And yet, so many firms, managers, and HR professionals struggle through the process without really thinking about how to benefit from it in the best possible ways.

Yes! Performance appraisals can be made easier and more effective. ZweigWhite’s A/E Performance Appraisal Cookbook shows firm leaders and human resources directors how to create more valuable performance measures, how to take some of the discomfort out of administering appraisals, and how to use the information gleaned during the process to improve the firm.

If you're interested in a more effective and smoother appraisal process that produces more beneficial results than the needlessly stressful policies or procedures you're anchored to now, this guide is for you.

Summary of What's Inside:

• Learn how to create and facilitate more meaningful appraisal measures at your A/E firm
• Learn how to motivate and retain your best employees
• Improve morale, productivity, and overall firm performance
• Learn how to structure appraisal sessions for increased efficiency
• Determine who should be administering appraisals at your firm
• Get an inside look at how other A/E firms like yours are designing and implementing appraisal programs
• Reliably benchmark your firm against the rest of the industry

• Learn how to create and facilitate more meaningful appraisal measures at your A/E firm
• Learn how to motivate and retain your best employees
• Improve morale, productivity, and overall firm performance
• Learn how to structure appraisal sessions for increased efficiency
• Determine who should be administering appraisals at your firm
• Get an inside look at how other A/E firms like yours are designing and implementing appraisal programs
• Benchmark your firm against the rest of the industry

Does anyone ever enjoy giving performance appraisals? They’re one of the toughest parts of administering a firm and there’s no magic wand that can be waved to make them go away. They are a necessary evil for most people, but are they really effective? What level of honest assessment do they really provide and are the recommendations they produce ever implemented? While there’s no easy answer to these questions, performance appraisals can be made easier and more effective. A/E Performance Appraisal Cookbook will show firm leaders and human resources directors how to create more meaningful appraisal measures, how to take some of the discomfort out of giving performance appraisals, and ultimately show how to use the information gleaned during these important sessions to improve the firm.

With ZweigWhite’s A/E Performance Appraisal Cookbook, you will learn why we need to do performance appraisals, how to structure the sessions for increased efficiency and a more meaningful outcome, who should be administering performance appraisals, and what should be done to implement suggested changes after the sessions are completed.

This report covers all different kinds of performance appraisal programs from basic checklists to reflective, self-assessment essay approaches and more. You’ll find out about the benefits of performance appraisals and how to overcome the common challenges they present so that your system is effective and fair for all your employees. ZweigWhite’s A/E Performance Appraisal Cookbook also details the elements that you will need to consider when designing your firm’s performance appraisal program and provides you with best practices for successful implementation.

A/E Performance Appraisal Cookbook is also filled with real-life case studies and program descriptions, so you can get an inside look at how other A/E firms are designing and implementing their appraisal programs. The case studies profile firms of all types and sizes in the design and environmental industry so you can see how firms just like yours are using performance appraisal programs to their advantage.

• Why do performance appraisals?
• Program elements overview
• History of performance appraisals
• Current thinking on performance appraisals
• Benefits and challenges of performance appraisals

• Appraisals and motivation
• Goal setting
• Appraisals and compensation
• Professional development

• Organizational goals
• Job descriptions and hierarchy
• Key competencies
• Measurement

• Types, structures, and elements
• Forms
• The interview session

• Appraisals or the dentist: which would you prefer?
• Program roll-out
• Ensuring buy-in
• Training
• Rater bias

• Peer reviews
• 360-degree appraisals
• Automated administration

• Documenting problem employees for terminations
• Redirection
• Probationary status for first time offenders

Chapter 8: A/E Industry Case Studies

• Sample performance appraisal forms from A/E firms

• Sample ways of describing employees’ performance

Resources