Author: Tsakani Stella Rikhotso

When collecting data we need to take note of the confidentiality of the information. Confidential information contains data that for one or more reasons should only be disclosed to specific people or groups. Or confidential information is information that one person entrusts to another person with the expectation that privacy will be maintained. A record that contains confidential information is considered a confidential record.

 

The following are a few examples:

	Trade Secrets: formulae, recipes, production methods, source codes, test results and other information obtained by research or other work;
	Business Secrets: budgets, customer lists, marketing plans and other information the release of which would be advantageous to a competitor and injurious to the claimant;
	Personal Information: diaries, photographs, private information about public figures the disclosure of which could be profoundly embarrassing; and
	Professional Information: information supplied to a solicitor, accountant or other professional advisor in the course of his or her professional duties.

Examples of confidential information Reference letters Disciplinary reports Personnel Records Evaluations of performance Counsellors Client Files Grievance Files Appeal Files Payroll Records Contract of employment Strategies

When collecting data from a confidential document

• Ensure that confidential information is not inadvertently disclosed:

• Position your computer screen so that no unauthorized persons can read it.
• Close down the program or use password protection on your computer when you leave your desk.
• Turn off your computer when leaving your desk for a long period of time.
• Place paper copies of drafts and final versions in locked file cabinets when you are not working on them.

• Shred drafts when they are no longer useful, and delete drafts from your computer
• If you have confidential records on a notebook or laptop computer, ensure that the documents themselves or the system is password protected. Don’t leave your laptop in an easily accessible area where it could be stolen.
• When travelling with confidential records, don’t leave them unattended in vehicles, hotel or meeting rooms. Don’t work with confidential records where others can see them.
• When faxing confidential records, include a fax transmittal page with a confidentiality statement. Verify that the number on the screen is accurate before proceeding with the transmission, and confirm receipt of the documents.

During the process of data collection (preparing for a report) it is important to know,

• The information source
• From whom it shall be obtained
• Level of confidentiality
• To whom it should be returned

For example, a manager is writing a disciplinary report and as part of planning he/she can use the table below

ISSUE	SOURCE	FROM WHOM	CONFIDENTIALITY	TO WHOM TO RETURN
Past performance	Performance appraisal	HR Manager (Busi)	High	HR Manager
Disciplinary ruling	Minutes	Secretary or Chairman disciplinary committee	high	Secretary or Chairman disciplinary committee
Fairness of judgment	Minutes; disciplinary procedure (policy); labour law, CCMA guidelines	Secretary or Chairman disciplinary committee CCMA Internet	high	Secretary or Chairman disciplinary committee

The above table will assist the author to know the issue, what to collect, from who, and level of confidentiality.

LEARNING ACTIVITY Why is confidentiality important when collecting information to write a report.

 

A Table can be created which links a report, its information source and the specific headings which depend on the information source. Below is just an example (it is not exhaustive);

NAME OF REPORT	INFORMATION SOURCE	SPECIFIC REPORT HEADING
Progress report	·         Observation	Work completed to date; difficulties encountered
	·         Superiors instruction	Introduction, description of task
	·         Previous progress report	introduction
	·         Discussion with colleagues and brainstorming	Conclusions and recommendations
	·         Daily log book	Work completed to date
Business trip report	·         Observation	Extent to which the purpose was achieved; unexpected observations
	·         Interviews	Unexpected observations, consequences of the observations, recommendations
	·         Superiors instruction	Purpose of the trip, introduction
	·         Journal	Extent to which the trip was achieved
	·         Discussions with colleagues	Consequences of the observations; recommendations
	·         Personal brain storming sessions	Consequences of the observations; recommendations
Accident report	·         Observations	State the facts of Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How the incident / unusual occurrence happened?; Witness(es)
	·         Interviews	State the facts of Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How the incident / unusual occurrence happened?; Witness(es)
	·         Objects	State the facts of Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How the incident / unusual occurrence happened?; Witness(es)
Performance report	·         Observation	Factor rating, recommendations
	·         Progress reports	Factor rating, recommendations
	·         interviews	Factor rating, recommendations

 

 

LEARNING ACTIVITY   Think of a report that you intend to write in your organisation. I.        List the information sources that you shall use. II.        Identify the report headings. III.            Link the information sources to the report headings.

