Starting off the appraisal process with solid preparation, making sure the employee is well informed, comfortable with the process and open to feedback will make for a successful event.
Ongoing Performance Feedback is Key
Be sure to give employees feedback on an ongoing basis on the job. That means that a supervisor proactively corrects behavior through retraining as needed and reinforces positive or superior performance regularly. The person should never hear about a problem with his performance for the first time during the review process. He should be well aware of issues from the coaching he has received on the job.
Ask the Employee to Do a Self-Appraisal
It is always a good idea to give the employee a chance to do a self-appraisal before you give the official review. This will give the manager an opportunity to understand what the employee thinks about his own performance as well as highlight some of the ups and downs that may have occurred throughout the time period that is covered by the review. Collect this self-review from him before the review and use some of the points from his perspective on the actual review if his points are not already discussed in the review content. This way, the employee can appreciate that he has some control over the review process.
Conduct the Review in a Professional Manner
Be sure to find a nice, quiet office area away from phones and faxes when meeting an employee for her review. Do not rush, talk too fast or be tense when giving the information. Try to get some interaction from the employee on each section of the review and give her a chance to discuss anything she does not understand or agree with on the form. If new information comes forward, it can be taken into consideration but a manager should only change the review content under exceptional circumstances. She may not fully agree with the review on every point, but she should thoroughly understand the feedback and ratings.
Be Positive and Motivating But Above All Else, Be Fair
Be fair and do not play favorites with people. That means that a supervisor should recognize the positive and negative performance indicators from everyone. Try not to make one failure overshadow the employee's entire performance. Or conversely, because one employee is very good in one area, recognize that he may need to develop in other areas and give him tips and advice on how to accomplish this improvement.
At the close of the review session, offer the employee support and guidance in terms of assisting him to learn, train and improve his performance. Try to end the meeting on a positive note and if follow-up activities are needed, commit and follow through on these promises.
When dealing with a difficult employee, who has serious performance issues, it may be in everyone's best interests to include another manager in the review meeting, such as the department manager, a direct supervisor or the human resources manager.
In summary, taking the time to prepare for the performance review and setting the stage for a positive and relaxed meeting with the employee will ease the tension of this sometimes difficult task. The bottom line on any performance review is fairness to the employees. By treating them with equal objectivity, the effective supervisor will accomplish a positive result, leading to personal growth and employee development in the workplace.
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