CFR

9901.406—Setting and communicating performance expectations.

(a) Performance expectations will support and align with the mission and strategic goals, organizational program and policy objectives, annual performance plans, and other measures of performance.

(b) Performance expectations will be communicated to the employee in writing prior to holding the employee accountable for them.

(c) Notwithstanding the requirements in paragraphs (d) through (g) of this section, employees are accountable for demonstrating professionalism and appropriate standards of conduct and behavior, such as civility and respect for others.

(d) In addition to the requirement in paragraph (c) of this section, supervisors and managers will be held accountable through their performance expectations for how well they plan, monitor, develop, correct, and assess subordinate employees' performance.

(e) Performance expectations include—

(1) Goals or objectives that set general or specific performance targets at the individual, team, and/or organizational level;

(2) Organizational, occupational, or other work requirements, such as standard operating procedures, operating instructions, manuals, internal rules and directives, and/or other instructions that are generally applicable and available to the employee; and

(3) Competencies an employee is expected to demonstrate on the job, and/or the contributions an employee is expected to make.

(f) Performance expectations may be amplified through particular work assignments or other instructions (which may specify the quality, quantity, accuracy, timeliness, or other expected characteristics of the completed assignment, or some combination of such characteristics). Such assignments and instructions need not be in writing.

(g) Supervisors will involve employees, insofar as practicable, in the development of their performance expectations. However, final decisions regarding performance expectations are within the sole and exclusive discretion of management.

(h) Performance expectations are subject to higher- or second-level review to ensure consistency and fairness within and across organizations.

(i) Performance expectations that comprise a performance plan are considered to be approved when the supervisor has communicated the performance plan to the employee in writing.

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