Employee performance can propel or thwart business growth, making it essential to assess the value each member brings to your team. Deciding how to measure performance goals and resolve weaknesses are key considerations for employee reviews, but your findings are equally beneficial for highlighting company-wide problems preventing workers from excelling at their jobs. Making minor tweaks to your review structure, such as defining expectations and collecting feedback about the company, provides employees with clear guidelines for improvement and reassurance that their concerns aren't being overlooked.
- Adjust the frequency of your meetings. Conducting an employee evaluation only once a year limits your ability to identify and correct problems as early as possible. Individual workers approach the same task differently, and struggling employees or managers may not realize their behavior is hindering their workflow. Switching to a monthly or quarterly system should top your list of considerations for employee reviews in 2014. These interim meetings can be as short as ten minutes, but they give your human resources team ongoing insight into each employee's effectiveness at addressing problem areas.
- Make your expectations clear and discuss a direct plan of action. Transparency automatically establishes accountability because employees are guided by detailed objectives and won't be blindsided by unrealistic criteria. Avoid using a static standardized checklist. Considerations for employee reviews should include measurable factors, such as efficient resource management, accurate compliance with instructions, and tactful communication with other employees.
Self-evaluation is an important consideration for employee review sessions as it encourages workers to take responsibility for shortcomings and set personal goals. From a human resources perspective, it also helps your team uncover bankable talents that aren't being used or determine if mentoring is needed to hone specific skills.
- Exchange constructive criticism and praise. Rather than reciting a long list of an employee's flaws, enable a dialogue by asking questions and acknowledging good performance. Recognition gives employees more confidence and motivation and can reduce tension when it's time to discuss weaknesses.
Promote a two-way evaluation by showing consideration for employee reviews of upper management. A "Business Insider" article recommends asking top performers what qualities make their positions attractive and what grievances are most likely to send them on a new job search. A comparison of those answers reveals the most persistent problems and gives your company a blueprint for implementing policies in the future.
Get the most out of an employee evaluation by varying up your sources and organizing performance examples prior to the meeting. Bias creeps up in almost every workplace, so taking supervisory, team, and client feedback into consideration for employee reviews creates a balanced depiction of performance and professionalism. Keep your performance review separate from sensitive discussions about salary increases or bonuses, and eliminate the guessing game by clearly summarizing the concerns and objectives you'll be looking for at the next progress meeting.
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