Step #4 – Perform Periodic Employee Evaluations

Employee evaluations or performance reviews tend to be more important to employee than they are to employer. Employees want to know how they are doing and when they’ll be eligible for a pay increase. There are so many reasons why it’s important to complete employee reviews, including legal ones. An employee review is one of few things you have, in writing and signed by employee and employer, that clearly describes an employee’s performance on job. Should you ever need to let employee go or take other action, you’ll have this documentation to back up your decision.

Step #5 – Keep a Safe Work Environment

Sure you need to keep your fire exits clearly marked and free of clutter. But there are Federal and state laws with which you must comply covering everything from storage of hazardous chemicals to posting of bulletins in common areas where employees congregate. Comply with these regulations before you end up on losing side of a lawsuit.

Properly implementing these five steps seems like a lot of work especially when you have little spare time. One way you can manage your employees and still have time to do all your other tasks is to purchase software that has been designed to help manage employees. Spending time and money to better manage your employees now will keep you from spending even more time and money later on, after you’ve been hit with an employee-related lawsuit!

Results Operations and maintenance expenditures in distribution area were reduced by 34% from 1992 through 1996 in terms of cost per kWh. Capital expenditures were reduced by 32% during same time frame. Overall reliability degraded slightly during this time frame. While reliability was slightly worse, overall customer satisfaction with reliability improved by 9%. This seems counterintuitive however, focus on eliminating extreme reliability problems actually shifted customer satisfaction. In terms of price per kWh company improved from one of high price energy producers in region to one of lowest.

Recommendations The approach this organization has taken to reduce operating expenses while improving reliability for most significant customers, is a real success story. It is not unique however and with commitment on part of any electric utility, is replicable. The following were some of recommendations to embark on this approach to improve reliability and competitive position: The initial step is to assess organizations relative position with its natural competitors, and develop a sound strategic plan to improve operations and reliability while reducing costs. Determine customer requirements for all segments and understand their reliability expectations using QFD techniques. Develop strategies to address significant reliability problems and focus improvement on most important customers. Benchmark with best in class companies to understand basis for their performance and analyze their processes for improvement ideas Be prepared to change management structure of business unit based on most effective way to achieve customer satisfaction and low cost. This will involve downsizing or elimination unproductive work processes, flattening management layers, and realigning functions to get closer to customer and provide seamless service delivery. Manage customer relationships based on a sincere commitment to meet their requirements. Develop sound statistical measures of customer satisfaction and initiate actions to reduce and eliminate dissatisfaction.