When most employees hear about their yearly “performance review” they want to run for the hills. It can be more nerve-wracking than most first job interviews.
The dreaded yearly performance review meeting is something that is well known to, unfortunately, increase anxiety in most employees, which we can understand! Sitting in a room with your management and HR executive can be a scary thought for most people – but it needs to be done.
Here at HussetHR we strongly believe that employees should be coached by their employers 24/7. We encourage businesses to steer clear of a SINGLE dreaded yearly employee review meeting, which may just encourage employees to get defensive. We recommend consistent couching to drive improvement. Daily morning huddles with your team foster good communication habits in the business and help to make sure everyone feels like they are getting support with tasks from their team. This is a great chance for all employees to ask their daily questions or help each other with difficult tasks in order to get the most out of each day. From your daily huddles, then to quarterly catch-ups. Find an arrangement that best suits your business, cause we know that everyone operates differently.
Conducting your performance reviews on a more frequent basis will start removing the negative stigma that can be associated with a performance review meeting. The once a year method is pretty dated and honestly doesn’t provide much effectiveness. Companies have very different methods when it comes to performance management and reviews which is okay, we are all different. However, here is how we think you should conduct your business employee performance management and reviews, in order to bring the best out of all your companies Human Assets!
Tips for Employers on Employee Performance Reviews
MORE FREQUENT EMPLOYEE CATCH UPS
Now the idea of doing frequent catch-ups may sound worse to most employees then one singular yearly catch up, but this is certainly not the case (trust us). Ensuring the frequency of your casual employee, employer chats will eventually alleviate some of the stress associated with the idea of a conversation about an individual’s performance at work.
This will help build stronger relationships between you and your employees, and make for a more effective performance review as they will feel more comfortable around you, making for more honest communication. The more catch-ups will mean a better foundation built for an annual performance review (yay).
S.M.A.R.T GOALS
Smart goals are something we are sure you would have heard about in School/ University.
Specific, Measurable, Attainable /Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound goals that we recommend both you and your employees should set. Smart goals are great to be implemented in your performance review meetings both frequently and yearly. Since these goals are “measurable” each time you catch up with your employees it’s good to discuss the previous goals they set and if they managed to achieve them. Implement new ones for the next month, three months, or even year. Creating a sheet that each employee can fill out a few weeks prior to the meeting is advised, to ensure they have all their performance information thought out and ready to discuss. There are also many different types of software options available, making it even easier for your employee to set out their goals and keep track of them digitally.
DISCUSS PERFORMANCE AND GROWTH IN THE BUSINESS
This aspect is an important one when it comes to both your regular employee, employer catch-ups and your yearly performance review meeting. Constructive criticism is necessary, but how you deliver this should be a priority! Nobody wants to be yelled at and told they are terrible. Ensure both the good aspects of their performance are sandwiched in with the improvements they could focus on. Make sure your employees know they are an essential asset to your business. Let’s be real, without them there would be no business! It is also important that their own personal growth within your business is discussed. All employees who are performing above expectation should be given the opportunity to progress further in the business. It is important they have a motivator to continue to work hard so they can achieve their desired goals.
COMMUNICATE ISSUES THAT MAY HAVE RISEN
Every business experiences issues within, this is normal. As a manager, you need to ensure you are listening to any questions or concerns that your employees have. Employees should have the ability to have open communication with you 24/7, but sometimes life gets in the way and we are too busy to have these chats. Make sure you use this time to really focus on these issue points and find a mutual solution that works for both of you. It helps if you also reiterate to the employees your workplaces policies and procedures, just in case they are forgetting them which may be causing issues to arise in the first place. Make sure you write down the discussion that has taken place or have a mediator present if necessary.
Tips for Employees on Performance Review and Management
So you’re an employee and your performance review meeting with your manager is fast approaching. Instead of being nervous be organised! It is best to come fully prepared for your meetings. If you have been sent a form to complete before your meeting make sure this is correctly completed. A full self-evaluation is recommended. Really think about how you have been performing, things that have been challenging you, things that you need some further assistance with. Now is your chance to get every concern you may have off your chest.
Make sure you come to your meeting with an open mind. Really listen to what your manager has to say. Try not to be defensive, especially if your manager has given you some negative feedback. This is a great time to take your performance assessment into consideration and learn from it, helping to build you as a better employee in the future. Ask questions! It is important to speak up about things that may be affecting you in the workplace to encourage open and honest communication. If issues have risen, communicate them.
Ask about possible growth and development within the organisation. Each employee should have the possibility to grow. Make sure your employer is considering this and planning for your further development in the near future.
Make sure you remember communication and delivery is the key for a good outcome, and always be open and honest whether you are a manager or just an employee. Performance review meetings are for the benefit of both the business and the employees. Great outcomes can be made from a good performance review! Make sure you use them to your advantage and drive key performance outcomes.