Business English: "Human Resources - Designing Performance Evaluation Systems”

LESSON: ENGLISH FOR HUMAN RESOURCES
Topic: “Designing Performance Evaluation Systems”

Vocabulary
A. Relevance (pertinence): Importance or connection of something to the topic. Example: “The book's relevance to our class made it a useful study tool.”

B. Ease of use (facilité d'utilisation): How simple something is to use or operate. Example: “Sentence: The app's ease of use made it popular with beginners.”

C. Actionable feedback (un retour d'information exploitable): Clear suggestions that can be used to improve. Example: “The teacher gave actionable feedback to help students improve their essays.”

Guide Questions
1. What are the main steps to design a performance evaluation system?

2. How do HR officers involve employees in the design of performance evaluation systems?

3. What criteria should be considered when choosing evaluation methods?

4. What did the speaker say about leadership?

 

Transcript
The main steps to design a performance evaluation system include identifying the goals of the system, defining the performance criteria, involving stakeholders, selecting the evaluation methods, and implementing the system.  Involving employees can be done through surveys, focus groups, and regular meetings. This ensures that their views are considered and increases their acceptance of the system.

The criteria that should be considered when choosing evaluation methods include relevance to job roles, ease of use, fairness, and the ability to provide actionable feedback. It's also important to choose methods that align with the company’s culture and values. For example, a sales company might prioritize metrics like sales targets and customer satisfaction scores.

Lastly, leadership plays a critical role by setting the vision, providing resources, and ensuring the system aligns with the company's strategic objectives. For instance, at Facebook, top executives are actively involved in designing and promoting their evaluation system. (149 words)

Discussion
1. How do you define clear performance criteria for employees? Comment définissez-vous des critères de performance clairs pour les employés ?

Sample Answer: Clear performance criteria should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Involving employees in this process ensures they understand and agree with the criteria. For instance, a customer service team might have criteria like response time, customer satisfaction ratings, and resolution rates.

2. How do you ensure the performance evaluation system aligns with company goals? Comment assurez-vous que le système d'évaluation des performances est aligné avec les objectifs de l'entreprise ?

Sample Answer: Alignment can be achieved by defining performance criteria that reflect the company's strategic goals and values. Regular reviews and updates to the system can also help maintain alignment. For example, if a company aims to increase innovation, performance criteria might include creativity and the number of new ideas proposed.

3. What is the role of leadership in designing performance evaluation systems? Quel est le rôle de la direction dans la conception des systèmes d'évaluation des performances ?

Sample Answer: Leadership plays a critical role by setting the vision, providing resources, and ensuring the system aligns with the company's strategic objectives. Their support and involvement are crucial for successful implementation. For instance, at Facebook, top executives are actively involved in designing and promoting their evaluation system.

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