENTS, INDICATING 

TYPE AND PRIORITY

All employees must have at least one critical element. Critical elements must address

individual performance only. Work unit performance can be addressed through non-critical or additional elements. In appraisal programs with only two summary levels, work

unit performance can be addressed only through additional performance elements.

LEARNING AIDS

Quick Reference: The Eight-Step

Process
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 73

QUICK REFERENCE

STEP 5 DETERMINE WORK UNIT AND INDIVIDUAL MEASURES 

For each element, determine which general measure(s) (i.e., quantity, quality, timeliness,

or cost-effectiveness) are important. Determine how to measure the quantity, quality,

timeliness, and/or cost-effectiveness for the element. If an accomplishment can be measured with numbers, determine the unit of measurement to be used. If performance can

only be described (i.e., observed and verified), clarify who would appraise the work and

what factors they would look for.

STEP 6 DEVELOP WORK UNIT AND INDIVIDUAL STANDARDS

A Fully Successful or equivalent standard must be established for each critical element. 

If the measure for the element is numeric, determine the range of numbers that would

represent Fully Successful performance. For critical elements appraised at two levels, the

Fully Successful standard identifies the level of performance below which performance is

Unacceptable. For critical elements appraised at more than two levels, establish a range 

of performance above which special recognition may be warranted and below which a

performance problem exists.

If the measure for the element is descriptive, determine what the appraiser would see or

report that would verify that performance is Fully Successful. For critical elements

appraised at two levels, describe performance for that element below which is Unacceptable performance. For elements appraised at more than two levels, and for elements for

which stretch goals are desired, determine what exceeding expectations would look like.

Describe what the appraiser would see happening when expectations are exceeded.

STEP 7 DETERMINE HOW TO MONITOR PERFORMANCE 

Determine what data to collect for each performance element, which source the data

should come from, and whether to collect all the data or just a sample. Determine when to

collect the data, who should collect it, and who should receive it. Review existing reports

for possible use as feedback reports. Create feedback tables or graphs where appropriate or

necessary. Try to design feedback processes that give employees feedback automatically.
74 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

STEP 8 CHECK THE PERFORMANCE PLAN USING THE FOLLOWING GUIDELINES: 

❙ Are the critical elements truly critical? Does failure on the critical element mean

that the employee’s overall performance is unacceptable?

❙ Is the range of acceptable performance clear? Are the performance expectations

quantifiable, observable, and/or verifiable? 

❙ Are the standards attainable? Are expectations reasonable?

❙ Are the standards challenging? Does the work unit or employee need to exert 

a reasonable amount of effort to reach a fully successful performance level?

❙ Are the standards fair? Are they comparable to expectations for other employees in

similar positions? Do they allow for some margin of error?

❙ Are the standards applicable? Can the appraiser(s) use the standards to appraise

performance? Can the appraiser(s) manage the data collected through the 

measurement process?

❙ Will work units and employees understand what is required? 

❙ Are the elements and standards flexible? Can they be adapted readily to changes in

resources or objectives?

❙ If your program permits appraising elements at levels above the Fully Successful or

equivalent level, is the Fully Successful or equivalent standard surpassable? Is it possible for a work unit’s or an employee’s performance to exceed it?

LEARNING AIDS
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 75

Five-Level Appraisal–Examples

THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES OF ELEMENTS AND STANDARDS WERE WRITTEN SPECIFICALLY FOR APPRAISAL 

PROGRAMS THAT APPRAISE PERFORMANCE ON ELEMENTS AT FIVE LEVELS.

HUMAN RESOURCES ASSISTANT, GS-0203

STANDARDS*

FULLY SUCCESSFUL STANDARD

(To meet this standard, the employee must meet all of the following requirements.)

