General Circular No. 001260

To:          Heads of State Agencies and Human Resource
Directors

Subject:     Performance Management System

Issue Date:  November 6, 1996


We believe that we must replace our service rating system with
a performance management system.  For years our service rating
system has been criticized as inadequate for the needs of state
government.  We attempted unsuccessfully to replace that system
a few years ago.  We continue to believe that the service
rating system has to be replaced.  In January 1996, the
Department of Civil Service began the development of a
performance management system.  The Department hired doctoral
students from Tulane University studying
Industrial/Organizational Psychology or Organizational Behavior
to do the research.  All state agencies were sent
questionnaires; other states were surveyed and an extensive
literature search was done.  Using all of this information, a
draft of a performance management instrument was developed and
discussed with several Human Resource Directors.  Revisions
were made and the Department contracted with Dr. Christel
Slaughter of SSA, INC. Organizational Consultants to help with
the implementation of the new performance management system.  A
copy of the current draft of the performance appraisal form is
attached.

We intend to begin a pilot of the proposed system with
approximately 100 supervisors in Alexandria, New Orleans and
Baton Rouge in January.  At this point, we are looking for
help.  We need persons with experience in management, training,
or performance appraisal who would be willing to be trained to
be experts on this system so that you can help us with
implementation of the pilot and the system.  If you would be
willing to help with this project, please contact Anne Soileau
by November 15, 1996.

The first training session (train the trainer) will be on
Wednesday, December 11, 1996 at SSA Consultants in Baton Rouge. 
In addition volunteer trainers will be asked to observe one of
the following training sessions:

                       Jan. 9, 1997:  Baton Rouge
                       Jan. 10, 1997: New Orleans
                       Jan. 14, 1997: Alexandria

They will be asked to serve as coaches (technical consultants)
for the supervisors during the pilot from January 9--March 31,
1997.  Finally, the volunteers will be asked to conduct
training for implementation in the late spring and/or early
summer of 1997.

Our plans are to propose rules very shortly requiring all
agencies to use this performance management system for all
classified employees.  The current service rating system
(Chapter 10) will be abolished concurrently with implementation
of the new system.  Persons receiving poor or below
expectations ratings will not be eligible to receive merit
increases nor promotions and will continue to be able to appeal
their ratings.

The only other major change we are proposing at this time is
that the performance will be done just prior to the employee's
anniversary date rather than by June 1 each year.  Proposed
implementation dates are attached.

We plan to implement the new Civil Service system on July 1,
1997.  The Department will make training available throughout
the state in late spring and/or early summer.  We will issue
the training dates and locations as soon as possible.

Those agencies who currently have approved performance
appraisal systems should contact Anne Soileau.

If you have any questions or suggestions about the proposed
performance management system, please contact Anne Soileau,
Acting Deputy Director at 504-342-8536.

Sincerely,




Allen Reynolds
Acting Director

Attachments

(The attachments will not be shown on the open system, but will
be mailed out through the regular General Circular
distribution.)