## **Tools of the Trade: Considerations When  Developing Performance Standards**

Measuring  performance is not an easy task—especially in today’s Federal work  environment.  Federal employees no longer  spend their days counting widgets or doing easily defined administrative  tasks.  They are performing more  knowledge-based work that involves complicated, long-term projects that are not  as easily described in terms of the standard quality, quantity, and timeliness  measures used in the past.  But with  increasing telework, decreasing staffing levels, and functions more closely  tied to public safety and security than ever, measuring performance is  important.  

A performance  standard is a statement of what the employee is expected to do and at what  level he or she is expected to perform.  It  should be reasonable and measurable.  There  are some basic steps you should take when developing performance  standards.  These are by no means  inclusive but are being presented to give you a flavor for the decisions that  need to be made.  

*Define the critical aspects of the job. *A thorough job analysis provides critical information for many aspects  of the job, including setting performance standards.  By collecting systematic data from subject  matter experts, a job analysis identifies the key tasks of the job and can also  identify some basic performance factors, such as how long it takes to do a task  or the quality expected.  Therefore, the job  analysis can serve as the basis for the performance standards. 

*Set realistic performance targets.*  The  role of performance standards should be to challenge employees to produce  without making the goal so difficult as to de-motivate them.  If standards are too hard to achieve, they  are de-motivating to everyone.  If they  are too easy to achieve, they will de-motivate your top performers and drive  lower production throughout the office.   There is rarely a “right” answer as to what a standard should be; but  evaluating the performance outcomes of your top and middle performers may help you  get a clearer picture of what it takes to perform the job well.

*Make sure the performance standards are  clear. *As stated in OPM guidance, performance  standards should be “objective, measurable, realistic, and stated clearly in  writing.”  Employees should understand  what the standard is, what is expected of them to reach the higher levels of  performance, and how to gauge where they stand at any given point.  Using numerical standards that require  complicated formulas to calculate success or using vague language that can be  interpreted in may different ways may only confuse and de-motivate employees.

*Ensure standards are within the employee’s control.* There are few things more frustrating for an  employee than being told they are accountable for something they can’t control.  For instance, if an employee’s timeliness  measure includes the time it takes for management to review a product, the  employee could be negatively impacted by an overworked manager.  Take care to define standards that are within  the employee’s control.

*Collaborate with the employee.*   Obtaining feedback from employees on what they do and how they do it is  a good way of obtaining their buy-in and support.  It will also help ensure that employees are  clear on the standards for which they are being rated.  Employees can be involved in many ways—from  providing input to what tasks are critical to defining the different levels of  performance.  They can be involved as a  group or as individuals.  Obtaining their  input doesn’t mean that they have the final say on what the standard or target  is, but openness and transparency should foster more good will and trust  between management and employees, making performance management easier and more  effective.  

*Communicate with the employee.* The process doesn’t end when the standards  are in place.  Constant communication  throughout the performance cycle is critical to ensuring that employees are  performing the tasks that are critical at the optimum performance level so that  the organization can achieve its larger goals.  

For more information  on the performance management process, including regulatory requirements for  performance standards, please see OPM’s Workforce Performance Resources page at https://www.opm.gov/perform/.