As an employer or an HR, you must already be aware of the difficulties of hiring the right employees for your company. Unfortunately, it does not end there; you must check whether the employees’ performance is up to the mark. The most productive way to do that is by conducting performance reviews at regular intervals.
At least a few HRs are in the misconception that performance reviews are mere evaluation and documentation of employee performance. If you also share the same notion, be ready to be surprised.
Performance reviews help improve the overall performance in the workplace; they will give you insight about where to focus more in the future. They also promote a healthy work environment where you and the employees can discuss the problems and find solutions.
They also ensure enough room for employee engagement; employees will get an opportunity to address the changes they need from the management. That will be a good way to strengthen the bond between you and your employees.
However, effective performance reviews are easier said than done; so in this article, we are giving you some tips to ensure that your end-of-year performance review gives you the expected result.
Tips for conducting an effective performance review
1. Prepare beforehand
Many managers and HRs commit the mistake of freestyling performance review meetings without any preparation. Some even go a step further and try to fill the employee review form on the spot with the employee. But the truth is, unprepared review meetings are just a waste of time and might even be daunting to your employees.
Planning and preparation are the keys to result-assuring performance review meetings; it opens the door for productive discussions.
Here are some of the things that you should prepare:
Once you have all these details, prepare a conclusive performance review form; make sure you use the same measure for all your employees.
2. Keep your evaluations crisp and clear
Remember that your employees are expecting a productive meeting, so keep your points clear. Give them specific examples of where they performed well and where they went low. Remember to encourage them to do better in the future but not to sugarcoat your criticisms. That gives your employees a precise picture of what the company expects from them.
3. Set goals
You will know what to expect from an employee when you already have a comprehensive performance review plan. So set a goal for each employee so that they will also know what your expectations are. That will help your employees in becoming more productive and committed to work.
The golden rule here is to keep your expectations fair and real; always keep their strengths and weaknesses in mind. Make sure the focus of your goals will be on improving their weaknesses as well as enriching their strengths.
Unlike the performance review form, it is better not to prepare the goals beforehand. Include your employees’ opinions while setting their goals and note that down on the performance review form.
4. Give your employee a copy of the performance review form
As we have already mentioned, the performance review is the documentation of the performance status of every employee. And your employees also deserve to keep a copy of the review reports.
Your employees are there not just for the raise or promotion; they might also want to know how they performed last year. So, once you discuss all the crests and throughs of one year and formulate a goal for the next year, give them a copy of the form. That way, they can also prepare themself better for a productive year.
5. Ensure two-way conversations
It is one of the most important things you should keep in mind while entering the room for an employee review meeting. Performance review meetings are not interviews or lectures; it should be an open discussion platform.
Ask them about the issues they faced the previous year and the changes they are expecting from the management. That way, your employees feel more comfortable about performance meetings as well as your management.
Conclusion
A good performance review will also give you a clear insight about whom to keep and whom not to. And that will open room for more employees in your company, so being an HR, make sure you hire the right employees for next year.
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