Performance reviews have metamorphosed into a dreadful process in past few years rather than becoming more progressive. As a matter of fact, according to a study published in the Journal of Personnel Psychology, people tend to respond negatively to critical feedback they receive during performance reviews. Moreover, according to the 2013 Employee Recognition Programs survey by the society for Human Resource Management, less than 50 percent of HR professionals view annual performance reviews as an accurate appraisal expression of an employee’s annual performance. Additionally, 40 percent of human resources professionals think their performance-review process needs to be re-evaluated. For employers, managers and HR professionals looking forward to making some huge improvement in the performance review process in 2014, below are some DO’s and DON’Ts that can be integrated to make them more significant:
DO’s of Employee Performance Reviews
WIGs & PIGs: Focus mainly on Wildly Important Goals and Pretty Important Goals and how you can help move them up the corporate ladder using these two. DIRECT & TIMELY FEEDBACK: Use the Direct, Immediate and Specific coaching formula all through the year so that annual review doesn’t turn into an affair of summarized shocks and surprises. Timely feedback can help employees make changes accordingly and further avoid any major hassles that could affect their work process, growth and success of the project. Employees reach their highest potential when given timely feedback. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, a majority of HR professionals believe that a blend of feedback from an employee’s supervisors as well as others from the organization/team can help create a more precise and authentic picture of the employees performance. Similarly, one can integrate real-time performance reviews by scheduling one-on-one meetings, providing continuous learning to employees and by improving communication. EQUAL TREATMENT: Everyone has to be reviewed during the performance. Leaving an employee out of the process can raise trust issues among other employees. It should be clear that there can be no room for opt-outs – not even for the HR or the C-suite. TWO-WAY STREET: A performance review process can lose its significance if it fails to create an opportunity for a two-way communication. Managers should be properly trained to the same amount of questions as statement that they make. For example: “What we saw is this; do you feel the same way too? Or “How do you think will I be able to help you to remove this particular obstacle?” FOCUS ON PROGRESS: Employees feel more fulfilled towards their jobs when managers are more focus on their future career developments. Similarly, by moving forward helps minimize the defensiveness exhibited from an employees about past mistakes. Employees tend to be less argumentative when progressive routes are taken.
DON’Ts of Employee Performance Reviews
STASH FEEDBACK: Performance reviews aren’t meant for simply stocking up on negative feedback over the year and then dumping them all over the weeping employee during review time. Performance review feedbacks need to be both negative and positive and should be given throughout the year rather than shaking an employee’s confidence on one particular day. According to the study published in the Journal of Personnel Psychology, employees tend to be more concerned with how others view their performance. When receiving critical feedback, one can get a little unhappy or sour. Negative feedback can be turned into constructive feedback by choosing more careful words and phrases. This also helps managers to freely provide feedback with the best intentions in mind. NEGATIVE PHRASES: Fend off negative phrases such as “it might be a little difficult for you since you are a bid lazy” or “you could mess this up since you don’t have much experience doing this before”. Such minor negative phrases can lead to negative outcomes.