Performance standards define good and poor performance in key results areas. Standards should be clearly written so that they are easily understood and so that employees can reach them. Standards are also better accepted when the employee helps to set them. Even when the employer sets a standard, the employee can be consulted on how things will be done and to what level. Involving the employees in this way results in a higher degree of commitment than we can obtain by simply setting a standard the employee is expected to follow.

If your team has individuals who all perform separate tasks, the supervisor and employee can consult and set standards together. If there are multiple employees on a team, try assigning the task to the team or a small group of representatives. You might be impressed to find that employees will actually set a better (or higher) standard than you would have. People can really surprise us! Of course, as supervisor, you will have the final say on where the standard falls (in the event that the group is aiming too low).