 

Information source is the supplier of information for a certain individual, i.e. anything that might inform a person about something or provide knowledge to somebody. Information is a prerequisite when writing reports because reports must be objective and factual in their content.

2.2 SOURCES OF INFORMATION (SO 3, AC 3)

The main sources of information are;

• Primary and
• Secondary source

These two sources of information provide useful information when writing reports.

2.2.1 PRIMARY INFORMATION

Primary information is the data that originates as a result of that particular investigation. Jankowicz (1995) asserts that data are mainly primary if they have been gathered according to your own rationale, and interpreted by yourself, to make a point which is important to your own argument: in other words, if they are relatively original. Primary information is pertinent in reports as a was of substantiating it. The following are the common sources of primary data;

1. Questionnaires

This is the structured technique of collecting primary data.  Questionnaires are an inexpensive way to gather data from a potentially large number of respondents. Often they are the only feasible way to reach a number of reviewers large enough to allow statistically analysis of the results.

A questionnaire has the following advantages:

1. It allows free style of investigation and pursuing particular issues in greater detail.
2. It is quick to collect information using a questionnaire.
3. Allows potential information to be collected from a large portion of a group.

Questionnaires make use of open and closed ended questions;

• Open format questions are those that ask for unprompted opinions. In other words, there are no predetermined set of responses, and the participant is free to answer however he chooses. Open format questions are good for soliciting subjective data or when the range of responses is not tightly defined. An obvious advantage is that the variety of responses should be wider and more truly reflect the opinions of the respondents.

WHEN TO USE A QUESTIONNAIRE? There is no all encompassing rule for when to use a questionnaire. The choice will be made based on a variety of factors including the type of information to be gathered and the available resources for the experiment. A questionnaire should be considered in the following circumstances. When resources and money are limited. A Questionnaire can be quite inexpensive to administer. Although preparation may be costly, any data collection scheme will have similar preparation expenses. The administration cost per person of a questionnaire can be as low as postage and a few photocopies. Time is also an important resource that questionnaires can maximize. If a questionnaire is self-administering, such as a e-mail questionnaire, potentially several thousand people could respond in a few days. It would be impossible to get a similar number of usability tests completed in the same short time. When it is necessary to protect the privacy of the participants. Questionnaires are easy to administer confidentially. Often confidentiality is the necessary to ensure participants will respond honestly if at all. Examples of such cases would include studies that need to ask embarrassing questions about private or personal behaviour. When corroborating other findings. In studies that have resources to pursue other data collection strategies, questionnaires can be a useful confirmation tools. More costly schemes may turn up interesting trends, but occasionally there will not be resources to run these other tests on large enough participant groups to make the results statistically significant. A follow-up large scale questionnaire may be necessary to corroborate these earlier results.

• Closed ended questions are those questions that offer limited response and in most case a yes or no answer. Closed format questions offer many advantages in time and money. By restricting the answer set, it is easy to calculate percentages and other hard statistical data over the whole group or over any subgroup of participants.

2. Observation

Observation is a primary method of collecting data by human, mechanical, electrical or electronics means with direct or indirect contact. As per Langley P, “Observations involve looking and listening very carefully. We all watch other people sometimes but we do not usually watch them in order to discover particular information about their behaviour. This is what observation in social science involves.”

There are many types of observation, direct or indirect, participant or non-participant, obtrusive or non-obtrusive, structured or non-structured. The observation is important and actual behaviour of people is observed and not what people say they did or feel.

• Obtrusive mean visible, thrusting out or evident. It is like class monitor, traffic warden or inspector.
• Unobtrusive mean hidden, camouflaged or low-key. In such method, the researcher is not required to intrude
• participative observation, the observers becomes a participant in the program or culture or context being observed

3. Interview

In-depth interviews, also called as one-to-one interviews, are expensive in term of time and money but are good for exploring several factors. Problems identified in an interview may be a symptom of a serious problem.

