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That's what most people associate with Performance Reviews - whether they're giving them or receiving them, Performance Reviews or Evaluations are considered a necessary evil in the corporate world.
While 8 out of 10 companies do annual performance appraisals of some sort, over 60% of workers say that reviews don't do anything to help their future performance.
There's something very wrong with this picture.
The easy answer would be to abandon reviews altogether - just stop doing them. But, there's a better answer to be had.
If we change our approach from anxiety, fear and nausea to one of development, assistance and care, those of us who give evaluations may find that there is real value in helping employees to actually use the information to improve their performance.
Here are several ways you can begin to change your approach:
The Devil's in the Details: Details help employees know what behaviors to change. Vague and ambiguous information will only serve to confuse and won't give them the understanding and information to make actual changes. Give as many details as possible if you are looking to enhance specific behaviors and increase performance levels.
Accountability is King: Most supervisors think the job is over when the review is finished. But that's when the real work begins - following-up on what was agreed upon and helping employees on a continual basis. That's what takes the "ambush" feeling out of the annual review. If you are in continual contact on the action items, your employees won't be surprised by the evaluation they receive.
Balance the Information: Some HR professionals use the "sandwich approach" (say good news, then bad news, then good news), but research shows that the information in the middle often gets lost and the employees don't get the seriousness that was intended. We believe that straightforward, honest feedback helps people the best. Whether that's the good news or the bad news, being direct will help people to change behavior. Don't sugarcoat the bad news if you want people to actually hear it. And, give people public recognition to back up the good news you told them in the evaluation session.
So, take Performance Evaluations from "management cruel to management tool" by giving your employees what they need most: good feedback, insight into their importance to the company and the tools to change what needs to be changed. After that, it's up to them to make it happen!
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