New managers often view employee performance appraisals with fear and loathing.
In a perfect world, all employees would be spectacular and would receive glowing
reviews. It would be a pure pleasure to meet with staff members and share the
good news about their performance. Unfortunately, not all employees are top
achievers, and pointing out weaknesses or deficiencies can be
difficult.Many organizations treat appraisals as an annual burden consisting of a quick meeting between supervisor and subordinate that produce a written review that's filed and forgotten. However, appraisals—if done carefully and thoughtfully—can add considerable value to the supervisor/employee relationship and can help structure and clarify expectations for both parties.
A variety of techniques and models are available for developing good performance appraisals. But rather than describe each approach, my intent here is to point out several things to keep in mind when conducting performance appraisals no matter what technique you use. I believe it is imperative that you:
- View the performance appraisal as a process and not an event.
- Take the process seriously. Poorly planned and conducted performance appraisals can damage morale and serve as grounds for employee grievances.
- Develop work standards that can be evaluated objectively and use language that is concise and unambiguous. Also, be sensitive to your own biases that can creep into the appraisal process.
- Address the impact that incentive bonuses and pay increases can have on the appraisal process.
View performance appraisals as a process
It is important to understand that measuring performance is a fluid and ongoing process, one that can reflect the trusting and honest relationships you want to build with your team. A general rule of thumb is that if the formal appraisal uncovers significant surprises for either the employee or supervisor, the process is unsuccessful. The appraisal process consists of formal meetings where the appraisal is developed and agreed on and where performance is discussed and critiqued.
However, the process also involves informal feedback on a regular basis from the supervisor about the employee’s performance. Critiquing performance as it occurs can be an important motivator and can help your staff members redirect negative behavior or actions before they become a major problem.
Take performance appraisals seriously
It is essential to acquaint yourself with the policies and procedures established by your organization’s human resources department on developing and implementing performance appraisals. This can include the correct forms to be used, the method of documenting work standards, the percentages, or weights, placed on each work standard according to its importance to the overall work effort, and the required documentation and timelines that need to be followed.
You can easily compromise the appraisal process and management’s position with employees by not following the established policies and procedures. It is also important to be sensitive to the impact an appraisal can have on an employee and the work effort of the entire team. Generally, most people take pride in their work and their contributions. Performance appraisals conducted in a cavalier or disrespectful manner can be damaging. An employee is more likely to accept a negative performance critique if it is done in a careful and calm manner with examples cited and ideas for improvement discussed.
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