Personnel & Payroll Services

Conference Info

• Preparing for the Conference
• Conducting the Conference
• Tips for a Successful Conference
• Guide for Holding Conferences

Guide for Holding Conferences

When to Hold a Conference

• Hold a conference when there is a CHANGE in the employee’s assignment or project.
  • If there is a NEW assignment or project.
    • Have other responsibilities changed?
    • Have performance job expectations (objectives) changed?
    • Have target dates changed?
    • Have priorities changed?
  • When a project or phase of a project or assignment is COMPLETED.
    • Was the project completed successfully? What was ineffective that should be avoided in future situations? What was effective that should be applied in the future?
    • Plan for changes in the job that result from completing a project. If appropriate, set new objectives, target dates, priorities, assignments, plans, etc.
• Hold a conference when a predetermined TARGET DATE is reached.
  • Is progress proceeding according to schedule?
  • Repeat (clarify) job expectations to ensure that both parties still have the same understanding of what is expected.
  • Are any changes appropriate in objectives, plans, priorities, target dates, assignments, etc?
• Hold a conference when there are SITUATIONAL CHANGES which would affect the employee’s job performance, job expectations, priorities, plans or work assignments, etc.
• Hold a conference when PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS exist.
  • Identify the problem.
  • Present your understanding of the problem.
  • Determine the cause of the problem.
  • Discuss ways of correcting the problem
    • Ways in which the employee could improve performance.
    • Ways in which the situation could be changed.
  • Develop a plan for performance improvement if appropriate.
  • Clarify changes in the employee’s job such as expectations, plans, priorities, target dates, assignments, etc.
  • Follow up on the employee’s progress and set a date for a follow-up conference.
• Hold a conference when RESULTS ARE NOT BEING ACHIEVED and the deviation is important.
  • Define precisely how the actual results differ from the expected results.
  • Identify the cause of the difference between expected and actual.
  • Identify the conditions which must be modified to solve the problem.
  • Plan for implementation.
  • What is the effect on the employee’s job expectations, priorities, and assignments?

How to Document a Conference

Type a formal summary:

• To ensure the employee's understanding.
• When major changes are discussed.
• When specific plans are outlined.

When changes are minor a handwritten note of understanding is sufficient.