In C-level support, performance reviews are often seen as a necessary evil. On the one hand, most employees want feedback about their work performance. On the other hand, they are also a source of stress for both employees and employers. And they don’t always lead to improvements in performance as expected. These tips will help you improve performance reviews in your organization.
Set Clear Expectations
The best way to minimize anxiety around performance reviews is to communicate expectations clearly in advance. Share with your employees what the performance criteria are and ask them how they feel about them. With the pandemic still ongoing, communication is more important than ever. It is a good idea to have weekly check-ins with employees in addition to end-of-the-year reviews. Schedule dedicated time for the check-ins and communicate in advance what the goal will be. That way employees can have time to prepare and won’t feel like they’re being put on the spot.
Take an Empathetic Approach
Many people are going through a tough time right now, so it is critical that you talk to your team members and identify their individual situation in light of the pandemic. Your employees may have responsibilities in their life they didn’t have a year ago. It is a good idea to ask them what has changed for them. You also want to know how they are handling these changes so you can understand what additional support you can provide them to make their job less stressful. Asking these questions can help you give more effective performance evaluations and give employees more accurate feedback.
Give Goal-Oriented Feedback
One reason employees often dislike performance feedback is because they are used to reviews focusing on negatives. Employees want to know what they are doing well. They also want to learn exactly what skills they need work on to improve their performance. Your team members want to succeed, but they need to know what adjustments they can make to be more effective in their role. Once employees understand where they excel and where they need improvement, they can set specific goals to help them get where they need to be.
Most professionals dread annual performance reviews, but feedback in general is necessary for growth. You can make performance reviews more valuable by providing regular, consistent feedback, taking the time to comprehend what your team members are going through and what support they need to succeed. Focus on communicating clear expectations and pinpointing goal development.
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