Reviewing the performance of employees is essential to understand their contribution to the organization. People failing to perform well are liabilities for your business, so you should rethink keeping them on board for the long haul. Not surprisingly, every organization implements an employee performance review process to keep a close eye on their workforce. But you cannot take a set-and-forget approach to the initiative because performance expectations, metrics, and bottlenecks change down the line. Here are a few valuable tips for creating a foolproof performance review process for your business.
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Prepare in advance
Performance reviews should be flawless, so preparing for them beforehand gives you a head start. You must have a system with proper steps to follow, such as keeping employee files ready before interacting with them, getting notes from previous feedback, and filling forms with critical information. Being fully ready makes managers more confident during the conversation, and there is hardly a chance to miss out on anything. Moreover, you must train your managers to get through the process seamlessly.
Communicate clearly
A foolproof performance review process is also about clear communication with your employees. Avoid being completely positive or negative because both may have downsides. Being too positive leaves no scope for improvement and may even make people complacent and overconfident. Conversely, an overly negative approach can lower their morale. A tactful approach gives you a middle path, so share the positives and highlight the potential areas of improvement without swaying in either direction.
Embrace 360-degree reviews
360-degree feedback is the best way to ramp up your review process because it gives you a broader picture of the strengths and weaknesses of individuals. You only need to get feedback from everyone an employee works with, from managers to peers and members of other teams. Check the 360 feedback template by primalogik to include the relevant points in the feedback survey. The objective is to pick the right attributes that offer a proper understanding of workforce performance.
Include the process in your handbook
Setting up a performance review process is only half the work. You also need to ensure that employees understand how it works. The best way to do it is to integrate clear directions about it in your employee handbook. Include elements like expectations from people being reviewed and attributes covered by the process. Being open leads to complete transparency in the feedback and makes employees comfortable.
Make it an ongoing process
Think beyond annual reviews, and implement an ongoing process with quarterly and half-yearly feedback. It may seem like a lot of effort, but regular feedback sessions keep employees on their toes throughout the year. They understand the issues keeping them from giving their best, so performance improvement becomes easy. Managers can also implement regular adjustments instead of pushing big changes once a year.
Employee performance reviews should be a positive practice instead of a scary experience for your team members. Follow these measures to implement a foolproof process that delivers actionable insights for long-term improvement.