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Doing the Evaluation So when should the evaluation be done? I would recommend at least once every three months or, at a minimum, every six months. The reason that I prefer the shorter interval is that it gives employees more frequent feedback. Also, most of your part-time employees may be seasonal help who work only six months of the year. I also suggest exit employment evaluations for those employees who are leaving. Not only does this let them know how they did, but you will be able to find out if they are willing to come back the following season. Let them know, providing they did a good job, that you would be happy to give them a letter of recommendation if they need it for future employment. Word of this will get around, and it does a lot for morale. Evaluations should be done at a predetermined time, such as quarterly between the 15th and 20th of the month. I recommend handing out a schedule to all employees to let them know at what time of day they will be evaluated. I believe in doing evaluations in the mornings; I don't like making employees worry all day long. Usually one hour is plenty of time for an evaluation, but allow extra time to deal with the unexpected problem or the phone call that needs to be returned. I recommend starting the evaluation by letting the employee know that you appreciate the work that they have done. Find things on which to compliment them — everyone has something they do well, even if it is smiling all the time or trying hard. If there are things that need attention, you can go into it from here. For example: "You do a great job at the skate counter, I notice how you always wipe off the blades and tuck in the laces. You are always smiling and friendly to the customers. The only thing you need to watch out for are loose blades or ripped eyelets." This employee may hand out skates in bad condition simply because they didn't know they were supposed to check for these things. Some employees may have had too many days when they were not as friendly as they should have been or maybe even downright grumpy. Remind them that they should always smile and be pleasant. Let them know that even you have bad days, but that customers should always think your rink is such a great place that you can't help but smile. Note this on their evaluation and see if it doesn't improve. This employee may be a very hard worker who is simply not a "people person." If this is the case, you may be able to find other jobs for the employee such as cleaning, stocking the pro shop, or skate sharpening and repair. Attendance is a fairly straightforward area to evaluate. Let your employees know that a request for a specific day off needs to be made in advance. Obviously, things such as weddings and traffic court appearances are legitimate. I have told my employees that even if something last- minute comes up and they can find someone to cover for them, this is fine with me. I know there are days when cars won't start or dogs need to go to the vet. For those employees who call in sick too often or have too many absences, you need to keep track of the number and frequency of the occurrences. Keeping Employee Files You should keep a personnel file on your employees; it's a good way for both of you to keep track of performance. The information in this file can help determine whether or not an employee will get an increase in salary. It is also necessary to have documentation should you need to terminate an employee. What should this file have in it? It should include all evaluations and documentation of tardiness and unexcused absences, as well as major problems such as fights or arguments with other employees or customers, or major repeated mistakes. I know that it is impossible to catch each problem and every mistake. That is why you need to have an evaluation form as part of the file that your managers fill out and sign. You should sit down with your managers and train them on how to keep employee files. You will also need to have separate files for your managers over which only you have control. Remember that evaluations are a great tool for letting your staff know how they are doing and for reinforcing your expectations of them. They can also be used to justify a raise, disciplinary action or termination. I have found that evaluations also can be used as motivation. Everyone just seems to work a little bit harder after a good evaluation. If you have a person who never seems to get a good evaluation, it is probably a sign that they need to look for another job. If you use evaluations, you will find them to be a great management tool that can make your job a lot easier. ★ This article originally ran in the March/April 2000 issue of RINK Magazine. 26 R INK MAGAZ INE november/december 2009 STARrinks.com Let's Review! Remember that evaluations are a great tool for letting your staff know how they are doing and for reinforcing your expectations of them.

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