The interviews may be conducted face to face or through telephone or these could be computer assisted interviews. Nowadays, television interviews have become more common.

But interviews are fraught with bias from three sources,

• the interviewer,
• the interviewee and the
• Interview setting.

The interviewer may misinterpret the response or distort it while writing down. He may unintentionally encourage certain responses though gestures and facial impressions. The interviewee may not give his or her true opinion or avoid difficult questions. The setting may be good or bad creating comfort or discomfort. It may be open or in presence of some colleagues or senior or level of trust may be inadequate.

In order to minimize bias, the interviewer should have knowledge, skill and confidence. Rapport and trust should be established in the interview.

 

 

2.2.1 SECONDARY INFORMATION

Secondary data is data which has been collected by individuals or agencies for purposes other than those of our particular report. Secondary data is the data that have been already collected by and readily available from other sources. Such data are cheaper and more quickly obtainable than the primary data and also may be available when primary data can not be obtained at all.

Secondary data can further be divided into two parts.

• Qualitative data includes biographies, personal letters, diaries, records, documents, published material, computer database, policy statements, etc.
• Quantitative data would have market research, census, and Economic documents, planning documents or specimens.

Secondary information in an organisation can include; ·         Other reports ·         Policy manuals ·         Letters ·         Minutes of meetings ·         Agenda ·         Contracts ·         Profiles ·         Curriculum vitae ·         Employee registers. ·         Bank reports ·         Financial statements ·         Website ·         Publications ·         TV ·         Newspaper

 

Assume you are writing an incident report, the following information sources can be used;

 

INFORMATION SOURCE	INFORMATION THAT IT PROVIDES
Interviews with eyewitness	This can provide information on what, how, when an incident occurred. In addition, it can also provide information on who was affected.
Observation	By observing the scene, one can know the extent of the damage caused by the accident. If the reporter also witnessed the incident information about what, how, when an incident occurred can be collected.
Past incident reports	These can give the report writer information on ways of preventing the accident from happening in the future.
Brainstorming	Provide recommendations for prevent future occurrence of the same incident.

 

 

LEARNING ACTIVITY   Assume you have been tasked to write a business trip report. I.        List the information sources that you would consult II.        Explain how the information sources can assist you when writing the report (i.e what information does each source give you.

 

 

Specific Outcomes

Identify information sources & organisational procedures for obtaining & distributing information.

Assessment Criteria

This specific outcome shall cover:

• The identified information sources are used to provide the information required by the organisation. (SO 3, AC 3)
• A table is created listing each report and the information sources required for input to the report. The information sources are linked to specific headings within the report.  (SO 2, AC 1)
• A table is drawn up listing each information source, from whom it is obtainable, when it is available, its level of confidentiality, and to whom it should be returned.   (SO 2, AC 1)
• Company procedures for obtaining information sources are identified for each information source and linked to the table above.   (SO 2, AC 3)

 

As a performance evaluator, it may be a good idea to follow some form of a rating scale that helps you define performance objectively. A rating system is also a good way to compare and contrast employee reviews and to remain consistent and objective while doing so. Define how you will grade or scale the performance and what are the key indicators that will determine the grading system. Have a numerical scale rating performance between 1 to 5. You can also have a system that grades performance between bad, average, above average, good, and excellent. Follow specific guideline while grading an employee’s performance. Include a SWOT analysis of the employee to identify their strengths and weaknesses. This can be an effective way of improving performance.

3. Performance Evaluation

While learning how to write a performance reports, it is important that you summarize every performance area well, so that during a face to face meeting with the employee being reviewed you have specific details to back up every claim that you have made. If there are negative performance review phrases that have been included, then back these up with solutions to improve on these problems and to motivate the employees to perform better. Include details about any additional projects that were taken up by the employee and evaluate their performance on them. While writing performance reviews it is important that you maintain an objective point of view regardless of your personal biases.

