Employee review guidelines

Performance reviews, also called appraisals, form part of a holistic approach to managing performance. The value of annual reviews has increasingly been challenged in recent years in favour of more regular conversations, but even so, performance appraisal remains a crucial aspect of the performance management cycle. This factsheet outlines the elements of performance reviews and explores the role of line managers and the skills they require to carry out reviews. It looks at ways of measuring performance and the changing methods of gathering and giving feedback.

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Content:

• Performance Reviews
• Performance Management
• Performance Evaluations For Employees
• Coaching for Performance: Guide for Employees - Annual Review
• Your ultimate guide to employee performance reviews
• 6 steps to enhance your employee review process
• Employee Evaluation
• Delivering an Effective Performance Review

WATCH RELATED VIDEO: Why Employee Reviews are Meaningless

Performance Reviews

For many managers, conducting an effective and engaging performance review is considered one of the more challenging tasks on their annual calendar. But with the correct preparation and a positive mindset, you can make your appraisals productive, stimulating and a boost to your own management self-confidence.

At the same time, a performance appraisal can engage and invigorate your staff, leaving them motivated to achieve their new objectives and refocused on their next career progression goal. Believe it or not, many people actually look forward to their performance appraisal and the feedback that they receive. In order to make the performance appraisal session worthwhile, it's essential to prepare by reviewing past information and jotting down some notes. Also identify areas where they have excelled and gone above and beyond expectations, as well as areas for improvement.

To give you an insight into how your employee might slant the conversation in the meeting itself, it's useful to ask for some initial thoughts via an open-ended pre-appraisal form. Such self-assessment also gives staff the time to think honestly and accurately review their own performance. The latter is important as it will give you a heads-up of any issues you might not otherwise have been aware of.

First and foremost, stick to the appointment. Whether your appraisee has been looking forward to the session with enthusiasm or trepidation, a postponement will cause disappointment.

Show that you take your employee's career seriously and that the appraisal is important to you too. If other people want to see you, put them off. Set the meeting for first thing in the morning to avoid being waylaid by other demands on your time.

Start the appraisal with an upbeat, positive tone and warm greeting. Let the appraisee know that the conversation should be two-way, with their constructive, open and honest feedback critical to being able to discuss their achievements.

Then set the agenda. Explain the importance of the appraisal and that the purpose is to focus on the appraisee. A gentle reminder that salary is not on the agenda is not out of place, but be sensitive to individual circumstances. Try to follow a logical order, ideally along the lines of your pre-appraisal form.

The discussion should centre around:. Review their results and achievements and how well they met the objectives set in their last appraisal. Ask for examples of work rather than relying on anecdotal feedback. Confrontations can arise when delivering uncomfortable news. You may be required to spell out in no uncertain terms that the appraisee is failing in a particular aspect of their job.

This could be as simple a matter as timekeeping or personal appearance, or more sensitive, such as competence at specific tasks or ability to get on with colleagues. Decide in advance of the meeting how you can best phrase your comments.

Can you at the same time highlight positive points? Are you being constructive in your criticism? What suggestions can you present to show how these issues can be resolved? In many cases, performance appraisals can progress positively until you ask the appraisee if they have any other issues to raise. This can open a can of worms that you were unprepared for, such as personal gripes about other members of staff, complaints about office ergonomics, accusations of unfair treatment and grievances about workload or resources.

Many of these issues may seem of little significance to you in the grand scheme of things, but to the appraisee they can be apportioned enormous importance. Some of these problem areas can be shrewdly predicted. For example, perhaps colleagues can tip you off beforehand. If you suspect any potential gripes, ensure these are discussed at the appraisal, even if a little coaxing is required to bring them out. Instead, tackle them head on.

Your proactive approach may even work in your favour. An employee who continually complains about an issue may be taken by surprise and take a less confrontational view if you raise the issue first. Ask the appraisee to give you specific examples rather than generalisations. Asking for evidence is not unreasonable. Listen carefully. What is the problem really about? Is the problem being raised a cover for something less sinister that can be easily handled?