As determined by the supervisor through direct observation and/or discussions

with several customers and/or peers:

❙ Usually communicates clearly, courteously, and effectively with customers

❙ Routinely responds to each customer request with the most accurate and

complete information available. If the information to a telephone call can

not be provided immediately upon request, usually provides an answer

within 3 working days of receipt of call. Email responses are usually

answered within 5 working days. Formal written correspondence is produced within agencywide standards (usually 10 working days) 

❙ Generally mails requested information within 3 working days of receipt of

request 

❙ Whenever possible, elicits customer feedback to improve service

❙ If the employee cannot answer a customer’s question completely, he/she generally provides name and phone number for the proper contact. If the question requires additional research, keeps the customer apprised of progress

❙ If requested material is temporarily unavailable to mail to customers, usually

notifies the customers when they may expect to receive it

OUTSTANDING STANDARD

Exceeds the Fully Successful standard plus two of the following occur:

❙ Receives praise and/or written commendations from customers

❙ On own initiative, assumes and accomplishes a significant amount of work

beyond the normal load of assigned duties to achieve customer satisfaction

❙ Proactively communicates with customers to establish good working relationship and assess customer needs

❙ Consistently demonstrates in-depth knowledge of customer programs

MINIMALLLY SUCCESSFUL STANDARD

The employee meets the first two requirements listed for Fully Successful and of

the four remaining requirements, meets all but number(s) 4 & 6 . 

ELEMENT

CUSTOMER 

SATISFACTION

*The standards include measures that can be tracked without using a customer survey. Exceeds Fully Successful falls between

the performance described for Fully Successful and that described for Outstanding. Unacceptable performance falls below the

minimum of Minimally Successful.

appendix A

Note: We have purposely listed the Minimally Successful standard last to emphasize performance

that is Fully Successful and higher more than performance that is less than Fully Successful.
APPENDIX

76 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

appendix 

STANDARDS*

FULLY SUCCESSFUL STANDARD

(To meet this standard, the employee must meet all of the following requirements.)

QUALITY

❙ Written products generally follow plain English principles, including logical

organization, descriptive section headings, simple terms, and good use of

tables, lists, graphics, and white space

❙ Assigned presentations and workshops are generally well-organized with a logical flow, a use of simple terms, and graphics that illustrate concepts to help

audience understanding. The overall audience rating of any presentation

given is at least acceptable

❙ Products usually reflect sound analytical thinking and present recommendations consistent with sound HR principles and supportive of Administration

initiatives

QUANTITY

❙ Produces (or does significant work for)

a) at least one major product (e.g., a workshop; a complex paper or report,

often over 10 pages long)

b) at least three intermediate-in-scope products (e.g., topic papers 3-10 pages long)

c) at least five minor products (e.g., articles or 1-2 page papers)

d) a combination of these

(To meet the definition of “produces,” the report or paper at least must be

cleared by the Division Chief.)

TIMELINESS

❙ Draft written products are usually completed and submitted for review by the

date agreed to at initial assignment. Revisions are usually done and returned

within the agreed-upon time frame

OUTSTANDING STANDARD

❙ Produces more than two major products, more than five intermediate-inscope products, more than eight minor products, OR a combination of these

❙ Exceeds the quality and timeliness criteria

❙ Plus meets at least three of the following:

a) On own initiative, proposes the subject of the product

b) Completes extensive research to complete the product

c) Develops applicable, understandable models and examples

d) Synthesizes complex issues and condenses and explains them so that they

are understandable to a general audience

e) Product content provides leadership in the program, fits the HR policy into

the big picture of management, links HR policy to organizational goals,

and/or highlights the links of HR policy with other management functions

f) Develops original understandable graphics that illustrate the concept being

presented

MINIMALLY SUCCESSFUL STANDARD

The employee accomplishes the work described at the Fully Successful level except

that intermediate and minor products of a routine nature are produced with moderate but not excessive rework. 

ELEMENT

HR POLICY

PRODUCTS 

(e.g., written 

guidance, reports,

overviews, workshops,

formal presentations)

HUMAN RESOURCES SPECIALIST, GS-0201

*Exceeds Fully Successful falls between the performance described for Fully Successful and that described for Outstanding. 

Unacceptable falls below Minimally Successful.

A

Note: We have purposely listed the Minimally Successful standard last to emphasize performance

that is Fully Successful and higher more than performance that is less than Fully Successful.
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 77

APPENDIX

STANDARDS*

FULLY SUCCESSFUL STANDARD

(To meet this standard, the employee must meet all of the following requirements.)