 

 

 

a)                 1.3 INFORMATION NEEDS FOR ORGANISATIONS (SO1,AC 2)

 

Regardless of the size of an organisation, all organisations require information. This information can be collected from a wide variety of sources including reports. The following are the benefits of information to an organisation;

• The main benefit of better information for most organisations will be to help meet the needs of users and clients. This is the central purpose for most organisations and better information will help them to improve their service to the public.
• Information that helps people avoid problems in the first place can help reduce the demand on advice services and the justice system. Similarly, information that encourages people to take action earlier will stop problems escalating, reduce the complexity of problems taken to advice agencies, and ease the load on tribunals and courts.
• Where better information increases people’s capacity to deal with problems effectively, it will help more capable individuals achieve satisfactory outcomes themselves, and help everyone use advice and support services more efficiently.
• More precision in producing information and more accuracy in targeting will increase the effectiveness of what is produced. This will produce better outcomes for priority groups and reduce the waste of an unfocussed approach.
• Good information can promote an organisation and its services. Many organisations, both government bodies and those in the independent sector, would benefit from increasing their profile and improving public understanding of the services they provide.
• Better information about process and procedures, such as how to access and use services like courts and tribunals, will reduce pressure on staff and lead to greater efficiency and reduced costs for these organisations.

Information needs

Information needs for an organisation vary from one management level to the other. Let us begin with information needs for the top management;

1. Top management

• General economic variables, especially if the business is doing business globally. These can include information on the value of the Rand against other currencies; and the interest rates.
• Competitors in the market. The top management need to know how strong the competition is and what they are doing regarding marketing and product strategies.
• Government Acts and Legislation. Depending on the nature of the industry, changes in legislation affect business operations.

1. Functional managers

Functional managers need information to enable them to assist top managers in planning, development and implementation of policies as well as manage their individual functions. The following are examples of information that they need,

Function	Information needed
Marketing	·         Clients and potential clients in the market: number, tastes, preferences, opinions, expenditure patterns, and needs. ·         Competitors: their products, price, and promotional strategies. ·         Budgeted and actual sales quantities
Operations	·         Operational costs ·         Progress made in current tasks delegated. ·         Stock quantities ·         Suppliers and potential suppliers
Human resources	·         Staff needs ·         Training statistics ·         Merit assessment results ·         Training needs ·         Industry based salary scales ·         Working conditions
Finance	·         Turnover ·         Operating costs ·         Investment opportunities ·         Capital movements ·         Creditors and debtors

 

As we have mentioned before, reports are a source of information for both top and middle managers in any organisation. Let us look at how the purpose of a report is related to the information needs of an organisation.

INFORMATION NEEDS FOR THE ORGANISATION	NAME OF REPORT	PURPOSE
·         How much of the work is complete ·         What part of the work is currently in progress ·         What work remains to be done ·         What problems or unexpected things, if any, have arisen ·         How the work or task  is going in general	Progress report	It is a report which provides information on the status of tasks delegated to employees.
If an employee goes on a trip the information needs are; ·         Was the purpose achieved? ·         To what extent? ·         Why? ·         Unexpected observations or challenges observed? ·         Consequences of the challenges? ·         Recommendations?	Business trip report	This is a report which gives information about a business trip.
In the case of an incident, the informational needs are; ·         What happened? ·         Where it happened? ·         Who was involved? ·         Why did it happen? ·         When did the incident happen? ·         What was done if any to address the incident?	Incident report	The purpose is to provide a written statement of the events and how they occurred
For any meeting that occurs in the organisation, the management requires the following; Purpose/agenda of the meeting Date, place, time of the meeting Background of the meeting People present People absent( reasons if important) Issues discussed. Suggestions. Findings. Outcome. Pending issues. Action items.	Meeting report	This is a report on a meeting. The main purpose is to give feedback on issues discussed and how the resolutions shall help the organisation to move forward.
·         What is the problem ·         How bad is the problem ·         What are the options of solving the problem? ·         Which one is the best option and why.	Justification report	The purpose of a justification report is to provide supporting evidence to support a particular option.
·         Tasks that were undertaken ·         Performance measure ·         Outcomes or outputs ·         Rating ·         Recommendations made	Performance report	The main purpose of this report is to provide feedback to the employee and superiors about the performance of an individual over a given time period.

b)                1.4 REPORT TEMPLATES (SO 1, AC 3, SO 3, AC 2)

Organisations have set templates for writing different types of reports.

