Are you ready to address the elephant in the room?
Performance reviews are where managers and employees can lay it all on the table – professionally speaking, that is. As we say goodbye to Q1 and head into Q2, it’s important to take the time to complete employee performance reviews. As busy as you are, the time you take to develop your team is a direct investment in increased productivity, better results, and happier employees. And the increased communication will probably make you happier too!
Here are a few things to consider as you get ready for performance reviews:
- Schedule Consistent Reviews: Once a year may be enough for your team, but consider doing semi-annual or quarterly reviews so you can work on team development all year. Set the expectation with your employees when these reviews will take place and get them on the calendar at the beginning of the year.
- Plan Ahead: If you’re filling out a performance review, be sure to do so before you meet with the employee. If you are prepared, thoughtful, and constructive you will both leave the meeting with actionable solutions.
- Include Employee Goals: Goals are more likely to be accomplished when an accountability system is in place. Including past goals and looking at progress towards long-term goals is an easy measure of employee performance. You can then have the conversation about what needs to be done to achieve these goals.
- Encourage Employee Feedback: This is your opportunity to create an open dialog with your employees, so don’t strong arm them by making it a one-sided conversation. There’s always room to develop into a better manager, and that means asking where they need your help, how you could improve communication, and where you could do better.
Remember, the more thought and energy you put into performance reviews, the more they will move away from just a mechanic HR function and towards productive check-ins that build stronger teams.
For more business and management tips, follow us on Twitter @CareerPlug.