As determined by the supervisor and from doctor/clinic feedback:

QUALITY

❙ Paperwork is usually filed according to hospital documentation regulations,

with only a few errors or complaints

❙ With few exceptions, paperwork is date stamped the same day it arrives in the

Medical Records Section

❙ The employee can usually locate records, whether they are in their filing

shelves or checked out to doctors/clinics

❙ With few exceptions, medical records requested by a doctor/clinic/emergency

room contain the paperwork received by the Medical Records Section within

the last 3 working days, with contents usually filed accurately

QUANTITY

❙ The backlog of paperwork to be filed usually does not exceed the amount

received within the last 3 working days

TIMELINESS

❙ Medical records are usually supplied to requestors by the time requested. In

emergency situations, medical records are supplied consistently within an

hour of request

OUTSTANDING STANDARD

The employee exceeds the Fully Successful standard plus meets all of the following:

❙ On own initiative, systematically reviews assigned files to ensure accuracy of

paperwork placement in the file

❙ Very few records are more than three inches thick (i.e., overly thick files have

been split into additional volumes)

❙ Voluntarily conducts systematic searches for missing paperwork or records,

including verifying checkout cards

❙ At least one of the employee’s suggestions for improvements in the filing

process or to records management is adopted

❙ Most medical record jackets are in good condition (i.e., torn or worn jackets

have been replaced, as supplies allow)

MINIMALLY SUCCESSFUL STANDARD

To meet this standard, the employee completes the requirements of the Fully Successful standard except that the backlog often exceeds 3 days but usually does not

exceed 4 days and the _third_ quality requirement is not met. 

ELEMENT

MEDICAL

RECORDS that

include accurately

filed documentation

MEDICAL RECORDS TECHNICIAN, GS-0675

*Exceeds Fully Successful falls between the performance described for Fully Successful and that described for Outstanding. 

Unacceptable falls below Minimally Successful.

appendix A

Note: We have purposely listed the Minimally Successful standard last to emphasize performance

that is Fully Successful and higher more than performance that is less than Fully Successful.
78 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

HUMAN RESOURCES SPECIALIST (EMPLOYEE RELATIONS), GS-0201

*Exceeds Fully Successful falls between the performance described for Fully Successful and that described for Outstanding. 

Unacceptable falls below Minimally Successful. This example does not include a Minimally Successful standard.

appendix A STANDARDS*

FULLY SUCCESSFUL STANDARD

❙ Provides timely and reliable technical advice and assistance to agency and

other officials on employee relations and appellate matters. Advice is based on

good knowledge and proper application of Federal regulation, precedent cases,

and relationships among governmentwide human resources programs. Discusses advantages, disadvantages, and feasible options in connection with

issues and problems presented. Coordinates with other agency offices, as

appropriate. Brings unique or potentially difficult issues and problems to the

attention of supervisor with options and recommendations for further action

❙ Gains useful feedback from agencies and other organizations within the

agency on the impact of policies and processes under the employee relations

program. Provides suggestions on how best to use information and insights to

improve employee relations programs and procedures

❙ Thoroughly reviews and provides timely comments on materials presented for

review by other offices. Comments take into account applicable regulations,

case law, and policy objectives in the areas of employee relations and appellate

policies. Training and briefings provided to employees are well conceived,

effectively presented, and well received

OUTSTANDING STANDARD:

❙ Is uncommonly effective in dealing with officials who present difficult issues

and problems for resolution. Options and recommended solutions are creative, pertinent, and demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the issues.

Where appropriate, recites successful practices and programs in other agencies.

Displays deep knowledge of HRM policies, precedent cases, agency needs, and

the likely impact on management and employees of solution proposed 

❙ Based on knowledge and insights, is able to propose significant changes to

policies and procedures which hold the potential for improvement

❙ In reviewing the products of other organizations, is able to point out major

issues or problems not otherwise foreseen or to make suggestions for significant improvement as warranted

❙ Is able to cause major changes in policies to be considered, where appropriate,

through the persuasiveness and thoroughness of written comments and/or

informal meetings

❙ Review and commentary is timely, even in the event of competing priorities

and large workload

MINIMALLY SUCCESSFUL STANDARD:

❙ Answers to questions about employee relations policies are usually accurate

and provided in a timely manner

❙ Regularly gains useful feedback from organizations on agency policies and programs in employee relations. Occasionally surfaces feedback in a manner that

is useful to management

❙ As requested, furnishes comments to other offices on proposed policy materials, training courses, and legislation. Comments point out technical inaccuracies or inconsistency with established policy

ELEMENT

TECHNICAL

INFORMATION,

ADVICE, AND

ASSISTANCE

Note: We have purposely listed the Minimally Successful standard last to emphasize performance

that is Fully Successful and higher more than performance that is less than Fully Successful.
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 79

appendix APPENDIX

ATTORNEY ADVISOR A

*Exceeds Fully Successful falls between the performance described for Fully Successful and that described for Outstanding. 