Is the appraisee embarrassed about something? Asking the appraisee to suggest how the problem could be resolved can also help to diffuse the situation. Rather than focusing on the problem, ask them to give the matter some thought and offer rational suggestions to overcome the problem. For example, if the issue is one of resourcing or ideas, perhaps the appraisee could be given a special project to scope out a solution. Obviously, if the complaint is of a more serious nature, such as harassment or discrimination allegations, further investigation will be required.

Make it clear you take the matter seriously and will take the appropriate steps immediately following the conclusion of the appraisal. Then return to the main appraisal and concentrate on positive points. Towards the end of the appraisal, you should have an open discussion with the appraisee in which you set objectives to work towards before the next review period.

Even the most high-performing employee has things they need to improve, new skills to learn, additional targets to meet or new projects to run. The appraisal isn't over when the meeting ends. Complete any documentation, write up your appraisal notes, including any actions that need to be taken to address issues raised, the objectives that were discussed and agreed to and the aspects of performance that have been done particularly well.

It's usual practice to ask the appraisee to review and sign the notes and provide them with a copy to help keep them accountable for achieving the agreed objectives. Then you need to make sure the action points are completed. If you have committed to exploring further training or arranging meetings with other departments, for example, set up these sessions as soon as you can.

If your employee has had a positive appraisal and is freshly motivated, the worst thing you can do is fail to follow up and appear less wholeheartedly behind their career than you were in the meeting. Knowing how to appraise staff will ensure you approach these meetings with the right mental attitude, effective preparation and a commitment to constructive follow-up.

This allows you to turn your staff appraisals into positive, inspiring and performance-enhancing meetings that will produce a beneficial outcome for both you and your employee. Clear desk policies. Effective onboarding. Family-friendly work practices. Flexible working arrangements. How to conduct an appraisal. How to establish if a manager will succeed. Retention strategies. Bridging the digital skills gap. Talent management for on-demand staff. Talent management planning.

Unpaid overtime. Whose responsibility is upskilling? Why company values matter. Working from home options. Work-life balance. How to motivate employees. How to offer career progression. How to decide who gets a pay rise. Pros and cons of salary transparency. How to foster innovative thinking in your team. How to conduct an employee performance appraisal.

How to conduct an employee performance appraisal For many managers, conducting an effective and engaging performance review is considered one of the more challenging tasks on their annual calendar.

Performance reviews are an opportunity to: Revive flagging motivation Kick-start projects that may have fallen by the wayside Reward productive employees with more responsibility Deal with problems head-on Set objectives for the future Assess training needs Learn more about the group dynamics of your team Benefits to your staff Believe it or not, many people actually look forward to their performance appraisal and the feedback that they receive.

This meeting is a chance for an employee to: Gain recognition and reward although appraisals are most definitely not pay reviews - these should ideally be handled separately Look ahead and set objectives that will aid their career progression Identify areas for improvement Identify support you can provide Resolve grievances Seek reassurance and appreciation Staff performance appraisal preparation In order to make the performance appraisal session worthwhile, it's essential to prepare by reviewing past information and jotting down some notes.

Things you can do to make the appraisal more beneficial include: Ask your employee to complete the appraisal form in full Explain you will need the form back at least two days prior to the meeting to give you time to review it Spend quality time analysing the appraisee's comments Review previous appraisal notes; what were the objectives set? Could they have been done better? What was done well? Think about future departmental objectives - how can the appraisee contribute?

How can you develop the appraisee to ensure they can help meet the required objectives? In the performance appraisal First and foremost, stick to the appointment. As a guideline, allow an hour for the appraisal and hold all calls. The discussion should centre around: A review of objectives set at the previous appraisal What objectives were met?

Is the appraisee deserving of special praise? What wasn't met? Was extra help needed? How much has the employee grown since the last review? How does the appraisee view their role and contribution to the team? Does the appraisee enjoy their job?

Performance Management

Consistent, high-quality healthcare performance reviews can have a dramatic impact on the success of your practice. The performance review process is an opportunity to recognize excellence, address opportunities for improvement, and set goals for the coming year. Better still, new tools and user-friendly performance management software can manage the technical aspects , leaving you free to focus on delivering relevant, actionable feedback to each of your team members. Formal Performance Reviews. Unlike ad-hoc recognition and impromptu constructive feedback, performance reviews look at how an employee performs during the entire performance period. They consider the big picture in terms of contributions and performance trends.

