Al is concerned that he is not getting the full picture of his performance evaluation. He does receive reviews but he is concerned that they are not complete. He is discussing why he is concerned about his performance with Michelle.

1. Al: I just sometimes wonder if I have their support like how, if I feel confident that they would back me up in any particular situation.

2. Michelle: Did all three supervisors write up the appraisal, or is it just one individual?
 

3. A: Well there was just the one that wrote up the appraisal, he is independent on how he assesses, and how he assessed my ability. I do not know if he discussed his appraisal with the other two.

4. M: MMM
 

5. A: I always feel that there is so much in there that is in a performance appraisal that it is personality based as much as performance based. So that even the one performing the evaluation I am sure that, I suspect that, they have regular meetings, at least once a week and at that time they discuss each of our abilities and have an opinion as to how we perform. Like I say I just don’t feel, like comfortable.  I just do not know if I have the backing from above in my supervisory role.

6. M: What specifically was in your appraisal that bothered you?
 
 

7. A: Nothing, it was really good.

8. M: Yeah?
 
 

9. A: I felt pretty comfortable about it. There was one thing in the appraisal that I questioned and I um . It was brought to my attention early in my position so I just questioned, you know I knew it was a problem I had initially. To work at it to deal with. When it was in my appraisal my question was that from what initially happened. Like from the assessment in the first two or three weeks and had I progressed through that and they assured me that that was related to early on and it was not considered a problem at this time.

10. M: How did you want the situation to be finished?
 
 

11. A: I guess with respect to reviewing how uneasy I feel and whether or not my work is accepted. I guess I am not real sure, the time constraints that my supervisors have. They’ve got a pretty full plate. So it seems that there is very little if any time to disclose information or to exchange information. I guess that is what I would like to do is to be able to sit down and disclose the information on a one on one type setting if possible. Perhaps maybe to get some reassurance that what I am doing is the right way to go. The supervisors are some what removed. They do not actually see me working.

12. M: Hmm.
 
 

13. A: Like they do when I am at the office. But in the office it is maybe 8 out of every 48 hours that they would have direct supervision of me. They would have an ability to supervise. The other 40 hours, you know I am on my own. So it is really those 40 hours away from the office that I am, that some times I will make statements or handle things and wonder if perhaps that is the actions they want me to.

14. M: Is your position highly formalized? do you have specific steps you take when you are supervising?
 
 

15. A: I think that it is definitely very structured. It is very formalized. Basically, you know, in the work environment that I’m exposed to. There is policies and there is SOPs that the employees are expected to follow. In that science it is very, very structured. You know with any kind of SOP there is always the policy itself, you know as it is written, and the SOP, and certainly when you look at a policy and procedure. They are not all, I do not see them as black and white. You can see times when employees cross that line of not following policy or procedure. I see some of those issues as being quite black and white. But some of the other areas they do not quite appear to be quite as black and white. And so then I look more into what I believe to be the intent of the policy as opposed to...

16. M: The spirit of the policy...
 
 

17. A: Exactly.

18. M: Do you want more formalization, more standardized procedures or more freedom in what your job is?
 
 

19. A: No I am quite comfortable with what the job is. What I need is more feedback in terms of whether or not I am going in the right direction or if I am doing the right thing. And feedback that is not so much related to your personality, or how you get along with your supervisor, but quantified objective feedback. I’ve observed you doing this and I don’t think you are doing the right thing. I don’t think that that is the approach to take. That sort of thing.

20. M: You would prefer if your supervisor would talk to you about a situation as it’s happening rather than a review every 6 months.
 
 

21. A: I think so. Maybe something more along those lines, like certainly, what I adopted in my role as a supervisor where an employee does something positive. I write it down on a slip of paper. I have 8 employees who I directly supervise and who I am responsible for their performance evaluation. I have another 43 employees that each of these 8 oversee. Ultimately for 51 but I only do the performance appraisal for 8. So what I do that when I find them doing something good I write it down on a slip of paper and it goes into a file with their name on it. If there is something that they are doing wrong well in that case or that needs to be addressed or corrected, then what I do I write that on a piece of paper. I try too for every negative piece of information I try to look for a dozen positive things that they are doing right, whether or not it is in their job description, as part of their routine job. You know they have demonstrated this and this and this. Cite examples of what they have done. Certainly if there is something that they are doing wrong, I flag that immediately. If it is exceptional then I will let them know. Because I have been in this position for less than a year I guess I need more feedback in terms of this: am I following the procedures to their satisfaction?

22. M: Do you see any routes for how get more feedback. Like putting up a time table with your supervisor.
 
 
 

23. A:  No, I have not thought doing anything along those lines specifically. The problem with that is that I am somewhat sensitive to the time demands on them, because of the time demands placed on myself. And that sometimes I would like to sit down and discuss an issue but I can never be sure that they are going to listen to what I have to say. Because of the time demands on them. Will they be focused on my needs at that time or will they be listening to what I have to say? Or wondering about how they are going to get me out of their office so that they can get to some of the more dominant issues that they are facing.

24. M: So you are worried that they are too busy to deal with your situation on a regular basis? Have you considered any other options to what you can do?
 
 

25. A: No, I can not say that I have.

26. M: Have you discussed the situation with the people that you supervise? How you are supervising them?
 
 
 

27. A: I haven’t so much asked them for feedback, but ah, but it has been offered to me. But the opinion of the rank and file worker and the relationship of the rank and file worker with the senior management team is very, almost belligerent workplace with respect to senior management. It's a very hostile. Labor relations are restrained.