Unacceptable falls below Minimally Successful. This example does not include a Minimally Successful standard.

NOTE: We have purposely left out a Minimally Successful standard in this example to emphasize performance that is Fully Successful and higher. In the event that an employee’s performance fell below

the Fully Successful level, a Minimally Successful standard would be established and communicated.

STANDARDS*

FULLY SUCCESSFUL STANDARD (must meet all of the following)

QUALITY

As determined by the supervisor, written materials

❙ Are generally considered to be of average professional quality

❙ Are infrequently returned for substantial revision

❙ Usually fully analyze relevant legal and policy issues

❙ Usually reflect thorough investigation of factual and legal resources

❙ Usually do not contain significant extraneous or inappropriate material

QUANTITY

❙ In most instances, written materials are developed as needed

TIMELINESS

❙ Written materials are generally completed and presented in accordance with

established deadlines or time frames

OUTSTANDING STANDARD (must meet all of the following)

Written materials:

❙ Are routinely considered to be of highest professional quality

❙ Are rarely returned for substantial revision

❙ Consistently fully analyze relevant legal and policy issues

❙ Reflect thorough investigation of factual and legal resources

❙ Do not contain significant extraneous or inappropriate material

❙ Are completed before established deadlines or time frames

❙ Are always completed as needed

ELEMENT

WRITTEN 

MATERIALS 

(e.g., legal memoranda,

briefs, and pleadings)
APPENDIX

80 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

appendix B

FULLY SUCCESSFUL STANDARD*

(To meet the Fully Successful standard for an element, all of the 

bullets listed for the element must be met.)

❙ Usually 90% to 95% of pallets have no defects

❙ With few exceptions, no more than 1.5 to 2 hours of down time per week

❙ Normally, the packaging production schedule is met 5 out of 7 days 

❙ Normally, the shipment schedule is met 5 out of 7 days 

❙ Safety problems are corrected or improvements usually are 

made by agreed-on date

❙ Routinely holds one safety audit per week

❙ Very rarely has any lost time hours

❙ Team goals are met 60-80% of the time

❙ Manager judges that the team leader periodically initiates ways to reduce costs

❙ Manager judges that decisions are well thought out and support organizational goals.

Manager is generally satisfied that:

❙ Training requirements of the team are met

❙ Discipline is provided fairly and consistently

❙ Most team members understand the department’s goals and how their 

performance affects these goals

❙ Team members understand how they’re performing against their goals

❙ Team members receive rewards for good performance

ELEMENT

Quality products

Safe work 

environment

Effective 

leadership

Productive 

subordinates

*To achieve the Outstanding level, the employee must consistently exceed a majority of the bullets listed for the 

Fully Successful standard. Unacceptable performance occurs when the employee fails to meet one or more of the 

bullets listed for Fully Successful performance.

Three-Level Appraisal–Examples

THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES OF ELEMENTS AND STANDARDS WERE WRITTEN SPECIFICALLY FOR APPRAISAL 

PROGRAMS THAT APPRAISE PERFORMANCE ON ELEMENTS AT THREE LEVELS.

TEAM LEADER, PACKAGING PRODUCTION TEAM
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 81

APPENDIX

ELEMENT: ORAL PRESENTATIONS

STANDARDS* (To meet a standard, all of the statements listed for the standard must be met.)

OUTSTANDING STANDARD

When attendee evaluations are available:

❙ Sixty to eighty-four percent of attendees rated the employee’s presentation good or very good.

