“I clean the floor.  It’s either clean or it isn’t.  I either meet my objective or I don’t.  There’s nothing more to it.  I don’t need an appraisal.  It’s a waste of time”.

Oh, yes?  If the employer doesn’t appraise such routine objectives and provide thorough feedback, what will be being wasted is an opportunity to improve employee engagement, employee contribution and the success of the organisation.   

Every mundane and everyday type of work contributes to the whole quality and standards of an organisation and every employee can be committed to delivering the very best of themselves in doing what they are employed to do.

So, think again.

How is it possible to set meaningful objectives for a really routine job?

How can an individual excel at certain tasks which might be perceived as routine and either simply achieved or not achieved?

Individuals need to understand that they can excel at work, even if they are simply cleaning the floor.  How they might enhance or excel in their achievements should be considered by their manager in order to differentiate between
satisfactory and superb performance.

Reflect on your own experiences when visiting the Reception Desk in any organisation.  The Receptionist acknowledges your presence, signs you in and distributes a Visitor badge. Job done.  Except that it’s not quite as simple as that, is it?

Consider:

• How
  you were greeted?  Did the Receptionist smile?  Did he/she immediately give you their attention?
• What
  was their demeanor?  Did you feel important or just a nuisance?
• How
  efficient or helpful was he/she in ensuring that the person you were visiting knew you were there?
• What
  concern did he/she have for whether you had parked safely and in the correct space?
• Did
  he/she tell you where the cloakroom was or offer you some refreshment?

There is more to this, isn’t there?

Soft skills and how they can help.

Soft skills are all about how things are done as opposed to what things are done.

Think about the soft skills surrounding actions and those behaviors which change an acceptable service into a great one.  What other duties surrounding the simple washing of a floor makes one operative a “better” operative that the next one?  How can we differentiate?

Soft skills include behaviors such as customer service, inter-personal dealings, handling change, team working, and communication.  These are vitally important because your approach to a task makes a huge difference to the recipient of your task.

Here is a simple appraisal form which is based on a document from ACAS. It should help you to meaningfully assess performance in a routine job.

Appraisal For Routine Jobs

Assessment of Performance (tick as appropriate)

	A* Outstanding performance and achievements	A   Well above standard	B   More than satisfactory – slightly above job requirements	C Less than satisfactory – needs slight improvement	D   Unsatisfactory – below the standard reasonably expected
Volume of work How does the amount of work done compare with the job requirements?	Very high output	High output	Output is usually above average	Output is occasionally unsatisfactory	Insufficient – improvement needed
Job knowledge Does the employee have the knowledge to do the job properly?	Exceptionally thorough knowledge of own and related work	Very thorough knowledge of own and related work	Good knowledge of own job and related work aspect	Lack of job knowledge sometimes hinders progress	Inadequate knowledge of own work
Safety awareness Consider in regard to safe working practices	Highly motivated towards safety. Always insists on safe working practices	Motivated towards safety. Encourages safe working practices	Good attitude to safety and encourages others likewise	Sometimes has to be reminded of safety precautions at work	Disregards basic safety precautions
Dependability How well does the employee follow procedures?	Always thoroughly reliable	Follows procedures	Little supervision required	Requires more frequent checks than normal	Requires constant supervision
Teamwork How well does the employee work with others to accomplish the goals of the job and work group?	Works extremely well with others and responds enthusiastically to new challenges	Works well with others and usually keen to achieve results for the group	Co-operative and flexible	Usually gets along reasonably well but occasionally unhelpful	Not co-operative, resists change
Attendance & punctuality What is the employee’s pattern of absence and punctuality?	Exceptionally punctual. Rarely absent	Good attendance record	Attendance levels are acceptable and is rarely late	Absence and/or lateness levels are higher than average	Frequently late and/or absent
Work planning Consider employee’s success in planning own work	Displays excellent planning ability	Organises work well	Organises own work	Needs to improve some aspects of work planning	Does not plan effectively
Communication How effective is the employee at verbal and written communication?	Exceptionally effective in all written and verbal communication	Communicates well for the position held	Usually a good communicator	Some difficulties with written and/or verbal communication	Does not communicate effectively

 

Overall marking

Well ahead of standard performance

More than satisfactory – slightly above job requirements

Fully satisfactory

Less than satisfactory – needs slight improvement

Unsatisfactory – below the standard reasonably expect

 

If people in organisations were to monitor the mundane, but with the eyes of value and a concern for quality, providing feedback that recognises the contributions of people from this perspective will ensure greater engagement, satisfaction and enjoyment for all employees.

Shirley Huntington