Performance reviews can be a touch subject for employers and managers alike. However, performance reviews can go much smoother for everyone involved in manager remember the following 6 do and don’ts of performance reviews:
1. Don’t Compare Employees
One of the worst sins a manager can commit is to compare one employee’s talents to another’s. Making an example of one employee sets up feelings of inferiority in one employee and it also creates a chance for harboring resentment in another against that employee. Employees should be appreciated for individual talents, not forced into a company mold.
2. Don’t Use Performance Reviews for Discipline
Performance reviews are not the time to threaten or browbeat employees into submission. Not only is it ineffective, but it’s also counterproductive. Lay out consequences for any continued undesired behavior in a logical manner if necessary, and ask for a commitment to change. If an employee is about to be fired, of course negative discourse is to be expected, but it’s not a time for tempers to flare. Stay calm and keep a steady and upbeat pace with the conversation.
3. Don’t Be a Wimp
Negative feedback is a necessary part of work life. It may not always be pleasant to share with an employee that they are doing less than a stellar job, but it’s vital. Don’t back out of offering constructive criticism when necessary. It’s the hardest part of any manager’s job, but it how employees stay on track when things go awry.
4. Do Start Reviews Early
Waiting until the last minute to prepare for a performance review is a huge mistake. Managers should be planning for reviews well in advance, and taking notes at least two weeks prior to sitting down with an employee, if not long before. Performance reviews should be scheduled in advance and not dodged.
5. Do Look at the Entire Year
Managers sometimes have difficulty recalling events that occurred more than three months prior to a review. If problems have been present recently, it may be easier to recall the problems rather than remember the earlier stellar performance. Make sure to cover both periods if applicable and work with an employee to develop a successful strategy for positive change.
6. Do Verify the Details
Little details are easy to lose track of when managers are handling a larger team. However, if a manager isn’t sure of any details about an employee’s performance, it’s better not to guess. Every fact written into a performance review should be verified by email, or by using additional notes.
Managers have a great deal of work to do. Sometimes performance reviews seem like a waste of time, but performance reviews can be a great method for evaluating an employee’s effectiveness within a particular setting. The best thing a manager can do when facing a performance review is to schedule the review well in advance and make sure that an adequate amount of preparation and review time is available to get the review completed correctly.
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