When attendee evaluations are not available, the supervisor determines that the employee:

❙ Presents information in a clear, concise, and well-organized manner 

❙ Responds well to questions, including unanticipated ones 

❙ Creates a favorable impression for effective communication by seeking the views of others and respecting 

different points of view

❙ Asks probing questions to ensure that everyone understands the matters discussed 

❙ Clearly distinguishes between fact and opinion and avoids disclosing sensitive or tentative information prematurely

❙ Listens well, responds appropriately and articulately, and remains calm in adverse situations 

❙ Knows when and how to use visual aids, speaks authoritatively on subject matter, and displays ability to 

respond directly to questions raised 

❙ Encourages active participation by others 

❙ Senses audience’s receptivity to presentation and adjusts accordingly 

❙ Shows thorough knowledge of issues and their relationship to broader issues 

❙ Presents technical information clearly and persuasively, demonstrating the importance and relevancy 

of planning.

FULLY SUCCESSFUL STANDARD

When attendee evaluations are available:

❙ More than 60-84% of attendees rated the employee’s presentation good or very good

When attendee evaluations are not available, the supervisor determines that the employee:

❙ Usually presents information clearly, concisely, and in a well-organized manner 

❙ Routinely shows respect for comments of participants 

❙ Generally keeps discussion on track 

❙ Usually elicits comments of others

❙ Generally weighs consequences of statements before speaking, clearly distinguishing between fact and opinion, 

and avoids disclosing sensitive or tentative information prematurely 

❙ Usually listens well, responds to issues at hand, and minimizes extraneous information 

❙ Usually answers most questions and invites additional questions to ensure understanding 

*Unacceptable performance occurs when the employee fails to meet one or more of the bullets listed for Fully Successful

performance.

PROGRAM ANALYST

appendix B
APPENDIX

82 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

appendix B ELEMENT: GRAPHIC DESIGNS

STANDARD 

OUTSTANDING STANDARD

In addition to meeting all criteria of the Fully Successful standard, the supervisor determines that 

the employee meets at least four of the following:

❙ Designs are often of such high quality that they generate spontaneous praise from clients

❙ The elegance of designs often enhances their purpose in unexpected ways 

❙ Designs consistently reflect the highest professional standards and raise the standards for 

other agency designers 

❙ The most complex design tasks are handled with little or no difficulty

❙ Suggestions are made that improve the agency’s design processes 

❙ Potential problems are anticipated, brought to the supervisor’s attention as appropriate, and 

usually solved independently

FULLY SUCCESSFUL STANDARD

To meet this standard, all of the following must be met:

The supervisor determines that:

❙ The quality of information-material design is usually acceptable to the client and sufficient to achieve 

the purposes intended 

❙ In most cases, designs are in accordance with the agency’s graphic standards system and meet commonly 

accepted criteria for professional work 

❙ Logical planning, due consideration of priorities, and efficient application of technical graphics skills usually

result in creation of graphic designs in time to meet reasonable deadlines

❙ Generally nonwasteful work habits reflect a consideration of costs to the Government 

❙ Instructions from supervisors are most often followed as given, major revisions are rarely 

necessary, and routine problems are usually resolved with a minimum of supervision 

GRAPHICS DESIGNER
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 83

APPENDIX

ELEMENT

CERTIFIED 

PROGRAMMERS

TRAINING PLANS

CROSS-TRAINED 

ANALYSTS

TRAINING FACILITY

READY FOR TRAINING

CUSTOMER 

SERVICE MANUAL

*To achieve the Outstanding level, the employee must consistently exceed a majority of the bullets listed for the 

Fully Successful standard. Unacceptable performance occurs when the employee fails to meet one or more of the bullets 

listed for Fully Successful performance.

TRAINING COORDINATOR

FULLY SUCCESSFUL STANDARD*

(To meet the Fully Successful standard for an element, all of the bullets listed

for the element must be met.)

