Performance Appraisals
Here are some scary statistics.
- 50% of staff feel their manager does not deal with them honestly during their appraisal.
- 32% viewed appraisals as a waste of time.
- 20% said their manager only seemed to start thinking about the appraisal once the meeting had started.
- 20% said their boss rarely or never bothered to act on anything that had been discussed.
(Source: 2007 survey of 3,000 UK employees by Investors in People.)
Most managers view performance appraisals as a necessary evil. As a result, what can be a very effective way of motivating staff is woefully mishandle.
Below are some great tips for carrying out effective performance appraisals.
Schedule the appraisal meeting well in advance.
Set a calendar date and time in advance that is mutually convenient for both you and the employee, and that will allow enough time for each of you to do preparation. Schedule enough time for a good discussion, at least 30 minutes. (Bonus tip - consider sitting beside the employee rather than on the other side of the desk, it will help reduce barriers.)
Information at your finger tips
Gather the following information:
- the job description and performance standards
- goals set from the last appraisal
- department processes and procedures
- any feedback on the employee from customers/co-workers or from your own notes
- previous performance appraisals
Self Appraisals
If you have asked the employee to do a self-appraisal, be sure to obtain that early enough so you have a chance to review it as part of your preparation. Self appraisals are a great way to start the process because most people are tougher on themselves then you will be (though sadly there are exceptions to this!) Be sure to provide the employee a draft of your appraisal, so the employee may review it ahead of time, as well.
Preparation
Before filling out the appraisal form, take a moment to:
- list the main areas of responsibility
- what the employee has done well
- what the employee needs to improve in
- what you can do to help the employee do a better job
Avoid the following:
- The Halo Effect, the tendency to overrate a favoured employee, an employee who's last appraisal was good, or an employee you have a natural bias towards, for example they me live in the same area, you know their family, or they went to the same school as you attended.
- The Horns Effect, the tendency to rate an employee lower than circumstances warrant because of a poor performance appraisal in the past.
- Recent Issues. Don’t let a current work issue unduly impact (either positively or negatively) on your assessment of the employee's performance over the entire year.
- Tarring with the one brush. Don’t be lazy and give all employees the same rating, thinking by doing so you are upsetting no one. You are de-motivating your best performers who will either say ‘what’s the point in trying to go the extra mile when it is not recognised?’ or they will leave. Similarly poor performers know they can get away with it, and have no motivation to alter their behavior.
If during the Performance Appraisal you are doing most of the talking, know that it is not a good appraisal; the staff member is not engaged. You have two ears and one mouth and during an appraisal you should be using them in that proportion.
Lastly, appraisals don’t take place in a vacuum. If you meet with staff regularly on a one-to-one basis, then appraisals are just a continuation of the communication process, not a necessary evil to endure.
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