Performance review tips

One of the most important tasks in order to ensure job satisfaction at work as well as to supervise employees’ performance is to perform a performance appraisal process. This should be done regularly, normally once a year by many companies. It is not only good for the improvement of the employees; it is good for the growth of the company as well. However, many people including managers and employees may not feel well participating in an appraisal process.

If you are about to take part in a performance appraisal process, follow 10 tips below and you will succeed:

1. Be prepared:

First and the most important, you must prepare yourself before sitting in such a process. If you are a manager, consider well what and how you will say.

2. Be positive-focused:

Acknowledge the strengths of the employees. This shall make the atmosphere more comfortably. Being positive-focused means appreciating strength points rather than criticizing weaknesses.

3. Don’t be aggressive:

As a manager, you should not try to criticize the employees. You are evaluating their performance but not themselves which should be the task of recruitment & promotion process. Be friendly and encouraging to help raise the employee’s morale.

4. Be realistic:

Don’t force it upon the employees’ unrealistic requirements. They may not perform the job well, but this does not mean they don’t have any contribution. Treat them with equality and respect.

5. Be fair:

Your appraisal should be consistent and fair. To poor performer, you should point out his weaknesses and mistakes and encourage him to improve. To a good performer, you should encourage his performance. You should use ranking-method to evaluate an employee’s performance. This is a rather fair method to easily decide whether an employee is a good or poor performer.

6. Make it a two-way conservation:

Don’t just talk, you must listen, too. And don’t prevent the employees from talking, encourage them to discuss anything you disagree or wish to talk about. An appraisal process should be a two-way discussion. Only this will make it successful.

7. Address what is important to the employee:

Job satisfaction is the most important factor affecting on the employee’s future performance. Therefore, an effective appraisal process should address the issues which are considered important to the employee.

8. Discuss the Balance between work and life:

A performance appraisal is also an opportunity to address the balance between work and private life of the employee. Here, the manager may discuss with the employee about the development of his career as well as future opportunities for him.

9. Be a good listener:

As mentioned before, an appraisal performance requires both your listening and speaking. As a manager, you are required both speaking with the employees and listening to their feed-backs.

10. Regular review:

A performance appraisal (or review) process should be performed on regular basis so that the managers may keep track of the employee’s performance and interfere whenever necessary. The process is not only about recording temporarily performance of an employee; it is also about training them and helping them figure out what he is lacking on frequent basis.