PROGRESS REPORT TEMPLATE NAME OF REPORT WRITER (mandatory) ………………………………………………………………….. DEPARTMENT……………………………………………………………………………………………………… EMPLOYEE No (optional)………………………………………………………………………………………… RECEIVER OF THE REPORT (mandatory)………………………………………………………………….. DATE………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 1.INTRODUCTION (mandatory) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2. DESCRIPTION OF TASK (BACKGROUND, OBJECTIVES, TARGET DATES  (mandatory) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..     3. WORK COMPLETED TO DATE(mandatory) 3.1 TASK 1………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3.2 TASK 2………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3.3 TASK 3………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 4. DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED(mandatory) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5. NEXT PHASE(mandatory) …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 6. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS(mandatory) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 7. SIGNATURE (Optional) ………………….

BUSINESS TRIP REPORT
REPORT WRITER (mandatory)
DEPARTMENT (optional)
EMPLOYEE No (Optional)
DATE (Mandatory)
1. INTRODUCTION (mandatory) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 2.PURPOSE OF THE TRIP(mandatory) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3. EXTENT TO WHICH THE PURPOSE WAS ACHIEVED (mandatory) …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4. UNEXPECTED OBSERVATIONS MADE (mandatory) …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 5. CONSEQUENCES OF THE OBSERVATIONS MADE (mandatory) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6.RECOMMENDATIONS (mandatory) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. SIGNATURE (optional)………………………..

Incident / Unusual Occurrence Report Form

Date of Incident / Unusual Occurrence:	Time:
Place of Incident / Unusual Occurrence:	Contact Name:
Address:	City:
State/Zip:	Phone Number:
Reported By:	Phone Number:
Reported To:	Phone Number:

State the facts of Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How the incident / unusual occurrence happened?

Witness(es)
Name:	Name:
Phone:	Phone:
Comments:	Comments:

Who was involved?	Pet Partner Handler                        Pet Partner Animal Non-Pet Partner Handler               Non-Pet Partner Animal Client                                 Staff Team Evaluator                               Pet Partner Instructor Other:
Did the incident / unusual occurrence occur during a visit?	Yes          No

Name of Individual Report filed on:		ID# (If Applicable):
Address:		City:
State:		Zip Code:
Phone:		Email:
Individual is a: (check all that apply)	Pet Partner Handler                        Pet Partner Animal Non-Pet Partner Handler               Non-Pet Partner Animal Client                                 Staff Team Evaluator                               Pet Partner Instructor Other:
Animal’s Name (if applicable):	Species:                                Breed:

Name of person(s) involved in incident / unusual occurrence:
Did incident involve apparent injuries?	Yes           No
Complete the following section only if an injury occurred.
Was first aid given?:
Who administered first aid?
Did the person(s) or animal(s) involved in the incident resume his/her/their activities?	Yes           No
If no, please explain:
Was further medical treatment required?	Yes           No
Did person need to consult with a doctor?	Yes           No

RN or MD Evaluation (if available):

Please describe injury:

Will further medical treatment be required?

_____________________________________    ________________ RN or MD Signature                                             Date

_____________________________________             _______________________________          _____________

Reported by:  Name (Printed)                                         Signature                                                               Date

_____________________________________             _______________________________          _____________

Name of Person Involved (Printed)                               Signature                                                              Date

_____________________________________             _______________________________

Address of Person Involved                                             Phone Number

_____________________________________             _______________________________          _____________

Name of Witness #1 (Printed)                                         Signature                                                              Date

_____________________________________             _______________________________          _____________

Name of Witness #2 (Printed)                                        Signature                                                              Date

_____________________________________             _______________________________          _____________

Name of Facility Supervisor (Printed)                              Signature                                                              Date

(if applicable)

Delta Society will endeavour (make every effort) to promptly obtain a report from (by) all parties involved as appropriate. Delta Society will investigate and determine a course of action. Please allow 2 to 4 weeks for Delta Society to complete the process. In some rare cases it may take over 4 weeks due to the complexity of the report and number of parties involved.

