How important are performance appraisals?
- Labourwise
Both employees and employers often dread performance appraisals. One study showed that 80% of employees were dissatisfied with the performance appraisal system.
Many managers also find it an extremely stressful process, so why not just do away with performance appraisals altogether?
Robert Green, CEO of Reward Systems Inc., said: “Performance management is the single largest contributor to organisational effectiveness. If you ignore performance management, you fail.” You owe it to your organisation, as well as your employees, to view performance appraisals in a serious light and ensure that these provide a platform for your employees to improve and grow.
4 Common mistakes people make with performance reviews
1. Inability to give criticism. Many employees become defensive when they receive criticism, which makes it difficult for managers to provide negative feedback. Be aware of this and aim to give constructive criticism in a sensitive way.
2. Personality biases. Focus on performance and not personality. Be careful not to rate someone better because they are nice people, or alternatively rate someone less favourable because they have difficult personalities.
3. A poor performance review should never be a surprise. Meet with your employees on a regular basis to discuss their progress on goals, overall performance, and any training that may could need required. They should know where they stand in relation to their performance.
4. Not giving specific feedback. Ensure that employees know what is expected of them. Clearly define expectations and have a means to track or monitor them.
By correctly implementing a performance appraisal system, you’ll incorporate your organisation’s vision, mission and strategy with your employees. In turn, your organisation will grow.
This article first appeared on Labourwise.
