Performance Reviews

Performance reviews are designed to both evaluate general performance and measure progress around specific goals. Both negative and positive aspects are incorporated in these reviews as they should serve as a point of reference to both look back in evaluation and ahead in anticipation. Pulling back from daily demands in order to assess and review employee performance allows managers to focus their attention on specific departments and clarify what is high priority to their company. Performance reviews also act as an opportunity to acknowledge working staff and identify professional development which will further support the staff members’ career growth. Reviews are seen as a powerful tool that can be tied to a company’s overall success; they serve to align staff with the organization’s expectations and priorities.

Positive aspects of performance reviews include three main objectives: profitability, improving the working relationship between employee and supervisor, and increasing employee satisfaction. Performance reviews allow the company and its employees to set mutual goals; the reviewer and employee function as equals. Review meetings are prepared as a way to tell the other worker what he or she could do to increase productivity. The key to employee productivity is participatory management and seeking genuine input from employees; workers should have the room to determine and voice their needs. Review meetings allow time to focus on skills that are the most important to an employee’s job as it is critical that the worker and reviewer agree on the relative importance of the position. Emphasizing an employee’s strengths are also an added benefit of performance reviews; if recognition of one’s accomplishments and strengths are made clear, those characteristics are more likely to flourish.

Silences, irrelevancies and excuses are three of the most common difficulties that arise in performance reviews. As it may not seem like a conscious choice, any time an employee offers an excuse for a poor performance, he or she is trying to clear themselves of any responsibility. This can create tension between the employee and the manager as the executive’s focus tends to be not on the excuse itself, but on the issue of responsibility. Along with excuses, silence acts in a negative manner for many reasons; it is obvious that it makes the employee feel awkward. Silence can also be used as manipulative power play as well as a means of intimidation which can lead to a multitude of other negativities such as irrelevancies and misconception.

Good performance review techniques and methods come in a variety of forms ranging from the use of management coaches to the establishment and distribution of written evaluations. Evaluations should include all direct reports from those employees who work within the department; from beginning to end, the process of using a questionnaire benefits gloriously to a manager and their employees. Discovering what employees genuinely think of a manager’s work and leadership abilities proves crucial as it becomes an essential step in maintaining strengths and improving weaknesses. The use of a hired management coach can help during the performance reviews immensely; as their job is to aide in the facilitation of meetings, coaches can assist in assuring that the review process goes smoothly without any problems or miscommunication. Not only does this benefit the reviewer but the employee may feel a bit more comfortable as he or she has the support of not only their manager, but that of a professional coach as well. The best performance review technique is to encourage the employee to participate assertively and actively in the review process. Performance appraisal centers around open communication between the employee and their manager; sticking to a problem-solving mindset will help focus the meeting and ensure the process runs smoothly.

Poor performance review techniques are at times difficult to overcome as some employees perceive the review process in a negative way; bad methods of review can damage even the best of appraisal processes. One of the top poor techniques is when managers aren’t clear with their reasoning or comments made during a review. It’s essential to both the manager and the employee to have a good understanding of what is being said otherwise confusion and misinterpretation occur. Another poor review technique is a combination of both a lack of preparation and defensiveness; even constructive criticism can be hard to hear. If employees come into the review process with a defensive attitude, it is next to impossible to engage in a positive conversation regarding their job performance. Employees are encouraged to present their perceptions and opinions however this should be done in a calm and factual way. A lack of preparation for a performance