Note: Pet Partner activities/visits may be put on hold until the investigation has been completed. Serious violations may result in termination from the Pet Partners program.

Please return this form to:

Rachel Wright Delta SocietyÒ 875 124th Ave. N. E. Suite 101 Bellevue, WA  98005

Questions? Phone:  425-679.5506 FAX:  425-679-5539 Email: petpartners@deltasociety.org

For Delta Society Office Use Only
Date Delta Society received report:	Date Report Filed:
Action Taken:
Delta Society Staff Signature/Date:

Source: www.petpartners.org/document.doc?id=62

EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE REPORT

Employee:	Position No.
Title:	q Annual
directorate:	q Orientation
Unit/ Division:	q Interim

Employment Date:

Date of Job Change or Probation:

Evaluation Date:

Departments are required to establish a system of performance evaluations for staff employees that reflect an impartial rating of each staff member’s performance and potential for further advancement.  Appraisals can be a positive means to assist the staff member in improving job performance.

Staff performance evaluations should be conducted on a periodic basis (at least annually) and should not reflect personal prejudice, bias, or favoritism on the part of the supervisor for the rating or review.  It is important to be positive in all evaluation meetings.  Remember performance is being measured, not the employee’s value as a person.  Also, remember the employee must know what is expected in job performance and production in order to meet the expectations.

Form Instructions

1. Both the employee and the supervisor should have a copy of the current job description.
2. If you wish to have the employee participate in self-evaluation, provide a copy for the employee to use as a worksheet.  Allow enough time for thoughtful review.  Self-evaluation is helpful in stimulating discussion of ways in which supervisor and employee can work together to increase effectiveness.
3. Use one of the following ratings to describe the performance of the individual in each of the categories.
4. ALL FIELDS ARE MANDATORY

Target Rating scale	Is a standard scale for rating an employee’s performance in relation to specific categories of performance.  These are often used to introduce a degree of comparability into systems for performance assessment. A rating scale of 1 – 5 is used to determine the extent to which a target has been achieved. The details of the rating scale are as follows:
	5	Outstanding performance: Performance far exceeds the standard expected of an employee at this level.
	4	Performance significantly above expectations: Performance is significantly higher than the standard expected in the job.
	3	Fully effective: Performance fully meets the standards expected in all areas of the job.
	2	Performance not fully effective: Performance is below the standard required for the job in key areas. Performance meets some of the standards expected for the job.
	1	Unacceptable performance: Performance does not meet the standard expected for the job. The employee has failed to demonstrate the commitment or ability to bring performance up to the level expected in the job despite management efforts to encourage improvement.

1. When giving a rating of 5 or 1, the Evaluator must provide an explanation for that rating in the comments section for that category.  Use the back of the form or an additional page if necessary.
2. All ratings in each category should be averaged together and listed in the comments section for that category.  The final rating is the average of all category average ratings and may be reported as a number with two decimal places.  Items that are not applicable (NA) should not be used to calculate the average rating for that category.
3. Supervisor and employee must discuss the evaluation, progress made in performance, and progress toward objectives and goals for the coming year.  Both the supervisor and employee must sign the form and both must have an opportunity to add comments.
4. All ratings are reviewed and approved by the next-higher-level supervisor than the one who prepared the rating.
5. The original form with the final ratings, comments and signatures is retained in the employee’s file in the department.  The employee signs the form to acknowledge that s/he has seen the report and has been apprised of his/her evaluation.
6. The employee has a right to make a written statement or rebuttal on the form at the time of the evaluation and/or within ten working days.  If a statement is submitted within ten days, it will be attached to the evaluation report.  Supervisors should make employees aware of this opportunity.
7. A copy of the signed evaluation shall be provided to the employee within 30 days of the date of the evaluation or upon request.

factor ratings:

