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Take the Stress Out of Your Performance Review Process

Performance review season is right around the corner, and in keeping with annual tradition in most offices, both managers and employees are gearing up for an awkward ordeal. Nobody looks forward to review time. Employees dread it, managers often resent it, and HR pros aren’t usually excited about the task of adjusting payment and compensation based on subjective employee contributions. But despite their lack of popularity, annual reviews provide a necessary method of keeping salaries fair and employees engaged and motivated to perform throughout the year. So what are some of the steps managers can take to keep this important task from becoming an annual headache? Keep these considerations in mind.

Choose Your Model Carefully

The science of performance evaluation grows more sophisticated every year, and with every new behavioral study, managers are presented with new algorithms and metrics for measuring employee success. Whether you choose a nine-box, 360 degree, weighted ranking method, or any of dozens of options, make sure your format matches your workplace culture and your business model. 

Begin With Self Evaluations

Launch the conversation between managers and employees by giving employees an opening opportunity to evaluate themselves. This gives employees a sense of control over the process and it helps managers and employees start on the same page by identifying a shared set of weak points and strengths.

Consistency is Key

Even though employees won’t participate in the evaluations of their peers, the process should be standardized and managers should make a strong effort to be objective as they compare the performance of one employee with another. Of course the bar will be higher for more experienced employees than it will be for new hires, but all standards of measurement should equitable, reasonable, and fair.

Focus on Performance, Not Attitude

Make sure all metrics used to judge employee success are based on output and performance, not attitude. If an employee produces quality work, her attitude should not be brought to the table during review time. Likewise, a struggling employee with a cheery, can-do spirit is still a struggling employee. During the review, stay focused on finding ways to improve her work and raise the value of her contributions.

Conduct Reviews in a Context

Keep the big picture in mind. If reviews aren’t followed by clear actions plans, clear rewards for excellence, or clear consequences for shortcomings, then why conduct them in the first place? The review offers a valuable way to track employee growth and progress throughout the year, and the final product should help create a road map to employee and company success.

For more tips and guidance on getting the most out of your annual employee review process, consult the NC staffing experts at PSU.

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