Most of the supervisors of certified programmers say that the trained programmer(s):

❙ Could handle their assignments right away

❙ Didn’t bother coworkers and supervisor for covered objectives

❙ Demonstrated certified skill/knowledge assessment was accurate

Recommended trainees generally complete the training within the following

time frames:

❙ Average of 18 to 25 working days to complete Phase I training

❙ Average of 18 to 23 working days to complete Phase II training

❙ Average of 10 to 15 working days to complete Phase III training

Most of the supervisors of the trained programmers say that the 

topics covered match what is needed on the job

❙ Most internal customers agree that the training plan will meet 

their needs and commit dollars and trainee time

❙ Supervisor is generally satisfied that the training plan contains 

standard components, has realistic time lines and objectives, is based on

input from representative sample, and is consistent with agency long-range

goals, objectives, and philosophy

❙ The incumbent meets agreed-upon deadline for first approved draft

❙ 60%-80% trainees meet learning objectives

❙ Trainees’ supervisors are generally satisfied with analysts’ improvement in

their ability to communicate with programmers and solve minor problems

without a programmer

The supervisor is generally satisfied that:

❙ The training room is ready for training when needed

❙ Materials are available

❙ Speaker’s needs have been determined and addressed

The supervisor is generally satisfied that the manual:

❙ Covers most if not all job dimensions

❙ Has most if not all standard components

❙ The customer service supervisor says the document is useful

appendix B
APPENDIX

84 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

appendix C

ELEMENT

COMPLETED AUDITS

QUOTES 

AND PROPOSALS

SOLUTIONS

FINISHED POLICIES

ANSWERS TO 

QUESTIONS

Two-Level Appraisal–Examples

THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES OF ELEMENTS AND STANDARDS WERE WRITTEN SPECIFICALLY FOR APPRAISAL PROGRAMS

THAT APPRAISE PERFORMANCE OF ELEMENTS AT ONLY TWO LEVELS.

POLICY PROCESSING CLERK

FULLY SUCCESSFUL STANDARD

(To meet the Fully Successful standard for each element, all of the bullets listed for the element must be present or occur.)

❙ No more than 5 errors per month are found on audits

❙ For at least 10 weeks per year, no audits are more than 30 days old

❙ No more than 5 quotes and proposals per month are found 

to be inaccurate at issuing

❙ No more than 5 quotes per month are processed in more than 5 days

❙ No more than 5 proposals per month are processed in more 

than 24 hours

❙ No more than 2 times per quarter are incorrect results or procedures 

spotted by the supervisor or other team members

❙ No more than 2 times per quarter are problems corrected in more 

than 3 business days

❙ No more than 5 errors per month are spotted by team members

❙ No more than 5 times per month when someone can’t do the 

next step on a policy due to illegibility, incompleteness, or 

vagueness in the file

❙ No more than 3 times per month someone on the team gets 

a second call for the same issue/problem

❙ For at least 10 weeks per year, there are no changes more 

than 30 days old

❙ For at least 5 weeks per year, there is no new business more 

than 10 days old

❙ 60% of surveyed team members and a sample of people 

outside the team say:

— The technician stops what (s)he’s doing and immediately 

tries to answer the question

— They don’t find out later that the answer is wrong

— If the technician doesn’t know the answer, (s)he either researches the

solution or directs the person to the correct source
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 85

APPENDIX

ELEMENT

ANALYTICAL RESULTS

AND SPECIFICATIONS

SOLUTIONS TO 

CUSTOMER PROBLEMS

RESEARCH CHEMIST

FULLY SUCCESSFUL STANDARD

(To meet the Fully Successful standard for each element, all 

of the bullets listed for the element must be present or occur.)

The Research Manager is routinely satisfied that:

❙ The method measures the appropriate variable

❙ The results are relevant

❙ The method is scientifically sound

❙ There is a well-written protocol

❙ The method is accurate, precise, reproducible, fast, and cost-effective

The customer is generally satisfied that:

❙ They can understand and observe the results

❙ The cost is within the budget

❙ The information gives understandable answers to their questions

The Research Manager is routinely satisfied that:

❙ Reports and solutions address the question that was asked

❙ The assumptions or hypotheses are based on scientific principles

❙ The proposed solutions, suggestions, and/or recommendations 

are understandable

❙ The recommendations were provided within the 

agreed-on time frame.

The customer is generally satisfied that:

❙ The report and any answers to questions address the 

question that was asked

❙ The proposed solutions, suggestions, and/or 

recommendations are understandable

❙ The proposed recommendations were provided within 

the agreed-on time frame

❙ The solutions work

❙ The information gives understandable answers 

to their questions

❙ They are able to implement the recommendations

appendix C
APPENDIX

86 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

appendix C ELEMENT

DESIGNS FOR CAPITAL

IMPROVEMENTS AND

OPERATIONS CHANGES

BUDGET REPORT

COMPLETED PROJECTS

ENGINEER

FULLY SUCCESSFUL STANDARD

(To meet the Fully Successful standard for each element, all 

of the bullets listed for the element must be present or occur.)

