Technicians need to know not only what is expected of them, but also how well they are meeting expectations.
A properly structured performance evaluation can do that, but it also can help technicians improve their performance and allow managers to lay out career development opportunities.
To begin, you must first determine the frequency of the review.
Once a year seems like too long a period in which to gather the data you need to relay to the technician about their performance. Consider conducting reviews every six months, and make sure that during that time you are observing and documenting their performance.
One of the two meetings can be an annual review for raises. The other can be more of a touchstone to see how things are going and to make any mid-course corrections.
A quick note: Make sure these reviews take place someplace where the technician will be comfortable, but also have privacy. Some technicians maybe intimidated about coming to the boss's office, so try to find neutral ground for the review.
You want to enter the review meeting with the positive things you have seen along with areas where you think they can improve. Having concrete examples of behavior helps focus the discussion and lets the technicians know you are aware of the work they do.