5 = Performs exceptionally well;   4 = Performs very well;   3 = Performs well;   2 = Needs improvement;
1 = Unsatisfactory;   NA = Not Applicable

Any rating of 5 or 1 requires an explanation for that rating in the comments section

I.  JOB KNOWLEDGE / TECHNICAL SKILLS	5	4	3	2	1	NA
a)  Understands & performs assigned duties and job requirements
b)  Uses techniques, materials, tools & equipment effectively
c)  Follows procedures
d)  Stays current with technology and job-related skills
e)  Works in a safe manner
Comments                                                                                                                    Average Rating:

II.  QUALITY / QUANTITY OF WORK	5	4	3	2	1	NA
a)  Sets and adheres to priorities
b)  Meets established productivity standards, deadlines and work schedules
c)  Uses resources efficiently and economically
d)  Accomplishes accurate work with minimal assistance or supervision
e)  Provides work products and services that consistently meet the needs and expectations of both internal and external customers
Comments                                                                                                                    Average Rating:

III.  INITIATIVE / JUDGMENT	5	4	3	2	1	NA
a)  Takes effective action without being told
b)  Analyzes problems and suggests effective solutions
c)  Demonstrates willingness to learn new skills
d)  Develops realistic plans to accomplish assignments
Comments                                                                                                                    Average Rating:

IV.  DEPENDABILITY / SELF-MANAGEMENT	5	4	3	2	1	NA
a)  Demonstrates punctuality and begins work as scheduled
b)  Contacts supervisor concerning absences on a timely basis
c)  Can be depended upon to be available for work
d)  Manages own time effectively
e)  Accepts responsibility for own actions and ensuing results
f)   Demonstrates commitment to service
Comments                                                                                                                    Average Rating:

V.  COMMUNICATION / TEAMWORK	5	4	3	2	1	NA
a)  Understands the organization’s policies, procedures, goals and purpose as required for the job
b)  Promotes and demonstrates trust, mutual respect and a cooperative work environment
c)  Conveys work-related information and ideas to others in oral and/or written communications effectively
d)  Offers assistance, is courteous and works well with customers and fellow workers
e)  Supports cultural diversity in the workplace
Comments                                                                                                                    Average Rating:

VI.  INNOVATION / CHANGE	5	4	3	2	1	NA
a)  Is receptive to new ideas
b)  Adapts to new situations and changes in the work environment
c)  Identifies opportunities to improve work processes
d)  Demonstrates creativity and contributes new ideas
Comments                                                                                                                    Average Rating:

 

ADDITIONAL JOB FUNCTION SPECIFIC TO POSITION  (OPTIONAL)

	5	4	3	2	1
Comments                                                                                                                    Average Rating:

c)                 1.5 REPORT, PURPOSE, RECEPIENTS AND FREQUENCY OF DISTRIBUTION (SO 1, AC 4)

 

NAME OF REPORT	PURPOSE	RECEPIENTS	FREQUENCY OF DISTRIBUTIN
Progress report	It is a report which provides information on the status of tasks delegated to employees.	·         Team leaders ·         Supervisors ·         Line managers	Depends on the nature of the task. It can be after every week, 3 weeks etc
Business trip report	This is a report which gives information about a business trip.	·         Superior manager	After every business trip
Incident report	The purpose is to provide a written statement of the events and how they occurred	·         Superior manager ·         Investigator ·         police	After every incident
Meeting report	This is a report on a meeting. The main purpose is to give feedback on issues discussed and how the resolutions shall help the organisation to move forward.	·         Superior manager ·         Meeting participants	After every meeting
Justification report	The purpose of a justification report is to provide supporting evidence to support a particular option.	·         Superior manager	As and when required
Performance report	The main purpose of this report is to provide feedback to the employee and superiors about the performance of an individual over a given time period.	·         Superior manager	Once every year.

CLASS ACTIVITY   I.        Explain the reasons why organisations write reports. II.        Identify any 7 reports written in your organisation and explain their purpose. III.        Identify the information needs of any 3 internal stakeholders in your organisation.