Performance Evaluations For Employees

The purpose is to identify their strengths and weaknesses, offer constructive feedback for skill development in the future, and assist with goal setting. Whichever methodology you choose for performance reviews, a well-planned and executed performance review boosts employee engagement and sets the tone for creating a culture of feedback and continual development at your organisation. They are helpful for record-keeping and making sure a project — especially an agile or fast-moving one — stays on track week by week. These are especially useful for businesses who employ people on short-term contracts or freelancers, and for new hires during their onboarding process , as they go from job description to actual performance. New projects also benefit from monthly employee reviews so that they stay on track and organisational goals are met. Some employees typically prefer monthly check-ins over annual reviews. Companies divide their business year into quarters Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4 , with set goals, targets, and budgets. It makes sense that assessing performance is run alongside these. Three months is sufficient time for an employee to achieve their goals and targets, as well as hone their organizational skills.

Coaching for Performance: Guide for Employees - Annual Review

When it comes to traditional employee performance reviews, research shows that even the best managers can be highly biased. But in order to create impactful and positive experiences, reviews must be fair, consistent, and most importantly—objective. This research-backed review system offers a more accurate and objective view of employee performance through continuous performance snapshots, specifically with the help of our Private Manager Assessment and Competency Assessment. You can unsubscribe or modify your email preference at any time. To learn more, review our Privacy Policy.

Your ultimate guide to employee performance reviews

Performance review forms and supporting resources were designed to help you efficiently navigate through the review process. The following frequently asked questions will help managers and staff employees prepare for the annual performance review process. The performance reviews are in an updated format that introduces a Job Description rating section that assesses the employee's performance within their assigned role. Competency-based ratings are preserved except for the removal of the Innovation competency. Also, rating scales are now in half-point increments, allowing for more accuracy and specificity of ratings.

6 steps to enhance your employee review process

An employee evaluation is a planned performance review by a supervisor. Employee evaluations are also called performance evaluations and usually take place on an annual basis. They are often directly connected with employee compensation and promotions. Ideally, the manager or supervisor performing the evaluation has been keeping notes throughout the year, so that they may cite specific examples of where an employee is exceeding, and where they need to improve performance. The manager or supervisor will typically talk about what an employee needs to do in order to improve performance. Looking for an Employee Evaluation Form? Download one here. Taking notes will help you accomplish several things.

Employee Evaluation

An employee evaluation is an excellent way to help your team members understand how they're doing at work. You can focus on areas of success, places they need to improve, and whether they have achieved their targets. It's essential to measure your employee's performance based on specific criteria so that you have a baseline they can improve upon. While each business's employee evaluation contains elements that are specific to the industry and job description, there are some overarching criteria you should use in employee performance appraisals.

Delivering an Effective Performance Review

A performance appraisal , also referred to as a performance review , performance evaluation , [1] career development discussion , [2] or employee appraisal [3] is a method by which the job performance of an employee is documented and evaluated. Performance appraisals are a part of career development and consist of regular reviews of employee performance within organizations. It is an element of the principal-agent framework, that describes the relationship of information between the employer and employee, and in this case the direct effect and response received when a performance review is conducted. A performance appraisal is a systematic, general and periodic process that assesses an individual employee's job performance and productivity in relation to certain pre-established criteria and organizational objectives. To collect PA data, there are three main methods: objective production, personnel, and judgmental evaluation.

The traditional review paradigm of calling people onto the carpet once or twice a year for a formal assessment is stressful for everyone involved. Waiting six months or a year to give this kind of feedback just about guarantees that it will be out of date. It also misses ongoing opportunities for relationship-building and guidance throughout the year. Coaching and developing in the moment is a more effective approach. More frequent reviews can also nudge working managers to check in with their team even though they have their own projects to handle. Because of these advantages, many companies are moving to more frequent one-on-one updates instead of relying on yearly or half-yearly feedback sessions. That requires training managers and supervisors to adopt a new cadence for feedback and to take notes on each session they can use in the bigger annual or semiannual reviews.

Federal government websites often end in. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site. The site is secure. Holding successful mid—year and end—of—year performance appraisal discussions requires preparation.