To Do Performance Reviews or Not To?
FutureSense HR
Annual performance reviews help to create an open dialogue between employees and managers. While they can potentially add stress to both you and the employee, they strengthen the way you manage the employee by creating a method to continually and regularly assess strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for growth.
All-in-all, performance reviews are absolutely needed to ensure success. Most times, the process starts with giving the employee an opportunity to provide a self-review, touting their accomplishments prior to you, the manager, reviewing the employee’s overall performance. This format allows the employee to reflect on their performance and identifies areas that may need improvement and guidance. Below are helpful tips for the planning, execution, and the follow-up phases of performance reviews, which will help you and the employee make it a successful endeavor.
Before the meeting:
The first thing to do is set up a meeting time with the employee. The meeting should be far enough in advance so that the employee can prepare a self-review (if not required by the company) and they can list his/her/their accomplishments, strengths and weaknesses, and also career aspirations and development opportunities.
Each employee has a different communication style, so not every review or planning meeting will be conducted in the same manner. As a manager, it is important to look over the review metrics from the previous year and understand what the review metrics are for the current review. It is also important to talk to your superior to see if they have any additional comments about the employee that you should relay and review any notes you have made throughout the year about the employee’s performance. If available, make sure to review the employee’s prior performance review to support your conversation with the employee.
During the meeting:
As you start the meeting it is important that you remove all distractions and focus on the conversation. First, listen to the employee. Give them the opportunity to present their accomplishments and areas where they may need more direction or focus. After listening, it is now your time as manager to discuss the employee’s accomplishments from the performance year, outlining what the employee did well. Highlight specific situations or projects that the employee did an exceptional job on.
It is also important to address areas that need more focus and improvement. Reviews cannot be all fluff, but constructive feedback is a must. Everyone has an opportunity to be even better. If the employee needs more training, help them to outline a plan to improve upon their weaknesses. Discuss the employee’s career aspirations and where they see themselves in the company and what they hope to accomplish in the coming year.
As the conversation is coming to a close, ask the employee to draft goals for the upcoming year for your review. Ensure that the employee’s plan is specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and is accomplishable within the new performance year/time oriented. This is otherwise known as SMART goals. Setting the new goals early gives the employee plenty of time to be successful.
After the meeting:
Review the employee’s submission, record your comments and submit all documentation to human resources per company policy, process and/or system. Throughout the year it is important to provide your employee with coaching and feedback consistently. Think about creating quarterly performance check-ins to review the current goals and the employee’s progress toward them.
Alternatives:
Although annual performance reviews are helpful, keeping an open dialogue throughout the year with employees is the best way to communicate overall. Some groups have moved to Key Performance Indicators (KPI) or project management types of reviews. These are done by reviewing outlined metrics and deliverables along with frequent manager check-ins in with the employee. This is often coupled with project management software (e.g. Asana, Monday.com) so the manager is able to see in real time where an employee is on a project, strategy, etc.
Whether using the annual performance review method or a different method, having individual employee meetings throughout the year is beneficial to know if an employee is struggling with anything or to let them know what they are excelling at. With open and consistent communication, you will be able to better manage your employees and have greater success overall.
BlueFire HR by FutureSense is here to support the expansion of these ideas. If you simply want to discuss these topics, need assistance with your performance management strategy, strategic planning, or simply need an executive coach to talk to, please contact us at 888-336-0909 or info@futuresense.com