The Do's & Don'ts of Documenting Employee Behavior and Performance

Do: Establish Clear Performance Expectations

Create formal documentation with a clear statement of those expectations, and be consistent with the employee's job description and the tasks actually assigned to the employee.

This statement of the performance expectations will set the standards upon which current deficiencies are noted and future performance will be measured.

Don’t: Diagnose Why the Employee is Performing Poorly

Do not try to diagnose "why" the employee's performance was poor and avoid the urge to put such diagnosis in the formal documentation. It's not appropriate to include such personal problems in formal documentation. Instead focus on the what, when, where, and other information provided to you.

Do: Write a Specific Plan and Follow Up

List out the specific criteria the employee must meet, and a time frame for meeting each expectancy.

Include that "failure to meet criteria" will result in further disciplinary action, and be sure to follow up with that employee.

Don’t: Include Your Mental Impressions & Editorial Comments

State the facts in the documentation, and avoid commenting on those facts. Do not include your mental impressions in the performance documentation.