Transform performance appraisals into a positive experience for employees
Conducting performance appraisals is an essential component of every organisation.
It is understandable that as managers, you must adhere to a specific protocol when it comes to conducting performance appraisals. But we constantly wonder if there is a way to help managers improve how they conduct good performance appraisals.
Not every manager can have the opportunity to have an impact on their employees by enhancing how they perform performance appraisals. But what they can do is examine ways in which they can transform their performance appraisals into a positive experience both for themselves and their employees.
So how do you ensure that your performance appraisals are done in a way that facilitates proper communication? How do you efficiently meet goals within the limits of your system?
Also Read: 7 effective ways to motivate employees
In this article, let us discuss some of how managers can improve their performance appraisals:
Conduct performance appraisals in a periodic fashion
Performance appraisals are conducted on an annual basis in most organisations.
The problem with yearly appraisals is that they are usually inaccurate and past-oriented. How are managers supposed to go through everything that employees have done during the past year and come to a conclusion?
Both managers and employees usually dread annual appraisals because it is a tedious job going through all the records of employee performance for the year.
Therefore, performance appraisals must be conducted periodically, whether on a monthly or a quarterly basis. This way, it will leave no room for errors and miscommunication.
Continuous ongoing feedback
If you want your employees to grow in their careers and skillset, then your employees must receive constant feedback.
Continuous feedback is important because it provides managers with the opportunity to recognize their achievements, focus on their weaknesses and suggest ways to improve themselves, enhance their strengths and unleash their employee’s potential. Cultivating a culture of continuous feedback will help managers to conduct healthy discussions on time.
These days, communication has become a lot easier during appraisals because of the plethora of technology available in the market. For instance, companies invest in performance management software to facilitate continuous communication.
360-degree reviews
Also Read: How employee engagement affects the bottom line
When we speak about feedback, it is impressive how feedback can be solicited in different ways. One such feedback mechanism is the 360 Degree feedback which is popularly used for conducting appraisals as well. A 360 Degree appraisal is undertaken by getting anonymous ratings from an employee’s subordinates, peers, managers and external stakeholders in the form of customers, vendors and mentors.
360 Degree feedback is instrumental in terms of understanding how well your employees work together as a team. Multiple ratings from multiple sources, provide an overall understanding of the performance of an employee to him.
Align employee goals with business objectives
Setting goals for your employees is one thing, but performance appraisals are not just confined to employee goals. It is crucial to examine how employee goals are contributing to the overall success of the business.
Therefore, before you set goals for your employees, ensure that you have communicated the business objectives to the employees. During each appraisal cycle, you will be able to review what has been accomplished and what has not. With that, you can formulate new strategies that would help you achieve the target.
Moreover, it is useful in terms of identifying the perception gaps that occur during performance appraisals.
Empower your employees
We have discussed earlier that one way of empowering your employees is to align their goals with the objectives of the company. Secondly, you can empower your employees by encouraging them to identify their job-specific goals.
For instance, you could teach them how to use the SMART criterion and give them something attainable. As a manager, it is your responsibility to ensure that the goals are consistent. After an appraisal, identify the employees who have efficiently fulfilled their goals.
Motivate the employees by rewarding them for their work and help those who have missed the mark.
Conclusion
Performance appraisals used to be a term that would burn out even the most productive employees sometimes. However, as a manager, it is your responsibility to transform performance appraisals into a positive experience for them.
Also Read: Hire slowly, grow slowly: how we grew from 1 to 100 employees
When you incorporate a culture of continuous feedback and communication, it results in better employee engagement.
Moreover, including developmental opportunities for employees along with appraisals, will empower your employees to perform better. The last thing you would want is for your employees to run away after hearing the term appraisal.
Motivate your employees and bring the best out of them!
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