Which quality should performance standards exhibit?

Performance standards should be meaningful, reasonable, and attainable to effectively guide performance expectations and assessments. When standards are meaningful, they clearly relate to the goals and objectives of the program or organization, ensuring that they are relevant and applicable to the tasks being evaluated. Reasonableness ensures that the standards are realistic, allowing workers to achieve them without excessive frustration or resource expenditure. Attainability implies that the standards are set within a range that employees can realistically reach given their circumstances, resources, and timeframe.

This careful consideration fosters a productive work environment as employees can strive toward goals that are clear, realistic, and applicable to their roles. When performance standards are framed in this way, they have a higher potential to motivate employees, leading to better performance outcomes and overall program success.