FedSmith.com – OPM Proposes Changes to Federal Employee Removal Process

Sep 19, 2019 | News

PS Reviews: Ralph Smith’s Article about the Federal Government Trying to Improve Employee Performance Management

The traditional approach to performance management isn’t only being overhauled in the private sector, the federal government of the United States is joining in on the action. This subject is discussed in more detail in the recent FedSmith.com article, “OPM Proposes Changes to Federal Employee Removal Process,” by Ralph Smith. As expected, the proposed changes run parallel to the changes happening in private businesses: individual employee development driven by continuous feedback and coaching. “The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing proposed regulations governing probation on initial appointment to a competitive position, performance-based reduction in grade and removal actions, and adverse actions,” explains Smith. Any performance management proposal that highlights an employee’s position (or role) and performance-based feedback plays right into the strengths of Performance Scoring’s Performance Management Application. Our application mirrors each unique role at an organization and features objective performance data of the custom Factors that drive success in those roles. The OPM has previously defined the Performance Management Cycle as a 5-step process:

  1. Planning
  2. Monitoring
  3. Developing
  4. Rating
  5. Rewarding

Anyone managing an organization would agree with the steps of this process, but how many of those organizations do it effectively? As we’ve discussed in any earlier post, “only 8% of companies believe their performance management process is highly effective” (Deloitte). Performance Scoring’s Application was perfectly designed to ensure that this process is continuous throughout an organization. Employee recognition breeds employee development and increased performance, a win-win for the organization and the employee.
Continuous Improvement Driven by Data
As mentioned above, the OPM’s proposed changes will focus on individual employee performance. In order to do this, a process must be in place to properly document employee performance. “Disciplinary action should be based on the facts and circumstances of each individual employee’s situation,” Smith cites. Proper documentation, facts and circumstances for individual employees – is not something that most organizations can just pull out of their back pocket. That is where Performance Scoring comes in! The FactorBoard displays continuous performance data (documentation & facts) across an organization, and the relative scoring index contextualizes this performance data to clarify the surrounding circumstances. “An employee’s disciplinary record, not just similar past misconduct, should be taken into account,” Smith continues. This aspect of the proposed changes is ensuring that a holistic assessment of employees be considered. This is difficult for many organizations that rely on one shareholder for employee feedback, often the employee’s supervisor. Performance Scoring uses peer-to-peer feedback for input from all parties that are relevant to an employee’s role, which has been shown to be the most effective driver of employee development. Forward-thinking businesses have prioritized performance management, and now the federal government is too. For those organizations that are planning to follow suit Performance Scoring is the ultimate performance management tool, so get started today!

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