This task monitoring can form the substance of later performance evaluations. Keep in mind that the complexity and formality of your evaluations should be in keeping with the rest of your safety and health program. At first, as the employee learns new skills and changes behavior patterns, there should be minimal or no consequences for poor performance. Instead, use positive reinforcement during this initial phase of performance evaluation to encourage your employee's natural desire to do well and to be recognized. Although the goal of any accountability program should be to develop a sense of personal accountability for actions, individuals often need to know there are negative consequences for poor performance.
Consequences reinforce the importance of meeting objectives.
Be sure that supervisors and managers understand when the consequence will occur. There should be no surprises. Consequences need to be appropriate to the situation. Firing a supervisor for the first poorly conducted accident investigation is an obvious example of overreacting to a problem. Gradually, though, the consequences of poor performance should be increased to some specified maximum severity.