The student-as-employee metaphor emphasizes student accountability and participation in learning and provides instructors with work-oriented methods for creating a productive class environment. The authors propose that the tenets of performance management in work organizations can be applied to the classroom. In particular, they focus on three important areas within performance management: identifying performance, developing performance, and dealing with the social environment associated with managing performance. Beyond implications for course management, the authors discuss the instructor's role in the performance management process, directions for future research, and the value of these classroom practices for the work setting. (Contains 1 table.)