Performance Appraisals

Undertaking performance appraisals can be extremely positive for both employees and management.  If planned and executed properly, it creates an opportunity to provide employees with constructive feedback and helps them define short and long-term successful career paths for their work and career.

 

The many benefits of performance appraisals include:

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• Learning about areas of your organisation that could be improved.

• Identifying areas for further training.

• Improving performance and profitability.

• Increased job satisfaction and motivation.

• Better morale and teamwork.

• Surface – and resolve – any concerns, issues or grievances.

• Improved planning for employee development.

• A fair assessment of pay increases.

• Identifying candidates for promotion/succession planning.

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Keep in mind that a performance appraisal is a dialogue. Employees must feel empowered to open up and speak frankly.  Likewise, they must think that feedback is not a criticism but is intended to make them happier in their work by being more productive and more highly appreciated. Therefore, your choice of words when giving feedback must reflect this approach.

 

A performance review is not a substitute for providing constant constructive feedback throughout the year. Simply doing end-of-year reviews is not often enough to really grasp how well your employees are performing and feeling. Many organisations now advise half-yearly or quarterly reviews, and a Gallup survey found that employees who have had a conversation with their Manager in the past six months are 2.8 times more likely to be engaged.  Applying and encouraging an open door policy and adopting your own principles of Speak up will ensure that the performance review is a positive interaction focused on ongoing improvements.

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