The partners attribute this to the fact that salary adjustments and performance reviews are not connected. Salary adjustments and bonuses are given twice each year. Bonuses reflect the effort put forth by an employee. Thus, everyone gets the message that there is value to extra effort. Performance is reviewed cyclically, too, but the process is very informal.
Nothing is documented.
Johnson and Zurowski meet each employee individually over breakfast or lunch to discuss that person's performance and goals. But really anytime is an okay time to talk. There are even several retreats during the year when everyone gets away from the buzz of the office to relax, talk and take a look at the big picture. The principals take pride in the high level of communication they have with their staff. There also is an extraordinary amount of trust between principals and staff, as evidenced by Eastlake's time-off policy.