Employee evaluation - a sample process

Applies to version: 2021.1.x and above; author: Kinga Bożęcka

Employee evaluation is a process that is regularly carried out in each company. Automating such a process can save money by reducing the time required to assess employees and improve the workflow between superiors and employees. This article presents a scenario in which an employee and superior assess each other's competencies, set goals for the next year, and analyze achievements and goals for the previous year. 

List of behaviors

Let’s create an auxiliary workflow that will contain a list of criteria according to which employees in a given company will be assessed. Below there is a sample list of behaviors for an employee:

Fig. 1 - Sample behaviors and attitudes

To create such a list, you will need a simple two-step workflow and a “List of behaviors” item list with two columns – The occurring behavior and Not active.

Fig. 2 - The “List of behaviors” workflow

If the superior's competencies are assessed differently than those of the employee, you can create two separate lists. To do this, add a new "Role" choice field and provide the previously prepared fixed list of values as a source.

Fig. 3 - The "Role" form field configuration

In the advanced configuration of the item list, uncheck the “Allow delete” option - instead of deleting rows we will mark them as inactive. On the Register path, you should add the form validation action to check the uniqueness of the instance. If the “Role” form field has been added, then in the system should be only one workflow instance with a list for an employee and one with a list for a superior.

Fig. 4 - The configuration of the action

Employee evaluation

The configuration of this process depends on how the employee evaluation is carried out in a given company. An example process might look like this:

Fig. 5 - The “Employee evaluation” workflow

1. Registration

At this step, a registrant fills out the employee’s data and sets the date and time of the meeting. Then the instance goes to the next step.

Add the following form fields: year, employee, superior, start of the meeting (date and time), and end of the meeting (date and time).

a) The Year form field (single line of text) – in the “Style and behavior” tab, you can add a regular expression that allows adding only four numbers in this field.

Fig.6 - The configuration of the Year form field

b) The Employee and Superior form fields (Person or Group) – after selecting the employee from the list, the “Superior” field is automatically completed (values are taken from AD).

Fig. 7 - The configuration of the Superior form field

c) If two lists are used (for employees and supervisors separately), add the “Role” field - the same as in the List of behaviors workflow.

d) On the Register path, you can add the “Exchange events” action to automatically create a calendar meeting. 

The form should like this:

Fig. 8 - The Registration step

2. Employee self-evaluation

The employee assesses their competencies based on a list taken from the “List of behaviors” workflow and sends the instance back to the superior.

a) Create the “List of competencies” item list with columns: Behavior, Employee Yes/No, Superior Yes/No. The list will be used for both the employee's self-assessment (the employee will fill in the “Employee Yes/No” column) and for the superior’s assessment of the employee (the superior will fill in the “Superior Yes/No” column).

In this way, you will be able to view the answers of both the employee and the superior and make a comparison.

b) The created list must be initialized with values taken from the “List of behaviors” workflow. Additionally, uncheck the ability to add, clone, and delete rows.

Fig. 9. The item list initialization

c) The Yes/No choice list will be used multiple times in this process, so you should create a fixed list of values which will then be indicated as a source in the “Employee Yes/No” and “Superior Yes/No” columns. In the advanced columns configuration, you can add the display name of an empty element.

Fig. 10 – The fixed list of values

Fig. 11- The configuration of a choice field with a fixed list of values

The employee should see:

Fig. 12 – The employee self-assessment

3. Employee assessment by the supervisor

Based on the same list, the superior assesses their subordinates.

a) The "Superior Yes/No: column should be configured in the same way as the "Employee Yes/No" column. 

The supervisor should see:

Fig. 13 - The employee's assessment by the superior

4. Employee achievements and future goals

At this step, the employee completes the list of achievements and goals for the next year.

a) Create the “My achievements” item list with two columns – Achievement and Mark. You can decide if the employee will be able to add new rows to the list or, for example, must add three achievements. To do this, go to the “Initialization” tab in the advanced configuration and configure the list accordingly.

Fig. 14 – The initialization of three empty fields in the list

b) Then, create the "Goals for next year" list with one Goal column. The initialization of 3 empty rows will also be set here. 

The employee should see:

Fig. 15 – The list of achievements and goals for the next year

5. Assessment of achievement and goals from last year

At this step, the superior assesses the employee’s achievements and determines if the last year's goals have been met.

a) On the “Achievements” item list, set the “Achievement” columns as ready only, and the “Mark” column as editable.

b) Create the “Goals from last year” item list with two columns: Goal and Mark.

c) The list initialization will configure to download the goals from the previous year:

Fig. 16 – The initialization of last year's goals

d) You can configure the data source for the “Mark” column e.g. as a fixed list with values: Accomplished, Not accomplished.

6. Supervisor assessment by the employee

At this step, the employee assesses their supervisor. You can use the already existing list of behaviors or create a new one. In this case, we will use the existing list.

a) In the “Employee evaluation” workflow, create a new “Supervisor assessment” list and configure it in the same way as the “List of competencies” list for superiors.

7. Competency assessment

This step summarizes the entire employee assessment. All existing form fields (all answers) will be displayed on the form and the superior can discuss them together with the employee and give the final mark.

a) If the superior's and employee's answers differ, you can mark such a row in red to make it easier to find it. 

To do it, in the advanced configuration of the “List of competencies” item list, go to the “Layout” tab and check the “Use advanced appearance settings” option. Select the “For whole row” color mode and add the SQL query.

Fig. 17 – The row coloring setting

On the form, it will look like in Fig 18.

Fig. 18 - Coloring rows with incompatible answers

b) Finally, the superior gives the employee a final mark (the "Final mark" choice field).

Fig. 19- The final evaluation configuration

Fig. 20 - The final grade on the form

Summary

This article presents the process for assessing employee competencies. The process consists of two workflows – “List of behaviors” with a list of behaviors and “Employee assessment” that contains several steps:

• employee self-assessment,
• employee assessment by the supervisor,
• employee performance assessment,
• evaluation of the last year's goals
• setting goals for the new year,
• assessment of the supervisor by the employee,
• giving a final mark