One of the most important functions of managers and supervisors is to effectively manage resources, and one of the most important resources they have is the staff they supervise. Managing them (and consequently their performance) begins with designing the jobs – determining what duties are important to include in a job, what the qualifications are to fulfill those duties and what level of performance is needed to meet the mission of the department. Performance management continues with the filling of the job with the best candidate, the training of the new hire and the continuous coaching to clarify expectations.

Management of performance is important to being a good supervisor and clarification of expectations and performance feedback is also important to those they supervise. Consequently, all supervisors are expected to participate in a performance management program with their staff. Certain employee groups have specific policies and guidelines for applying the principles of performance management; therefore, supervisors will want to consult the appropriate policy manual.