Motivating your employees to reach their full potential means analyzing what’s working in their professional capacities as well as what isn’t. If done correctly, employee performance evaluations can open a dialogue between employees and employers, helping both parties develop goals to encourage further growth and development while positively impacting the success of the organization.
Unfortunately, many employers fall short in evaluating their employees, sometimes even using it as an opportunity to confront someone rather than build them up. So, what does an effective performance review look like? Check out some tips for creating a successful review process and align your employees’ goals with your organization’s.
What Should Performance Reviews Look Like?
When you begin the evaluation process, start by establishing a dialogue. Open the review with a self-assessment and give the employees an opportunity to consider their performance. This will also provide you and them with a chance to align your thinking, as employees are often too modest or too harsh on themselves in this component.
As you plan an employee’s evaluation, remember that each meeting should examine what the employee is doing right in their work, while touching on things they can improve. Remaining objective is critically important — do not let any personal feelings get in the way of providing an honest appraisal of an employee’s work. Everyone has something they can improve. Take a balanced, constructive approach; don’t just focus on the negatives, but if you bring up an area where an employee needs improvement, complement it with some ways they’re meeting or exceeding expectations. For example, if you tell an employee their organization skills could use improvement, you may follow it by praising their communication.
As you provide constructive feedback, provide examples to illustrate the issue. No matter what you’re saying, you should be able to point to something concrete to explain your rationale. This provides a defensible standpoint while also providing the employee with an idea of how to improve.
What It SHOULDN’T Be
A performance evaluation shouldn’t be used to ambush your employees — this is not a chance to say, “Gotcha!” The best reviews shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone, especially to the employee you’re evaluating. Employees should have been provided real-time feedback throughout the year. The evaluation should be a reflection of that daily management that has been happening all year. And no matter how you feel about an employee, don’t be blinded by emotions and lose sight of objectivity. If they’re doing a good job in any area, you must acknowledge that. On the flip side, you must remain professional when addressing areas of improvement — encourage, don’t discourage.
Bad, ineffective evaluations can do even greater damage to your reputation as an employer — especially if you lack the proper documentation. Whether you’re using an employee’s hard work as basis for a raise or promotion or citing specific issues for disciplinary actions, your justification needs to be officially documented. If developing your employees is so important to you — and it should be — you must be able to justify the concern you share or praise you provide. Otherwise, you could open yourself up to liability. Come to the review prepared with the employee’s self-assessment and your own evaluation and leave with thorough notes from the meeting and a signature from the employee acknowledging a successful review.
HR Fit can help you develop a process and evaluation tool to fit your organization and culture, helping you understand your workforce as well as the performance and behavior you want to incentivize. Learn more about our Strategic HR Consulting services and contact us today!