The supervisor is routinely satisfied that:

❙ The cost estimate is sufficiently itemized

❙ There is backup documentation for all cost estimates

❙ There is consistency across design documents

❙ The design looks like it will solve the problem or meet the need

❙ The design doesn’t cause new problems while solving 

the original problem

In addition:

❙ There is no significant cost overrun due to inaccurate quantities

❙ The design is routinely completed by the agreed-on deadline

❙ The budget report is generally submitted by the 

fifteenth day of the month

❙ The engineer is routinely able to answer questions 

about project financial status at any time

The supervisor is routinely satisfied that:

❙ The project is constructed according to the design

❙ Unexpected conditions are successfully worked around

❙ Recommendations are made by agreed-on deadline

❙ The contract cost is within 5% of the estimate
A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 87

ELEMENT

BUSINESS DECISION 

RECOMMENDATIONS, 

INCLUDING BUDGET

ANALYSIS AND COST

INFORMATION/ANALYSIS

FINANCIAL SYSTEMS

IMPROVED

BUDGET PROCESS 

EVALUATION 

AND ANALYSIS

FULLY SUCCESSFUL STANDARD

(To meet the Fully Successful standard for each element, all 

of the bullets listed for the element must be present or occur.)

The supervisor is routinely satisfied that:

❙ Cost impacts surrounding the decision have been identified 

and evaluated

❙ The numbers are accurate and do not require second-guessing or rework

❙ Reports/analysis logically state the issues and reach conclusions that are

supported by the data and analysis

❙ The analysis is useful and answers the question asked

❙ The analysis/information was provided by the agreed-on deadline

The supervisor as well as the users of the system are generally satisfied that:

❙ The system change is within the scope of control

❙ The change provides information in a more efficient, accurate, 

and useful manner than previously

❙ The time required to implement the change meets the customer’s 

needs and deadlines

❙ The value of the improvements exceeds the cost of the implementation

The supervisor is routinely satisfied that: 

❙ The reports/analysis logically state the issues and reach conclusions 

that are supported by the data and analysis

❙ The evaluations address all issues and cost impacts

appendix 

PROGRAM ANALYST (BUDGET) C
88 A HANDBOOK FOR MEASURING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

notes

answers from page 19

TRAINS EMPLOYEES— ACTIVITY, SUPERVISION— CATEGORY, A COMPLETED CASE— ACCOMPLISHMENT, PUBLIC RELATIONS— CATEGORY,

RECOMMENDATIONS— ACCOMPLISHMENT, CUSTOMER SERVICE— CATEGORY, HR POLICY INTERPRETATIONS— ACCOMPLISHMENT,

WRITES AGENCY POLICY— ACTIVITY, SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS— ACCOMPLISHMENT, DEVELOPS SOFTWARE PROGRAMS— ACTIVITY,

IDEAS AND INNOVATIONS— ACCOMPLISHMENT, FILES PAPERWORK— ACTIVITY, WRITES MEMOS— ACTIVITY,

COMPUTER SYSTEMS THAT WORK— ACCOMPLISHMENT, TEAMWORK— CATEGORY, A COMPLETED PROJECT— ACCOMPLISHMENT,

SATISFIED CUSTOMERS— ACCOMPLISHMENT, ANSWERS THE PHONE— ACTIVITY, ASSISTS TEAM MEMBERS— ACTIVITY

1— A D E 

2— B 

3— A 

4— C E

5— F 

6— B 

7— B 

8— B 

9— B 

10— A B 

11— A

answers from pages 70-71
notes
notes

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PRIORITY ELEMENT TYPE GENERAL SPECIFIC MEASURE STANDARDS AND

POINTS MEASURE FEEDBACK

FOLD OVER INSIDE BACK COVER FLAP AS SHOWN TO FILL OUT CHART. 

SEE PAGES 46, 51, 60, AND 66 FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS 

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