It is that time of year again, and the dreaded end of year performance reviews is right around the corner. However, this time of year does not have to be painful. Ninja Gig has put together a helpful guide to making your end of year employee reviews more positive.
Tips For Improving Employee Reviews
One way to make reviews less stressful is to make them into a discussion instead of an interrogation. For example, instead of approaching an employee about performance issues, make this into a time where you both openly discuss challenges he/she can overcome. By approaching it this way, it makes it more positive than expressing weaknesses in an employee’s work style.
The Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) recommends using the review to help employees’ become better at their jobs. This means open conversation while discussing, planning and reviewing employee performance on a one-on-one basis.
Human Resources professionals can help do reviews better by instituting the following:
- Help employees to define and understand their job-related responsibilities;
- Provide clear and straightforward criteria for how performance is evaluated;
- Identify all employees that have the potential to advance within the company;
- Offer employees suggestions to help them improve their day-to-day work performance;
- Develop a fair way for employees to receive compensation based on their merit; and
- Work with managers to develop, achieve and distribute department goals.
Always focus on facilitating a two-way conversation during the end of year employee reviews instead of just pointing out criticisms. It is important to point out both the employee’s achievements and weaknesses in a positive manner.
A review should engage employees in a question and answer session instead of managers dominating the entire conversation. It is also important for managers to address areas that need work because a review is useless unless both parties understand their goals.
Each team or department within the company should have goals. This allows each employee within the team to be held to certain objectives. Having measurable goals will make annual reviews easier and less subjective. Always conclude reviews with written goals, making it easier for employees to know where they need to boost performance.
Balancing both the positive and negative during a review leads to happier employees and want to grow with a company long-term.
Need to balance a negative review in a positive way? Read this helpful article.
Let Ninja Gig help you this year! We offer the ease of online job applications. Potential employees can apply online, and you can use different filters to capture the right applicant for your company. Sign up now for a free trial!