It is essential that the form utilized for the written portion of the appraisal limits use of subjective criterion and tracks the employee's job description as closely as possible. It is frequently necessary to have several different evaluations to distinguish between highly technical jobs and ones requiring little or no technical ability. Performance appraisals should be done regularly, at least once a year. Formal performance appraisals should also be done 60 to 90 days after an employee is hired so that the employer can determine if it wants to continue to invest in training the employee. The performance appraisal should tell the employee what the supervisor's goals for the employee are for the next performance appraisal.
Proper documentation can avoid costly litigation.
The relatively minor cost and inconvenience in preparing documents pales in comparison to the time and money an employer will spend defending an adverse employment action without the benefit of proper documentation.