Most employees in companies today are all too familiar with the concept of the performance review. Just the mention of this often dreaded occurrence of discussion with one’s supervisor where they get to critique every move you’ve made during the year while you sit ideally by is sure to send negative feelings throughout the mind’s of employees everywhere. The performance review generally has a similar effect on managers and supervisors as well. So why is this performance review so dreaded and loathed by many?
A few of the reasons are listed below.
| Employees: | Managers: |
| They have no control in the situation. Managers get to provide ratings and comments on multiple areas of performance that are most often subjective in nature. If an employee disagrees, they might get a small “employee comments” area to provide their rebuttal all the while knowing that if they push too much the person controlling their future still has control. | Managers often dread the discussion of the employee performance review assuming the discussion will turn into a battle with the manager left to convince the employee that their ratings are accurate. Managers usually assume employees think they perform better than they actually do. |
| Reviews sheets are completed before the actual discussion occurs. Therefore bringing up comments has little effect on the actual rating which is most often tied to their annual increase which is usually only a few cents different from the person with the next highest or lowest rating. | Managers are busy with tasks and goals of their own . Taking the time to thoroughly review a whole year’s worth of performance is time consuming. They often rush through the forms because the HR department has a deadline they are struggling to meet? |
| Employees are often forced to write a self evaluation prior to the meeting as well. Unfortunately, these usually only serve as annoyance to employees because the majority of the time it is ignored by the supervisor any way. | The forms are too complicated, long, short or don’t cover what is really important to success in this department. |
So, what’s the answer to overcoming the negativity around the performance appraisal? Here’s a few tips to get you started:
- Set clear expectations. Provide them on the first day of employment.
- Provide feedback all year. Create a culture where performance discussions are a regular part of the work day and review meetings are held at frequent intervals such as montly.
- Ask first, tell later. Begin a performance discussion by asking the employee to rate their performance. Have them provide examples of where they have met and exceeded the expectations.
- Do not complete the form until you have the discussions. Do monitor performance all year and have examples ready to discuss.
- Guarantee no surprises at the annual meeting. If you are waiting for annual meeting to discuss performance, you lost your chance to be effective.
How does your company handle the performance review? Why do you hate it?
Your thoughts and questions are always welcomed and encouraged!
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Sheri Mazurek is a training and human resource professional with over 16 years of management experience, and is skilled in all areas of employee management and human resource functions, with a specialty in learning and development. She is currently employed as the Human Resource Manager at EmployeeScreenIQ, a global leader in pre-employment background screening. Follow her on twitter @sherimaz!
Sheri,
You’ve identified a number of “gotchas” to avoid in having a better review experience. Your use of the term critique, however, made me wonder if most people have two other drivers that are effecting their performance review experience:
1. How much of a balance between recognition and critique they can tolerate. I would bet most people feel reviews are too heavily weighted with critique. But I’ve also worked with a number of people who actually need a mix of 3 recognition comments for every critique to be comfortable. Probably everyone’s mix is different.
2. The other driver I see is how realistic the conversation is in people’s head about what they do that works and doesn’t. If you can’t be realistic with yourself, then you won’t be able to tolerate someone else reviewing your work realistically, no matter how well they frame it.
Rodney Brim
CEO Performance Solutions Technology
blog: http://www.performancesolutionstech.com
Rodney,
You are absolutely correct. It can be difficult to hear feedback on yourself. It is so critical that the receiver is able to fairly assess themselves in order to hear what the reviewer is saying. I think many times, the reviewee focuses more on defending themselves then listening.
Sheri,
I used your blog to tee up the whole issue of whether or not performance reviews fit for most people. When you get a moment, leave me a comment, would enjoy your perspective.
http://www.performancesolutionstech.com/performance-reviews-do-they-fit/
Rodney Brim,
Blog: http://www.performancesolutionstech.com
I’ve worked here for 8 yrs with NO, NADA, as in never, performance review. However, when trying to be proactive to a grave mishandling of benefits by our health insurance provider I was written up for being “insensitive” to our vendor. After two attempts to get our employees their medical cards in a timely fashion I finally wrote a scathing inquiry. Cards due on June 1st, and requested by me May 22nd, finally arrived the end of July, BUT I’M THE ONE WRITTEN UP, and have no recourse!